A mixed methods exploration of picky eating in adulthood

Despite evidence that picky eating affects people across the lifespan, relatively little is known about the challenges and consequences faced by older adolescents and adults. This thesis took a sequential, exploratory mixed methods approach to exploring picky eating in adulthood, with an initial qualitative study informing the development of subsequent quantitative work. The qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences of picky eating adults, and the quantitative studies aimed to validate a measure of picky eating, explore relationships between picky eating and factors raised in the qualitative study, and to build a model of picky eating and its impact on quality of life. In the qualitative study semi-structured interviews were undertaken with thirteen picky eating adults, and data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. In the quantitative component participants were recruited via both an online support forum for picky eating adults and through a university research participation scheme, and asked to complete measures relating to food, eating, and a number of psychosocial factors. 270 participants completed all of the measures required to address the issue of measuring picky eating, whilst 230 completed all relevant measures of psychosocial factors which were used in the second and third quantitative studies. Five main themes were identified in the qualitative study: “Constructions of food”, “Motivators for and barriers to change”, “Perceptions of picky eating”, “Impacts of picky eating”, and “Strategies to avoid stigma”. In the initial quantitative study the Adult Picky Eating Questionnaire was deemed to be the most suitable measure of picky eating. The second quantitative study revealed that many of the findings from the qualitative study did appear relevant to a broader sample of picky eating adults. In the final quantitative study a model of picky eating and psychosocial factors was built and tested using multiple regression and path analysis, indicating that picky eating, disgust sensitivity, anxiety and fear of negative evaluation all predict impaired eating related quality of life. These findings are then drawn together in a proposed theoretical model explaining the direction of these relationships. Implications of these findings and recommendations for both research and practice are discussed.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

PhD

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

De Montfort University

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• Fox, Gemma

Licence

• https://dora.dmu.ac.uk/bitstreams/d8671256-8a19-422d-bf04-0f2b0bfd688a/download