# Developing a Measure of Parent-Directed Stigma Due to Child Obesity

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2021 · $239,284

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
It is commonly believed that childhood obesity is caused by neglectful and inept parenting. Because of these
stereotypes, parents of children with obesity are shamed by their families and dismissed by healthcare
providers. This treatment is a form of stigma termed “stigma by association.” We hypothesize that stigma by
association, and parents’ internalization of this stigma, harms parents' health, interferes with family
relationships, and impacts children’s health. However, it is not possible to understand the effects of this form of
stigma because there are no established measures of this concept. The objective of this R21 is to develop and
validate a measure of parents’ experiences of stigma by association due to child obesity and parents’
internalization of this stigma. To accomplish this, we will complete the following specific aims: Aim 1. Develop
the Stigma by Association due to Child Obesity (SACO) scale, a quantitative measure of parents’ experience of
stigma by association and stigma internalization due to child obesity, and Aim 2. Test the psychometric
properties of the SACO. We will also examine associations between the SACO scores and biopsychosocial
measures of parent health, the parent-child relationship, and child health and healthcare utilization (Exploratory
Aim). This project falls within the scope of NICHD’s Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21) program, which
fosters the development of novel scientific tools to advance behavioral and clinical research to improve the
health of children and families. This project is conceptually innovative in its focus on stigma directed toward
parents of children with obesity, which has received little attention despite our growing recognition of the harms
of weight stigma. The development of the SACO is significant because it will allow for rigorous assessment of
the prevalence of this form of stigma across diverse populations and the advancement of etiologic research to
identify its impact on families. Ultimately, the SACO can be used to understand how intervention strategies and
communication approaches affect parents' experiences of stigma and to identify family strengths and assets
that promote resilience against this stigma. This knowledge is essential to develop health promotion
approaches that minimize parent-directed stigma and support health and well-being for parents and children.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10284967
- **Project number:** 1R21HD105914-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Katherine W. Bauer
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $239,284
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10284967

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10284967, Developing a Measure of Parent-Directed Stigma Due to Child Obesity (1R21HD105914-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10284967. Licensed CC0.

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