A FEEDING SCALE FOR RESEARCH AND CLINICAL-PRACTICE TO ASSESS MOTHER-INFANT INTERACTIONS IN THE FIRST 3 YEARS OF LIFE

The Feeding Scale provides a reliable rating of mother-infant/toddler interactions during a 20-minute feeding in a laboratory setting. The s cale consists of 46 mother and infant behaviors, which are rated at th e end of the feeding session. Observations of mother-infant interactio ns during two feedings separated by 2 weeks showed considerable stabil ity. Five subscale scores are derived: (1) Dyadic Reciprocity (2) Dyad ic Conflict, (3) Talk and Distraction, (4) Struggle for Control, and ( 5) Maternal Non-Contingency. Predictive validity of the Feeding Scale has been demonstrated, and it discriminates between infants with and w ithout feeding disorders as well as three diagnostic categories of fee ding-disordered infants. The Feeding Scale can be used with infants an d toddlers ranging in age from 1 month to 3 years.