Firdawsyi Nuzula, Maulida Nurfazriah Oktaviana

Child-Rearing Methods and Their Impact on Toddler Nutritional Status

Introduction

Child-rearing methods and their impact on toddler nutritional status. Examine how child-rearing methods, including feeding and healthcare practices, influence toddler nutritional status. Understand parental impact on preventing stunting and wasting.

Abstract

Background: Child-rearing methods can influence the prevalence of stunting and wasting in toddlers because parental care plays a crucial role in the availability of food sources consumed by toddlers daily. Additionally, parents are the individuals closest to the growth and development of their children. The aim is to analyze the influence of the child-rearing methods reinforcement on nutritional status. Methods: Analytical observational research type with a cross-sectional design using a total sampling technique with 50 respondents. Data collection using a questionnaire. ANOVA Multiple Linear Regression Test. Results: The results of the analysis show that implementing feeding practices influences nutritional status, with a p-value of 0.007. There is no influence of psychosocial stimulation on children's nutritional status, with a p-value of 0.086. Healthcare practices influence nutritional status, with a p-value of 0.003. The ANOVA test results with an R square value of 0.080 conclude that the independent variable affects the dependent variable by 8%, while other factors influence the remaining 92%. The regression analysis results for the implementation of feeding practices show a p-value of 0.297, psychosocial stimulation shows a p-value of 0.789, and healthcare practices show a p-value of 0.444, indicating that none of these three variables influences children's nutritional status. Conclusion: The role of the family contributes significantly and fundamentally to a child's overall growth and development. The involvement and activity of mothers in nutritional status is an effort to prevent diseases, such as regularly taking their children for complete basic immunizations and providing healthcare.

Review

This paper investigates the crucial topic of child-rearing methods and their impact on toddler nutritional status, a subject of significant public health importance given the prevalence of stunting and wasting. The study employs an analytical observational design with a cross-sectional approach, utilizing a total sampling technique with 50 respondents to collect data via questionnaires. The initial analysis of the results presents seemingly contradictory findings: feeding practices (p=0.007) and healthcare practices (p=0.003) are reported as significantly influencing nutritional status, while psychosocial stimulation (p=0.086) is not. However, a subsequent multiple linear regression analysis for the same variables indicates non-significant p-values (feeding practices p=0.297, psychosocial stimulation p=0.789, healthcare practices p=0.444), leading to the conclusion that none of these three variables influence children's nutritional status. The overall model, as indicated by an R-squared value of 0.080, suggests that the independent variables explain only 8% of the variance in nutritional status. Several critical issues emerge from the abstract that warrant careful consideration. Foremost is the stark inconsistency between the initial p-values reported as significant and the subsequent multiple linear regression results, which indicate no significant influence for any of the tested child-rearing methods. This discrepancy requires immediate clarification in the full manuscript, as it fundamentally undermines the interpretation of the study's findings. Methodologically, the sample size of 50 respondents is extremely small, particularly for a multiple linear regression analysis involving three independent variables, thereby limiting the statistical power and generalizability of the results. Furthermore, the description of the statistical analysis as an "ANOVA Multiple Linear Regression Test" is unconventional and needs more precise elaboration. The very low R-squared value of 0.080 confirms that the chosen child-rearing methods explain only a marginal portion of the variance in nutritional status, strongly suggesting that a multitude of other, unmeasured factors play a far more dominant role. To enhance the rigor and clarity of this research, several improvements are recommended. The authors must meticulously clarify the statistical procedures to resolve the contradictory p-values, perhaps distinguishing between univariate associations and multivariate regression outcomes, and explain the interpretation in a consistent manner. Future research should prioritize a substantially larger sample size to achieve adequate statistical power and improve the generalizability of findings. The abstract would also benefit from a clearer definition of "child-rearing methods reinforcement" and how these specific practices (feeding, psychosocial stimulation, healthcare) were operationalized and measured. Given the low R-squared, future studies should consider incorporating a broader array of potential confounding factors such as socioeconomic status, parental education, access to healthcare, and environmental determinants that likely contribute significantly to toddler nutritional status. Finally, the conclusion, which emphasizes the family's role and mothers' activities, should be more directly substantiated by the study's specific findings, or explicitly acknowledge the limitations if no significant relationships were conclusively demonstrated.

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