Despite potentially severe medical consequences of pica and rumination disorder (RD), little is known about
their prevalence and association with other psychopathology in childhood. As a part of a larger population-based
study, 804 youths aged 7–14 years and their parents were asked about their experience of pica and RD behaviors,
and associated eating, feeding and general psychopathology. A total of 12.31% and 11.49% of youth reported
having engaged in pica or RD behaviors at least once. Recurring pica or RD behaviors had been experienced by
4.98% and 1.49% of the participants. The behaviors showed a significant, but small correlation with one another
(r = .28, p < .01). Correlations with symptoms of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) were
significant, but small (pica: r = .18, RD: r = .27, both p < .01). Prevalence rates of recurring pica behavior were
significantly increased if recurring RD was present (58.33%), and also greater vice versa (17.50%). The
prevalence rates for recurrent pica and RD behaviors were also increased in the presence of an ARFID diagnosis
(both behaviors 12.0%). However, correlations with restraint, eating, weight, and shape concern were nonsignificant
(all p > .05). In addition, RD behavior was positively correlated with emotional and conduct problems
(r = .15 and .22, both p < .01) and both behaviors were negatively correlated with prosocial behavior (r = −.10
and −.09, both p < .05). Our findings underscore the clinical significance of pica and RD behaviors. More
research is warranted on both disorders, their association and their relation with ARFID, in order to reach a
further understanding of their presentation and to ascertain diagnostic validity.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa:de:qucosa:33740 |
| Date | 11 April 2019 |
| Creators | Hartmann, Andrea S., Poulain, Tanja, Vogel, Mandy, Hiemisch, Andreas, Kiess, Wieland, Hilbert, Anja |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Source Sets | Hochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion, doc-type:article, info:eu-repo/semantics/article, doc-type:Text |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Relation | 1018-8827 |
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