Girls Rule! is an age-appropriate, culturally-specific church- and home-based nutrition and physical activity intervention for African-American girls ages 6 through 9 and their female caregivers. It is a pilot program designed to (1) understand factors influencing obesity in pre-adolescent African-American girls and (2) assess acceptability and feasibility of a church- and home-based nutrition and physical activity intervention for both the girls and their caregivers. The eight-month intervention and maintenance periods focus on creating a sustainable healthy home and church environment for the child, supporting a healthy diet and active lifestyle. We will highlight the development of an intervention plan using the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) embedded within the broader Social Ecological Framework (SEF). Underpinning the intervention plan is the SCT concept of reciprocal determinism; eg., the characteristics (attitudes, beliefs) and behaviors of both the caregiver and child can modify the home environment, which in turn can modify the child's behavior. The SEF provides a broader framework for church and community level influences. To integrate theory with practice, an intervention plan was developed linking the determinants of outcome behaviors with their associated theoretical constructs, applicable intervention activities, and measures assessing the feasibility and impact of the intervention. Formative research on individual, household, and community influences on diet and physical activity was used to design the intervention.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant should be able to: 1. Provide examples of how to link theory to nutrition and physical activity intervention activities. 2. Explain the concept of reciprocal determinism as it relates to the child and caregiver relationship. 3. Describe the role of behavior change theory within the broader framework of the Social Ecological Framework in this study.
Keywords: Theory, Health Education Strategies
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.