Measuring the impact of feeding covariates on health-related quality of life in children with autism spectrum disorder

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of feeding covariates (feeding problems, mealtime problems and feeding strategies/practices) on the healthrelated quality of life (HRQoL) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method: The valid data were obtained from a convenience sample of 379 mothers, on behalf of their children with ASD. Four assessment tools were used to collect data: KIDSCREEN health-related quality of life questionnaire short version (KIDSCREEN-SV), to assess HRQoL; screening tool of feeding problems (STEP), to assess the feeding problems; brief autism mealtime behaviour inventory (BAMBI), to assess mealtime problems; and feeding strategies questionnaire (FSQ), to assess parental feeding strategies/practices. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was run to determine the effects of predictor parameters (feeding problems, mealtime problems and feeding strategies/practices) on the HRQoL of children with ASD. Results: The multiple-regression analysis yielded three regression models. BAMBI (mealtime problems), FSQ (feeding strategies) and STEP (feeding problems) explained 11% of the total variance of HRQoL in a significant way. The amount of explained variance, beta score and correlation value suggest that BAMBI (mealtime problems) is the most significant predictor of HRQoL of children with ASD. Conclusion: The study provides evidence that feeding problems, mealtime problems and feeding strategies, play a significant and predictive role on HRQoL. Consequently, eliminating feeding and mealtime problems and ameliorating parental feeding strategies/ practices may promote the HRQoL of children with ASD. 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Abbreviations: HRQoL, health-related quality of life; ASD, autism spectrum disorder; KIDSCREEN-SV, KIDSCREEN Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire Short Version; STEP, screening tool of feeding problems; BAMBI, Brief Autism Mealtime Behaviour Inventory; FSQ, Feeding Strategies Questionnaire. * Corresponding author. Tel.: +90 264 614 10 33x3289; fax: +90 264 295 71 83; mobile: +90 530 655 30 97. E-mail addresses: [email protected], [email protected] (B.F. Meral), [email protected] (A. Fidan).