UNIVERSITY of Southern Queensland researchers need parents of children under two to join in a study on food allergies.

Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Jan Thomas said the study aimed to investigate the influence parents' food allergy knowledge, attitudes and beliefs had on feeding young children.

This study is being conducted as part of a Masters of Clinical Psychology degree being completed by Kate Staff of USQ Toowoomba and is being supervised by Dr Michelle Adamson of USQ Fraser Coast.

Mrs Staff said her studies also involved gathering data on hereditary links, access to medical services in regional areas, and peer and media influences."

Participants will be asked to respond to several questions regarding their family, the ways in which they had or planned to introduce solid foods to their child plus general information regarding food allergies.

The survey should take about 15-20minutes to complete.

Upon completion, participants will be redirected to a screen where they will have the opportunity to enter into the Department of Psychology's Survey Prize Draw.

Alternatively, eligible USQ psychology students may receive a 1% course credit for their participation.

The survey will be completed anonymously and confidentiality is assured. It will remain open until June 30, 2016
For details, visit www.psi.usq.edu.au.