Cultural Adaptation and Validation of Caregivers’ Feeding Style Questionnaire to Indian Context

Authors

  • M. Kusuma Junior Research Fellow, Centre for Swallowing Disorders, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, A recognized Research Centre of University of Mysore, Mysuru – 06, Karnataka, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8002-4018
  • N. Swapna Professor of Speech Pathology and Co-ordinator Centre for Swallowing Disorders, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, A recognized Research Centre of University of Mysore, Mysuru – 06, Karnataka, India. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7381-4561
  • KB Joanna Junior Research Fellow, Centre for Swallowing Disorders, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, A recognized Research Centre of University of Mysore, Mysuru – 06, Karnataka, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9407-3723
  • P Sivaranjani External PhD candidate, Centre for Swallowing Disorders, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, A recognized Research Centre of University of Mysore, Mysuru – 06, Karnataka, India https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8890-7657
  • Chandran Sindhusha Assistant Professor in Speech Sciences, Centre for Swallowing Disorders, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, A recognized Research Centre of University of Mysore, Mysuru – 06, Karnataka, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0838-3109
  • Krishnan Gayathri Assistant Professor of Speech/Language Pathology, Centre for Swallowing Disorders, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, A recognized Research Centre of University of Mysore, Mysuru – 06, Karnataka, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5988-1541

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2025.v10.n9.008

Keywords:

Feeding style, India, typically developing children

Abstract

Background: Children’s mealtime behavior and eating habits are strongly influenced by caregivers' feeding practices, including their demands, encouragement, and responsiveness to the child’s needs and food-related cues, along with their cultural norms and beliefs. The Caregiver Feeding Style Questionnaire (CFSQ) is a reliable and valid tool for assessing feeding styles, but cultural adaptation is necessary to ensure its applicability across diverse contexts. The study aimed to culturally adapt and validate the CFSQ to the Indian context.  Objectives: 1. To culturally adapt CFSQ to the Indian context. 2. To validate the adapted CFSQ. 3. To identify the feeding styles employed by the caregivers of typically developing children in India. Method: The original CFSQ was adapted to the Indian context, with culturally appropriate examples and validated by three Speech-language pathologists and three carers. The final Indian CFSQ was developed and responses were obtained from 160 carers of 3-6 year old typically developing children residing in India, through social platforms. Results revealed excellent content validity. Factor analysis revealed 2 factor loadings with few items interchanged compared to original version. Reliability analysis revealed good to excellent reliability. With respect to the feeding style, all four styles of feeding exist in India, with majority following indulgent style followed by authoritarian, uninvolved and authoritative styles. To conclude, the Indian adapted CFSQ is a valid and reliable tool to assess carers’ level of demandingness and responsiveness during mealtimes and to identify the caregiver’s feeding style.

Author Biographies

M. Kusuma, Junior Research Fellow, Centre for Swallowing Disorders, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, A recognized Research Centre of University of Mysore, Mysuru – 06, Karnataka, India

M Kusuma is a Junior Research Fellow at the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Mysuru, Karnataka. She holds a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from AIISH and is currently pursuing doctoral study in Pediatric Feeding and swallowing Disorders.  Her current area of research includes understanding feeding skills and evidence-based treatment for paediatric feeding/swallowing disorders in children with developmental disorders. She has also developed several public education pamphlets related to paediatric feeding and swallowing. She has few publications in peer-reviewed journals to her credit and has presented few scientific papers in international and national conferences.

N. Swapna, Professor of Speech Pathology and Co-ordinator Centre for Swallowing Disorders, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, A recognized Research Centre of University of Mysore, Mysuru – 06, Karnataka, India.

Dr. Swapna N. is a Professor of Speech Pathology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru. She is specialized in the area of motor speech and swallowing disorders. She has 25+ years of clinical experience in working with individuals with various speech and language disorders. Currently she heads the Department of Clinical Services, and Coordinates the activities of Center for Swallowing Disorders. She has presented several scientific papers in international and national seminars, workshops and conferences and won awards. She has several peer-reviewed publications, has completed about twenty research projects (including three with extramural funding). She has also written chapters in different books related to motor speech disorders and dysphagia. She has also guided 40 Masters dissertations and currently guides seven PhD candidates. She has also developed several test materials, resource materials and public education pamphlets for the rehabilitation of children with communication disorders.

KB Joanna, Junior Research Fellow, Centre for Swallowing Disorders, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, A recognized Research Centre of University of Mysore, Mysuru – 06, Karnataka, India

Ms. Joanna K. B holds a Bachelor’s degree in Audiology and Speech and Hearing, and a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Mysore, Karnataka. She is an RCI-certified Speech-Language Pathologist and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Mysore in the area of pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. She is serving as a Junior Research Fellow at AIISH, where her research focuses on advancing evidence based intervention strategies for children with pediatric feeding disorders. She is also a life member of the Indian Speech and Hearing Association (ISHA). Her academic and clinical interests lie in pediatric dysphagia, evidence-based interventions, and improving service delivery models for children with communication disorders.

P Sivaranjani, External PhD candidate, Centre for Swallowing Disorders, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, A recognized Research Centre of University of Mysore, Mysuru – 06, Karnataka, India

Ms. P Sivaranjani received her Bachelor’s degree in Audiology and Speech Language Pathology from Madras Medical Collage, Tamilnadu and Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), Mysore, Karnataka. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Mysore in the area of geriatric swallowing. She is a committed, caring and friendly speech-Language Pathologist & swallowing therapist with a great passion for helping people all ages. She has few scientific presentations at both national and international platforms to her credit and has also published in peer-reviewed journals.

Chandran Sindhusha, Assistant Professor in Speech Sciences, Centre for Swallowing Disorders, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, A recognized Research Centre of University of Mysore, Mysuru – 06, Karnataka, India

Sindhusha Chandran, Assistant Professor at AIISH, is pursuing a doctoral study in articulation and phonology. With 6 years of experience in swallowing rehabilitation for individuals with post-burn face and neck contractures and is a member of Centre for Swallowing Disorders at AIISH. She is certified NMES VitalSTIM plus clinician. Her current research in dysphagia is on developing feeding tools in Indian context, understanding mealtime practices and developing social stories for feeding in children with ASD. She has presented several scientific papers in international and national seminars, workshops and conferences. She has several peer-reviewed publications and has developed several test materials, resource materials and public education pamphlets for the rehabilitation of individuals with communication disorders.

Krishnan Gayathri, Assistant Professor of Speech/Language Pathology, Centre for Swallowing Disorders, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, A recognized Research Centre of University of Mysore, Mysuru – 06, Karnataka, India

Dr. Gayathri Krishnan is an assistant professor in Speech Language Pathology at the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru. She has 14 years of experience in swallowing rehabilitation and has been the member secretary of the centre for swallowing disorders. She has published 17 national and international publications, is a trained professional in procedures of Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing, vitalstim, MBSImp, and is a certified advanced clinical lactation consultant. She is a founding member of the Society of Feeding and Swallowing Disorders India and has served as resource person for various professional updation programs.

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Published

15-09-2025

How to Cite

Kusuma, M., Swapna, N., Joanna, K. B. ., Sivaranjani, P., Sindhusha, C., & Gayathri, K. (2025). Cultural Adaptation and Validation of Caregivers’ Feeding Style Questionnaire to Indian Context. RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of Multidisciplinary, 10(9), 67–78. https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2025.v10.n9.008

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Vol. 10 No. 9 (2025): RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of Multidisciplinary

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