Long-Term Effect of Online Occupational Therapy-Based Parent Training on Feeding Problems in Infants

Long-Term Effect of Online Occupational Therapy-Based Parent Training on Feeding Problems in Infants: A Randomized Controlled Longitudinal Study

This study type is a clinical trial (randomized controlled longitudinal study). The primary purpose is to determine whether an online occupational therapy-based parent training program can prevent or reduce feeding problems, improve parental attitudes, and decrease parenting stress in mothers of infants.

The participant population includes female caregivers (mothers) of typically developing infants aged 18 to 24 months. All participants are healthy volunteers.

The main research questions this study aims to answer are:

Does online occupational therapy-based parent training reduce feeding problems in infants (e.g., food refusal, resistance, sensory-based rejection)? Does the training improve maternal attitudes related to feeding and reduce parenting-related stress? Comparison group: Researchers will compare the outcomes of mothers who receive the online training (intervention group) with those who receive no intervention (control group) to determine the effectiveness of the program.

Participants will be asked to:

Complete baseline assessment forms prior to randomization

If in the intervention group:

Attend a 4-week online group training program (one session per week) via a secure Zoom® platform Participate in follow-up assessments at 6 months and 12 months post-training

All participants (in both groups) will:

Complete standardized assessment tools at three time points (baseline, 6-month follow-up, 12-month follow-up), including:

Sociodemographic Information Form Infant Adaptive Feeding Behavior Scale Feeding Process Parental Attitude Scale Parenting Stress Scale

Inclusion Criteria:

• Mothers of typically developing infants aged between 18 and 24 months
• Mothers who report a stress level of 7 or above on a visual analog scale regarding their child's feeding process
• Mothers who have the necessary technical equipment to follow the occupational therapy training via online platforms

Exclusion Criteria:

• Infants born prematurely or diagnosed with significant neurological or developmental conditions
• Infants who receive any diagnosis during the intervention or follow-up period
• Mothers in the intervention group who miss more than one training session
• Mothers who are currently receiving or have previously received occupational therapy or feeding counseling