Parent and child mealtime behavior in families of children with cystic fibrosis

Abstract Objectives: We investigated the hypothesis that children with cystic fibrosis (CF) and their parents would show more maladaptive behaviors during dinner than children without CF and their parents. Study design: Children with CF (n = 32) and their parents were compared with 29 children without CF and their parents on the rate and frequency of parent-child behaviors during a typical dinner in the families’ homes by using multivariate analyses of variance. Results: When the rate of behavior, controlling for meal length, was examined, no differences were found between groups. However, parents of children with CF were found to differ from parents of control subjects in the frequency of direct and indirect commands ( P P P P P P P P P P P P = .08) regardless of group (CF or control). Conclusions: Children with CF and their parents do not differ from children without CF and their parents in the rate of behaviors exhibited or types of strategies used to encourage eating. However, children with CF and their parents engage in these behaviors more frequently. Our data do not support typical parenting behaviors as effective in meeting the CF dietary requirements. Additional support in the form of child behavior management training may be needed to assist parents in meeting their child’s caloric requirements. (J Pediatr 2000;136:195-200)