School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK.
WMG and Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
Matern Child Nutr. 2022 Jul;18(3):e13346. doi: 10.1111/mcn.13346. Epub 2022 Mar 16.
Family mealtimes can be important for supporting children's healthy development, yet the emotional context of mealtimes can vary considerably, likely impacting their overall success and enjoyment. Yet, despite having an important role, little is known about how parents emotionally experience mealtimes with their family. The first aim of the current study was to assess the factor structure of a novel self-report measure to assess parents' emotional responses experienced during family mealtimes (Mealtime Emotions Measure for Parents; MEM-P). The second aim was to examine relationships between maternal mealtime emotions and their food parenting practices. Mothers of children aged between 1.5 and 6 years participated in this study. Mothers were invited to complete an online questionnaire measuring family mealtime emotions, anxiety, depression and food parenting practices. Exploratory factor analysis produced a three-factor solution comprising both positive and negative emotion subscales: MEM-P Efficacy; MEM-P Anxiety; MEM-P Stress and Anger. Mothers' positive mealtime emotions (mealtime efficacy) were related to greater use of practices promoting autonomy, providing a healthy home food environment, and modelling healthy eating. Higher anxiety about mealtimes was related to greater reports of child control over eating, and mealtime stress and anger was associated with greater use of food to regulate emotions. These findings highlight novel relationships between how mothers emotionally experience family mealtimes and the food parenting practices they use with their children. It is important to develop resources to help promote positive maternal experiences of family mealtimes and food-based interactions.
家庭用餐时间对于支持儿童的健康发展很重要，但用餐时间的情绪氛围可能有很大差异，这可能会影响用餐的整体效果和乐趣。尽管起着重要的作用，但人们对父母在与家人用餐时的情绪体验知之甚少。本研究的首要目的是评估一种新的自我报告工具，用于评估父母在家庭用餐期间体验到的情绪反应（家长用餐情绪量表，MEM-P）的结构。第二个目的是研究母亲在用餐时的情绪与他们的食物养育实践之间的关系。这项研究邀请了 1.5 至 6 岁儿童的母亲参与。母亲们被邀请在线填写一份问卷，问卷内容包括家庭用餐情绪、焦虑、抑郁和食物养育实践。探索性因素分析产生了一个包含积极和消极情绪分量表的三因素解决方案：MEM-P 效能；MEM-P 焦虑；MEM-P 压力和愤怒。母亲在进餐时的积极情绪（进餐效能感）与更多促进自主性的食物养育实践、提供健康的家庭食物环境和示范健康饮食有关。对进餐时间的焦虑感越高，对孩子控制饮食的报告就越多，而进餐时的压力和愤怒与更多地利用食物来调节情绪有关。这些发现强调了母亲在家庭用餐时间的情绪体验与她们对孩子的食物养育实践之间的新关系。开发资源以帮助促进母亲对家庭用餐时间的积极体验以及基于食物的互动非常重要。
