Matching Items (31)
Description
Growing concern about obesity prevalence among youth has prompted the examination of socio-environmental influences that shape the development of eating and activity behaviors believed to regulate weight. Given the presumed significance of close friendships during adolescence, the present investigation assessed longitudinal relations between friends' physical activity, sedentary activity, and healthy eating behaviors and explored whether friends' obesity-promoting behaviors are linked to heightened obesity risk among adolescents. This prospective study utilized two Waves of data from 862 reciprocal and 1908 nonreciprocal same-sex friend dyads participating in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. To account for nonindependence tied to membership in a particular friendship dyad, multi-level models were estimated for indistinguishable (i.e., reciprocal) and distinguishable (i.e., nonreciprocal) friend pairs using the Actor Partner Interdependence Model. Adolescents' self-reported physical activity and healthy eating were significantly associated with their own and their friends' physical activity and healthy eating one year later; the strength of socialization across friend dyads did not vary with the frequency of interaction between friends or the stability of friendships over time. Limited support was found for a cumulative risk model of obesity-promoting behaviors as a predictor of increased obesity risk; heightened risk for weight gain was found only for adolescents whose reciprocal same-sex friends reported a higher number of obesity-promoting eating and activity behaviors. Overall, study findings highlight the role of close friends for adolescents' obesity risk and obesity-related behaviors. Stronger evidence of socialization resulted for adolescents that perceived their friends to be salient social models, as reflected by their acknowledgement of an existing friendship with such peers (i.e., reciprocal friends and nominators within nonreciprocal friend dyads).
ContributorsSlutzky, Carly Beth (Author) / Updegraff, Kimberly A (Thesis advisor) / Simpkins, Sandra D (Committee member) / Gance-Cleveland, Bonnie (Committee member) / Schaefer, David R (Committee member) / Iida, Masumi (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
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
ABSTRACT Approximately 3.5% of adolescents in the United States have chronic daily headache (CDH). Chronic daily headaches in adolescents are often refractory to the adult pharmacological interventions. And as a result, adolescents typically experience increased levels of stress, which exacerbates their headaches. Chronic daily headaches negatively impact both the adolescent and their family. Adolescents with CDHs frequently exemplify comorbid psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and increased risk for suicide. Risk factors for CDH in adolescents have been well studied; however, few studies have focused on psychologically based interventions to enhance effective coping, positive mental health, and pain relief in this group of teens. Given the paucity of psychologically focused interventions in this group, further research is necessary to test and develop the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral skills building (CBSB) interventions. This pilot study focused on the use of a CBSB intervention that emphasized problem solving, cue recognition, effective communication, behavior modeling, cognitive reappraisal, stress management, effective coping, and positive thinking. A randomized controlled trial pilot study was conducted. The intervention group received a seven-week intervention focused on CBSB techniques and headache education, while the comparison headache education group received a seven-week program focused on basic headache hygiene measures (e.g., adequate sleep, adequate hydration, dietary triggers, environmental triggers). The total sample included 32 adolescents inclusive of the ages 13 and 17 years. Paired t-tests resulted in significant preliminary positive effects for COPE-HEP on anxiety, depression, beliefs, headache disability, headache frequency, and headache duration. Comparison group education resulted in significant preliminary positive effects on anxiety, depression, headache disability, headache frequency, headache pain level, headache duration, and medication frequency. There were no significant changes over time in means of parent perception of pain interference for both groups. Independent t-tests revealed that COPE-HEP teens had significantly less anxiety and headache duration at post-intervention. The acceptability of the COPE-HEP intervention with adolescents with CDHs in a specialty care setting is supported by this study, while the feasibility of conducting this study in a specialty care setting is partially supported. These findings support a need to refine the intervention and test both its short and long-term effects in a full-scale randomized controlled trial with adolescents who have CDHs.
ContributorsHickman, Carolyn (Author) / Melnyk, Bernadette M (Thesis advisor) / Jacobson, Diana (Thesis advisor) / Gance-Cleveland, Bonnie (Committee member) / Szalacha, Laura (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
The health enhancing effects of physical activity are well documented in the literature. However, women continue to report lower participation in exercise and physical activity (PA) compared to men. As women age an overall trend in decreased activity is observed. The primary place of activity reported in women is the home and one of the most commonly reported reasons for lack of physical activity is the lack of time. Few instruments have been developed that focus on the activity patterns of women. The Cross Cultural Physical Activity Study that this study was based on targeted women of color to assess the types of activity and constraints to activity experienced by African American and Native American women over 40 years old. This secondary data analysis focused on the psychometric properties of two scales used in the above study, The Physical Recreation Questionnaire (PRQ) and The Typical Week Physical Activity Survey (TWPAS). An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on the 18 items from the Physical Recreation Questionnaire (PRQ) which focused on constraints to PA. The results of the EFA were a poor fit of a two factor model. The three factor model had a favorable fit in the EFA. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was then conducted on the 18 items in the PRQ. Results of the CFA supported the presence of three latent variables: enjoyment of PA, constraints to PA, and negotiation of constraints to PA. The Typical Week Physical Activity Survey (TWPAS) is a 35 item measure of moderate PA that includes the activities most often reported by women. The purpose of the TWPAS was to capture habitual PA that might not be recorded in other PA questionnaires. The TWPAS was correlated with criterion measures of PA records, treadmill, accelerometer, and BMI. Although correlations were small, they were in the expected direction with the criterion measures. The evaluation of the instruments supported the presence of the construct of constraints to PA in the PRQ and the measurement of moderate intensity PA in the TWPAS.
ContributorsBishop, Jewel (Author) / Ainsworth, Barbara (Thesis advisor) / Komnenich, Pauline (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
The purpose of this study was to explore how the phenomenon of familismo effects behavioral change within the Mexican-American family if one member of the family participates in an obesity prevention curriculum. The qualitative approach findings indicate that the principle of familismo regarding perceived responsibility to provide emotional support to family members regarding changes in physical activity and dietary habits. Participants reported that their families are eating healthier, since, they started the obesity prevention curriculum. The findings regarding physical activity were inconclusive. This study can help nurses, because it emphasizes the importance of promoting family involvement as a motivator for behavioral change, in terms of physical activity and healthy diet eating, within Mexican-American populations.
ContributorsRodriguez, Manuela (Author) / Stevens, Carol (Thesis director) / Perez, Adriana (Committee member) / Luft, Linda (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
This blog is to be used as a resource for communication
etworking and a tool for stress coping methods.
With this blog, it is my objective to aid my peers who might need help recognizing and coping with stress by the following methods:
a) Actualize the burden of Stress—Chronic stress is a burden and can be overwhelming if not managed. By disclosing my own stressors, it is my hope that peers will identify with me, so that I can then change the way they view and handle the stress.
b) Discuss the psychological and physical effects of stress on the body—It is my intent to clarify how unmanaged chronic stress can affect the physical and mental health and how acute stress is normal and healthy.
c) Share my coping methods that I have found effective in five minute or less videos with blurbs about how and why they are effective. I believe showing them to you in these mostly raw and unedited videos help maintain the current theme I am going for—keep things as real and raw as possible. Hopefully, these raw videos will help peers visualize working coping methods!
etworking and a tool for stress coping methods.
With this blog, it is my objective to aid my peers who might need help recognizing and coping with stress by the following methods:
a) Actualize the burden of Stress—Chronic stress is a burden and can be overwhelming if not managed. By disclosing my own stressors, it is my hope that peers will identify with me, so that I can then change the way they view and handle the stress.
b) Discuss the psychological and physical effects of stress on the body—It is my intent to clarify how unmanaged chronic stress can affect the physical and mental health and how acute stress is normal and healthy.
c) Share my coping methods that I have found effective in five minute or less videos with blurbs about how and why they are effective. I believe showing them to you in these mostly raw and unedited videos help maintain the current theme I am going for—keep things as real and raw as possible. Hopefully, these raw videos will help peers visualize working coping methods!
ContributorsLilley, Angela Marie (Author) / Stevens, Carol (Thesis director) / Borgiali, Daniela (Committee member) / Flucker, Ruth (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
In the United States, more than 22 million people are estimated to be affected by the chronic illness, asthma (American Lung Association [ALA], 2014). Of those 22 million, approximately 7.1 million are children (ALA, 2014). An important factor in trying to curb the frequency of asthma attacks is education. Particular elements of asthma education include symptom recognition, self-management skills, correct administration, and understanding how medications are used to control asthma. A review of the literature shows that multimedia education holds some promise in increasing asthma-knowledge retention. This creative project involved the creation of an asthma-education video with a concomitant asthma-education comic book. Of the two creations, the asthma-education video was used in a former Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) student’s study to supplement a session at a clinic with an asthma educator. The tools included in the study, the Asthma Medication Use Questionnaire (Moya, 2014) and the Asthma Control TestTM (ACTTM; QualityMetric Incorporated, 2002), were completed by the participants prior to and after the implementation of the session that incorporated the video. The results suggested that the video had an effect on asthma control as measured by the ACTTM (QualityMetric Incorporated, 2002), but not on daily preventative asthma inhaler usage as measured by the Asthma Medication Use Questionnaire (Moya, 2014). The comic book has not been evaluated yet. Both multimedia education tools—the comic book and the video—were created as a requirement for the Barrett thesis.
ContributorsVanhkham, Sophia (Co-author) / Wells, Amanda (Co-author) / Stevens, Carol (Thesis director) / Vana, Kimberly (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Mentorship is important to learning because it provides a frame of reference and the guidance necessary to succeed for those who are inexperienced. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a one-semester mentorship program for freshman Barrett nursing students. Specifically, it was hypothesized that freshman Barrett nursing students (mentees) would experience higher levels of confidence as they enter their second year. With improved confidence and better preparation in handling stress, freshman Barrett students are more likely to stay in the Barrett program throughout their time at a university in the southwestern United States. The mentorship program included freshman Barrett students pursuing a degree in nursing as the mentees and Term 8 (senior) Barrett Nursing students as the mentors. The mentorship program supported freshman students in reaching out to their mentors for study tips, class advice, homework help, and use them as a general resource throughout the application process. Quantitative data was collected in a pre- and post-survey in order to analyze the confidence scores of mentors and mentees. The survey asked participants questions regarding their level of self-confidence and asked them to rank their responses on a Likert scale with 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree. The results showed that confidence levels based on the quantitative data either stayed the same or was improved in every participant. Specifically, there were multiple statistically significant findings based on the paired t-tests that were run. Findings suggest the mentorship program improved the confidence levels in both freshman Barrett students and their Senior mentors.
ContributorsZurbriggen, Abigail Marie (Author) / Quillman, Jill (Thesis director) / Stevens, Carol (Committee member) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-12
Description
The purpose of the study was to explore students' writing abilities throughout the online RN-BSN program at a large urban university in the Southwest. The aims of the study were: 1) explore how students' writing abilities, confidence in writing, and ability to locate resources change throughout the online RN-BSN program, 2) identify which aspects of writing students consider to be their strengths and/or challenges, and 3) explore which factors predict how well students write, their confidence in writing, and their ability to locate resources. After obtaining IRB approval, an invitation to participate in the study was sent to students enrolled in four different courses within the RN-BSN program. Students who chose to participate completed a 16-item questionnaire in which they rated their writing abilities, confidences, and skills, indicated strengths and challenges in their writing, and skills in locating evidence-based resources. An improvement was noted in students' self-rated academic writing confidence, professional writing confidence, internet reference skills, and library reference skills. The number of years as a registered nurse predicted overall writing ability and academic writing confidence.
ContributorsCoons, Janae (Author) / Stevens, Carol (Thesis director) / Sanborn, Heidi (Committee member) / Todd, Michael (Committee member) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
This project modifies an existing theory-based culturally responsive nutrition and physical activity curriculum designed for early adolescent Hispanic children. Modifications to the Salud con Sabor Latino para los Ninos (SSLN) curriculum, originally designed for adolescents, include didactic content and activities which are evidence-based and age appropriate for younger children (second to fourth grade). Using a community based participatory research approach, culturally responsive and developmentally cognizant modifications were made based on child development theories, social behavior theory, and evidence of successful obesity interventions among this age group. The end goal is to assist the community partner, Esperança, and provide an opportunity to impact obesity rates in this high risk population.
The goal of the updated eight session SSLN program is to decrease BMI, increase nutritional knowledge, and improve attitude and behavior towards nutrition and physical activity in Hispanic school-aged children. After meeting with Esperança to identify which elements of the curriculum needed modification, an extensive literature review was conducted to identify new and relevant research appropriate to the modifications. Integrating child development theories, social behavior theory, and results from earlier successful obesity intervention programs, curriculum sessions will be condensed and modified using a community base participatory research approach. Once edits to the curriculum are completed and approved, Esperança will implement the newly modified curriculum, and evaluate the success of the curriculum changes.
The final project is composed of a condensed, theory-based, culturally responsive, and developmentally age appropriate eight session curricula that will educate Hispanic school-aged children on nutrition and physical activity.
The goal of the updated eight session SSLN program is to decrease BMI, increase nutritional knowledge, and improve attitude and behavior towards nutrition and physical activity in Hispanic school-aged children. After meeting with Esperança to identify which elements of the curriculum needed modification, an extensive literature review was conducted to identify new and relevant research appropriate to the modifications. Integrating child development theories, social behavior theory, and results from earlier successful obesity intervention programs, curriculum sessions will be condensed and modified using a community base participatory research approach. Once edits to the curriculum are completed and approved, Esperança will implement the newly modified curriculum, and evaluate the success of the curriculum changes.
The final project is composed of a condensed, theory-based, culturally responsive, and developmentally age appropriate eight session curricula that will educate Hispanic school-aged children on nutrition and physical activity.
ContributorsTooms, Allison Jayce (Author) / Stevens, Carol (Thesis director) / Beals, Jacqueline (Committee member) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05