Associations Between Technology Use, Responsive Feeding, and Child Temperament Among Prior Prenatal Intervention Participants

Objectives:The primary objective was to examine associations between mothers' television and mobile device (TV/MD) use and responsive feeding during an observed mother-toddler mealtime interaction. The secondary objective was to assess whether dimensions of child temperament were associated with mothers' TV/MD use.Methods:Participants from a prenatal lifestyle intervention trial to prevent excess gestational weight gain among women with overweight and obesity (N = 77) were observed during a dinner-time meal when their children were aged 19.4 +/- 0.9 months. Trained video coders used the Responsiveness to Child Feeding Cues Scale to rate child strength of early/subtle, positive active, and negative active satiation cues and maternal responsiveness to these cues. Coders also recorded mothers' use of TV/MD. Child temperament was reported by mothers through the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised Very Short Form.Results:Twelve percent (n = 9) of mothers used TV/MD during the mealtime interaction. Children whose mothers used TV/MD exhibited stronger early/subtle cues (4.1 +/- 0.4) compared with children whose mothers did not use TV/MD (3.4 +/- 0.2; p = 0.04). Mothers who used TV/MD exhibited significantly lower responsiveness to child satiation cues (2.0 +/- 0.4) than those who did not use TV/MD (3.4 +/- 0.2; p = 0.001). Greater child temperamental negative affectivity was associated with a greater likelihood of maternal TV/MD use (OR = 4.80, 95% CI = 1.21, 19.03).Conclusion:Mothers' TV/MD use was associated with greater child temperamental negative affectivity and lower responsiveness to child cues.