Disturbi del comportamento alimentare in età pre-scolare: variabili cliniche e temperamentali.

Summary Objective. The objective of this paper is to explore the association between specific maternal characteristics, maternal perceptions of child temperament, and feeding behaviours of preschool-age children with eating disorders. Aim and Methods. A sample of mothers and their children (12 couples with children aged 2-6 years; mean age 4.1, SD 1.77) in which children presented an eating disorder not due to a medical condition have been examined. Results. The results of the statistic analyses providing different elements of reflection. Conclusions. The authors underline the importance of a multidimensional and integrated approach to eating disorders in early childhood and suggest that the feeding of young children is fundamentally a relational and multisystemic process.