Sensory Play Psychoeducation to Reduce Picky Eating in Children

Picky eating is a common eating problem in early childhood. One factor that influences picky eating behavior is sensory sensitivity to food, such as texture, aroma, color, and taste. This study aims to determine the effect of sensory play psychoeducation on reducing picky eating behavior in children. This study used a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental method and a one-group pretest–posttest design. The research subjects were 25 children with picky eating behavior. The research instrument was a picky eating behavior scale consisting of 35 statements. Data were analyzed using a Paired Samples t-Test. The results of the analysis find t = –24.276 with p=0.00. The mean pre-test (M=49.16) was higher big compared to with a mean post-test (M=35.08). It can be concluded that sensory play psychoeducation has an effect on reducing picky eating behavior in early childhood.