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Description
Obesity in Hispanic youth has reached alarmingly high levels, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. In Mexican American children ages 6-11 years, 41.7% are overweight and obese, 24.7% are obese and 19.6% have a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than the 97th percentile. While personal, behavioral, and environmental factors contribute to these high rates, emerging literature suggests acculturation, self-efficacy and social support are key influences. The one-group, pre- and post-test, quasi-experimental design used a community-based participatory research (CBPR) method to test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the 8-week intervention. Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) was used to guide the design. Measurements included an analysis of recruitment, retention, participant satisfaction, observation of intervention sessions, paired t-tests, effect sizes, and bivariate correlations between study variables (acculturation, nutrition and physical activity [PA] knowledge, attitude and behaviors, perceived confidence and social support) and outcome variables (BMI z-score, waist circumference and BP percentile) Findings showed the SSLN program was feasible and acceptable. Participants (n = 16) reported that the curriculum was fun and they learned about nutrition and PA. The retention rate was 94%. The preliminary effects on adolescent nutrition and PA behaviors showed mixed results with small-to-medium effect sizes for nutrition knowledge and attitude, PA and sedentary behavior. Correlation analysis among acculturation and study variables was not significant. Positive associations were found between perceived confidence in eating and nutrition attitude (r = .61, p < .05) and nutrition behavior (r = .62, p < .05), perceived confidence in exercise and nutrition behavior (r = .66, p < .05), social support from family for exercise and PA behavior (r = .67, p < .01) and social support from friends for exercise and PA behavior (r = .56, p < .05). These findings suggest a culturally specific healthy eating and activity program for adolescents was feasible and acceptable and warrants further investigation, since it may fill a gap in existing obesity programs designed for Hispanic youth. The positive correlations suggest further testing of the theoretical model.
ContributorsStevens, Carol (Author) / Gance-Cleveland, Bonnie (Thesis advisor) / Komnenich, Pauline (Committee member) / Shaibi, Gabriel (Committee member) / Arcoleo, Kimberly (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
Post-traumatic stress disorder is prevalent in refugees. The population of refugees in the United States is continuing to increase, of which the majority of the incoming refugees are children. A more comprehensive approach is needed to assess children for PTSD. This creative project involved reviewing existing literature on refugees in the United States, child refugees, Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, and available and applicable PTSD assessment tools. I developed a reference chart that compared the available assessment tools. I recognized that a PTSD assessment tool for refugee children does not exist. In response, I created an approach to assessing PTSD in refugee children ages 5-12. In creating this toolkit, I determined who is appropriate for administering the assessment, discovered how to create trust between the clinician and the child, created the assessment tool, including implementation instructions, and then provided directions on scoring and referrals. The tool itself is called the Child Refugee PTSD Assessment Tool (CRPAT-12). The creation of the CRPAT-12 will hopefully be disseminated and will encourage refugee resettlement organizations to assess children for PTSD upon intake. Early identification of symptoms of distress will help the child receive the appropriate treatment and will help prevent more extreme mental health complications.
ContributorsBuizer, Danyela Sutthida (Author) / Walker, Beth (Thesis director) / Stevens, Carol (Committee member) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05