Groups of emotionally disturbed and adequately functioning boys in latency were administered tests of self-concept, concepts-of-mother, and objective questionnaires

on food aversions. For both groups, self-concept and mother-concept were positively associated and directly related to food aversions. Particularly noteworthy was the finding that the disturbed children more often than the normal children indicated that they had never tasted food they felt they would dislike. The disturbed children were also significantly more variable in scores indicative of food likes and dislikes.