Confirmatory factor analysis of the Child Feeding Questionnaire among low-income African American families of preschool children

Abstract

This study examined the factor structure for three of the Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ) subscales, a widely used measure of parental feeding practices, among 296 low-income parents of African American preschool children. Confirmatory factor analysis showed an overall poor fit among CFQ subscales; Restriction, Pressure to Eat, and Concern about Child Weight, (χ2, (df = 87 = 300.249, CFI = 1.00, NNFI = 1.07, RMSEA = .091). Additionally, Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients for 2 of the three subscales were below acceptable recommendations (Restriction = 0.69; Pressure to Eat = 0.58). These results suggest further psychometric clarification is needed to understand commonly reported feeding practice constructs among low-income African American mothers of preschool aged children.

Effects of children's self-regulation of eating on parental feeding practices and child weight

“…However, as in our study (Table 1) Differences between the two racial/ethnic groups relative to the effect of controlling feeding practices may be the result of differing interpretations of the questionnaire items between the African American and Hispanic families (Anderson, Hughes, Fisher, & Nicklas, 2005). For example, one of the items in the restriction subscale of the CFQ ("If I did not guide or regulate my child's eating, she would eat too many junk foods"; Birch et al, 2001, p. 210) may be interpreted differently by African American and Hispanic mothers, and perhaps differently in both from white mothers, because the term "junk food" may have different meanings in each group (Anderson et al, 2005;Boles et al, 2010). Therefore, participants' interpretations of the questionnaire items may have been associated with how they responded, resulting in nonsignificant findings.…”

“…Anderson et al (2005) found that the original model fit of the CFQ had a better model fit in a Hispanic sample compared with an African American sample, and it was necessary to delete some items to achieve measurement invariance between the two groups. Furthermore, Boles et al (2010) determined internal consistency was poorer in a sample of caregivers of African American preschool-age children compared with the original study, and a poor model fit was identified for the factor structure of the concern about child's weight, pressure to eat, and restriction subscales of the CFQ with some items cross-loading onto other factors. The internal consistency values for this study were generally lower than those reported in the original validation studies for the measures, particularly for pressure to eat (α = .53) and for the three subscales of the CEBQ (α = .72 to .76).…”

“…Because this study's sample consisted of only one sociodemographic group (low-income minorities), the results may not generalize to other groups (e.g., preschoolers in families with higher socioeconomic status). Moreover, multiple studies (Anderson et al, 2005;Boles et al, 2010) have indicated concerns about the use of the CFQ (Birch et al, 2001) in minority samples. Anderson et al (2005) found that the original model fit of the CFQ had a better model fit in a Hispanic sample compared with an African American sample, and it was necessary to delete some items to achieve measurement invariance between the two groups.…”

Food Parenting: A Selective Review of Current Measurement and an Empirical Examination To Inform Future Measurement

“…First, it may make the research more comparable across multiple racial, ethnic and socioeconomic (SES) groups. The weak psychometric fit of some commonly used measures in non-white samples 65 and the higher prevalence of overweight in nonwhite children 66 highlights the importance of this goal. Second, it will bring the measurement of food parenting more in line with well-established approaches in the measurement of general parenting.…”

Validity and Reliability of the Child Feeding Questionnaire in School-Aged Children

“…ÇBA çocuk beslenmesini değerlendirmede en yaygın kullanılan anketlerden biridir. Bugüne kadar Amerika'lı (7,(17)(18)(19)(20), İngiliz (21), İs-koç (22), Avustralya'lı (23,24), Yeni Zelanda'lı (25), Japon (26) ve Türk (15, 16) ebeveynlerin çocuk besleme tutum ve uygulamalarını değer-lendirmek amacıyla kullanılmış, geçerli ve güvenilir bulunmuştur.…”