Feeding Disorders of Early Childhood: An Empirical Study of Diagnostic Subtypes

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the differences among three subtypes of feeding disorders (FD), defined through the criteria of the DC:0-3R: Infantile Anorexia (IA), Feeding Disorder Associated with Insults to the Gastrointestinal Tract (FDIGT) and Sensory Food Aversions (SFA), by exploring mother-child interactions during feeding, children’s temperament and emotional-adaptive functioning, and mothers’ psychological profile and eating attitudes. Method: The sample consisted of 146 Italian mother-child pairs, of which 51 children with IA, 47 children with FDIGT, and 48 mothers and their children with SFA. All dyads were videotaped during feeding; mothers completed questionnaires assessing their psychological profiles and eating attitudes, as well as their children’s temperament and emotional/behavioral functioning. Results: Analyses revealed significant differences between the diagnostic groups of FD in relation to mother-child interactions during feeding, children’s temperament and emotional-adaptive functioning, and mothers’ psychological profile and eating attitudes. Discussion: Both interactional and individual variables may contribute differently to specific feeding disorders and outcomes during childhood. Definitions by feeding disorders subtypes, using operational diagnostic criteria, and the assessment of mother-child interactions are relevant to target interventions strategies to treat specific disorders.