RESEARCH ARTICLE
Treatment outcomes for children with chronic food refusal in a community behavioral health center
Rinita L. Roberts,
Georgina J. Sakyi,
Scott Hickey,
Stacey C. Grebe,
Corresponding Author
Rinita L. Roberts
The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, Houston, Texas, USA
Correspondence
Rinita L. Roberts, The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, 9401 Southwest Freeway, 2nd Floor, Houston, TX 77074, USA.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorGeorgina J. Sakyi
Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
Search for more papers by this authorScott Hickey
The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, Houston, Texas, USA
Search for more papers by this authorStacey C. Grebe
Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Search for more papers by this authorRinita L. Roberts,
Georgina J. Sakyi,
Scott Hickey,
Stacey C. Grebe,
Corresponding Author
Rinita L. Roberts
The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, Houston, Texas, USA
Correspondence
Rinita L. Roberts, The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, 9401 Southwest Freeway, 2nd Floor, Houston, TX 77074, USA.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorGeorgina J. Sakyi
Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
Search for more papers by this authorScott Hickey
The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, Houston, Texas, USA
Search for more papers by this authorStacey C. Grebe
Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Search for more papers by this authorFirst published: 13 October 2023
Abstract
Abnormal patterns of feeding behavior are seen in children with and without developmental disabilities; if not treated early, these patterns may lead to a diagnosis of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). A multitude of treatments for ARFID varying in theoretical orientation, intensity, and modality exist in the literature. Given the potential for complexity in the clinical presentation of ARFID, intensive interdisciplinary treatment programs are often the preferred intervention choice. However, due to the limited availability of these highly controlled settings, underserved populations are often limited to any outpatient feeding therapy that is available locally. This study focused on examining the outcomes of a behavioral outpatient feeding program in a community behavioral health center. Results show that there were statistically significant treatment outcomes when comparing observable feeding behaviors and caregiver satisfaction measures from admission to discharge. Moreover, these gains were maintained at follow-up supporting the treatment efficacy of such programs.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT
There are no financial interests associated with this research, nor do the authors have any conflicts of interest to declare.
Open Research
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.
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