Psychosocial care and nutritional status of children aged 6-36 months among patrilineal (Karo) and matrilineal (Minangkabau) households in Jakarta

A study on psychosocial care among Karo (patrilineal kinship) and Minangkabau (matrilineal kinship) households who lived in Jakarta, Indonesia was aimed at investigating psychosocial care practices of mothers and the relation of psychosocial care to the nutritional status of children aged 6-36 months as indicated by Weight-for-Age (WFA), Weight-for-Height (WFH), and Height-for-Age (HFA) Z-scores. The study was a cross sectional study. The tool used to assess the psychosocial care was the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) inventory scale for infants and toddlers. Psychosocial care of 52 respondents from Karo and 87 from Minangkabau were generally good. Out of the total 45 items of the six sub-scales HOME inventory, 1 item in sub-scale I (Emotional and verbal responsiveness), 4 items in sub-scale II (Acceptance of child's behavior), 1 item in sub-scale IV (Provision of play materials), 1 item in sub-scale V (Parental involvement with child), and 3 items in sub-scale VI (Opportunities for variety in daily stimulation) were statistically different between the two ethnic groups. More Minangkabau children were underweight and wasting compared to Karo children. Within the Karo group, well-nourished children in terms of WFA and WHA tended to have greater total HOME scores than their underweight and wasting counterparts. Among Minangkabau group, well-nourished children in terms of WFA, WHA, and HFA tended to have greater total HOME scores than their underweight, wasting, and stunting counterparts. The total HOME score of well-nourished Karo children in terms of WFA, WFH and HFA were greater than that of well-nourished Minangkabau children.