Associations Between Personality Traits, Self‐Efficacy and Complementary Feeding Behavior Among Infant Caregivers in Western Rural China.

The effects of psychological factors on complementary feeding behavior have been widely described, yet the mechanisms underlying the complex relationships among personality traits, self‐efficacy, and complementary feeding behavior remain unclear. This cross‐sectional study was conducted using a multi‐stage cluster sampling process to select caregiver‐child dyads in Western rural China. Personality traits, self‐efficacy, and complementary feeding behavior were evaluated respectively. Both multiple logistic regression and Bayesian network structure (BNs) were used to explore these associations. A total of 787 caregiver‐child dyads were enrolled. Results from multiple logistic regression indicated that caregivers with medium (OR = 2.05, p < 0.001) or high (OR = 1.58, p = 0.04) levels of extraversion, as well as those with high self‐efficacy recording complementary feeding (OR = 2.08, p < 0.001), significantly increased the likelihood of meeting the criteria for the Infant and Child Feeding Index (ICFI) qualification. Further, BNs were employed to elucidate the pathways of influence, revealing a direct association between the caregiver's level of extraversion, level of self‐efficacy and the ICFI. Additionally, the analysis indicated that a caregiver's openness indirectly influenced the ICFI through its influence on self‐efficacy regarding complementary feeding. This is one of few studies exploring associations between personality traits, self‐efficacy, and complementary feeding behavior. The study highlights the importance of understanding individual differences in caregiving and suggests that interventions should focus on enhancing caregivers' self‐efficacy, rather than solely targeting personality traits. Summary: Although the effects of psychological factors on complementary feeding behavior have been widely described, the mechanisms behind the complex relationships among personality traits, self‐efficacy, and complementary feeding behavior remain unclear.We found that a caregiver's extroversion level and self‐efficacy regarding complementary feeding may directly influence their complementary feeding behavior, while a caregiver's level of openness may indirectly influence their complementary feeding behavior by influencing their level of self‐efficacy regarding complementary feeding.Our findings revealed the association between personality traits, self‐efficacy, and complementary feeding behavior, which can aid in the development of more effective intervention strategies by allowing for the subdivision of caregiver populations. These results may have some implications by informing design of future public health interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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