Grade Girls Research Articles

“I Drew Myself Right There”: third grade girls restorying for visual justice

PurposeThis paper aims to present three girls’ visual annotations and digital responses that restory a scene in the picturebook I’m New Here. The authors focus on how children use multimodal tools to reflect their critical knowledge of the world by illuminating how this group of girls responded to and incorporated broader social issues.Design/methodology/approachThis study takes place in a third-grade classroom. Using qualitative methods that build on critical multimodal literacy, the authors documented and analyzed children’s visual and digital interpretations. Data were generated from classroom sessions that incorporated interactive readalouds, as well as students’ annotated visual images, sketches, video and digital responses. The collaborative analytic process involved multiple passes to interpret visual, textual and multimodal elements.FindingsThe analyses revealed how Aliyah, Tiana and Carissa used multimodal tools to engage in the process of restorying. Through their multimodal composition, they designed images that illuminated their solidarity with the young female character wearing the hijab; their desire to disrupt xenophobic bullying; and their hope for a respectful and inclusive climate in their own classroom.Originality/valueIn this paper, the authors examine how three girls in a third-grade classroom restory using critical multimodal literacy methods. These girls’ multimodal responses reflected how they disrupted dominant storylines of exclusionary practices. Their authentic acts of visual advocacy give us hope for the future.

PERILAKU AGRESI VERBAL DAN PERILAKU AGRESI RELASIONAL PADA REMAJA PEREMPUAN

The purpose of this study was to determine the phenomenon of aggressive behavior in adolescent girls in grade 10 Ips Madrasah Aliyah Swasta Darul Dakwah wal Irsyad Palu City which is a religious-based school but has a serious case record. This research includes field research with a descriptive qualitative approach. The data sources in this study were 1 BK teacher, and 5 female students in class 10 Social Studies. Data collection methods used are interviews, observation and documentation. The analysis technique uses interactive analysis. The results of this study indicate that aggressive behavior is the source of juvenile delinquency cases, namely verbal and relational aggression, this aggressive behavior occurs in female students and verbal and relational aggression behavior is easy to develop in the school because some of the female students come from a family background that is not harmonious and comes from from an unhealthy environment and negative circle of friends.

Predictors of Puberty Health Behaviors Based on Integrated Behavioral Model Among Girl’s High School Students in Birjand in 2020

Background: From the beginning of puberty, girls are exposed to many physical-psychological problems that experience for the first time, so it is very important to pay attention to puberty health. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of puberty health behaviors based on application of the Integrated Behavioral Model (IBM) among girls’ high school students. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 265 first grade girls’ high school students in Birjand in 2020 using multi-stags sampling. Data collection tools were a researcher-made questionnaire including demographic information and questions related to IBM constructs that were completed self-administered. Data were analyzed by SPSS 19 software using Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression analysis. Results: Pearson correlation showed that all IBM constructs except experiential attitude and control belief had a significant correlation with puberty health behaviors (P < 0.04). In total, about 54% of the behavior variance was explained by three variables of intention, self-efficacy, and mother's job, among which intention was the strongest predictor of puberty health behaviors (P = 0.001). Conclusions: The results of the present study indicate the high predictive power of IBM for investigating puberty health behaviors. Therefore, using this model to design educational interventions and improve behaviors in the field of maturity is recommended.

Hispanic Mother-Daughter Communication About the Risks of Sex, Drugs, and Alcohol: Influences and the Strategies Mothers Use

PurposeU.S. Hispanic adolescents are at risk for negative health outcomes due to risk-taking behaviors involving sex, drugs, and alcohol. Mother-daughter communication can reduce these risk-taking behaviors and reinforce parents' expectations. The purpose of this study was to explore mothers' descriptions of their communication about risk-taking behaviors with their early adolescent Hispanic daughters. Design and methodsThis qualitative descriptive study involved focus groups with 21 Hispanic mothers of 7th grade (12–14 years old) girls. Conventional content analysis was conducted to identify the strategies they used during these conversations. ResultsStrategies mothers used included warning, focusing on negative consequences, creating opportunities to express maternal expectations, and stressing the importance of positive influences. Communication was also influenced by daughters' physical development and social media. ConclusionsThe mothers were concerned about their daughters' exposure to risk-taking behaviors but were unsure about how to talk to their daughters about how to avoid them, particularly regarding topics related to sex. Practice implicationsOur study results have implications on how to facilitate parent-child conversations about risk-taking behaviors and to equip mothers and parents to teach their children how to avoid engaging in these behaviors.

Effects of sanitary pad distribution and reproductive health education on upper primary school attendance and reproductive health knowledge and attitudes in Kenya: a cluster randomized controlled trial

BackgroundAdolescent girls’ risk of school dropout and reproductive health (RH) challenges may be exacerbated by girls’ attitudes toward their bodies and inability to manage their menstruation. We assessed effects of sanitary pad distribution and RH education on girls in primary grade 7 in Kilifi, Kenya.MethodsA cluster randomized controlled trial design was used. Eligible clusters were all non-boarding schools in three sub-counties in Kilifi County that had a minimum of 25 girls enrolled in primary grade 7. 140 primary schools, 35 per arm, were randomly assigned to one of four study arms: (1) control; (2) sanitary pad distribution; (3) RH education; or (4) both sanitary pad distribution and RH education. Outcomes were school attendance, school engagement, RH knowledge and attitudes, gender norms, and self-efficacy. For outcomes measured both at baseline and endline, difference-in-differences (DID) models were estimated and for outcomes without baseline data available, analysis of covariance models were used.ResultsThe study enrolled 3489 randomly selected girls in primary grade 7, with a mean age of 14.4 (SD 1.5). Girls in arms 2 and 4 received on average 17.6 out of 20 packets of sanitary pads and girls in arms 3 and 4 participated on average in 21 out of 25 RH sessions. Ninety-four percent of the baseline sample was interviewed at the end of the intervention with no differential attrition by arm. There was no evidence of an effect on primary school attendance on arm 2 (coefficient [coef] 0.37, 95% CI − 0.73, 1.46), arm 3 (coef 0.14, 95% CI − 0.99, 1.26) or arm 4 (coef 0.58, 95% CI − .37, 1.52). There was increased positive RH attitudes for girls in arm 3 (DID coef. 0.63, 95% CI 0.40–0.86) and arm 4 (DID coef. 0.85, 95% CI 0.64, − 1.07). There was also an increase in RH knowledge, gender norms and self-efficacy in arms 3 and 4.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that neither sanitary pad distribution nor RH education, on their own or together, were sufficient to improve primary school attendance. However, as the RH education intervention improved RH outcomes, the evidence suggests that sanitary pad distribution and RH education can be positioned in broader RH programming for girls.Trial registration: ISRCTN, ISRCTN10894523. Registered 22 August 2017—Retrospectively registered, http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN10894523

A-81 Neuropsychological Profile of Child with Spinocerebellar Ataxia, Type 29

Abstract Objective Spinocerebellar ataxia 29 (SCA29) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder resulting in infantile-onset hypertonia, gross motor delay and cognitive impairment. SCA29 causes cerebellar dysfunction and atrophy manifested by poor hand coordination, instability of gait, impaired articulation, poor hand-eye coordination, language delay, and a wide legged, unsteady walk. Slow improvement across childhood is common, but the limited available research suggests significant clinical heterogeneity among individuals diagnosed with SCA29. We report the case of a six-year-old first grade girl to highlight the cognitive profile of SCA29 and determine its consistency with the literature. Methods Full neuropsychological evaluation was conducted, including examination of overall cognitive ability, academic achievement, and behavior. Results The patient demonstrated delayed cognitive and motor skills, slow processing, reduced reading fluency, and weak reading comprehension. Impaired verbal comprehension and limited fund of knowledge was seen. Working memory and visual spatial ability were relative individual strengths, though normatively weak. Untimed and non-motor academic skills were well below peers. Performances met criteria for ADHD and Language Disorder. Conclusion Six-year-old girl with SCA29 with expected motor difficulties including gross motor delay, hypotonia, ataxia, poor ocular fixation evidenced global impairments with expected weakness with verbal comprehension and receptive language skills. This is consistent with the findings in the SCA29 literature. Comorbid diagnoses of ADHD and Language Disorder were present. Given clinical heterogeneity, this case serves to expand existing knowledge on case variability, and adds the consideration of wider comorbidities in this rare condition.

Association between Menstrual Hygiene Management and School Performance among the School-Going Girls in Rural Bangladesh

Background: This study investigated the relationship between menstrual hygiene practices and academic performance among rural Bangladeshi adolescent girls. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among the 499 secondary-school-going adolescent girls in grades 7–10 (aged 11–17 years, mean ± SD = 14.04 ± 1.11 years) attending either public or private institutions in rural Bangladesh. Menstruation hygiene management (MHM) was defined based on three indicators such as (i) change materials (pads/cloths) less than every 6 h, (ii) hand washing practice with soap before and after changing pads/cloths, or not washing the external genitalia at least once per day, and (iii) using a sanitary pad or drying of re-usable cloths under direct sunlight. The MHM was categorized as poor (if not practicing or practicing only one issue), average (if practicing only two issues), or good (if practicing all of the issues). School performance was determined by the total marks obtained in their last final examination (<60% marks defined as low performance and ≥60% marks defined as good performance). Binary logistics regression models were developed at the <0.05 significance level. Results: The mean age of the participants was 12 years, where 83% reported a regular menstrual cycle pattern. Overall, prevalence of practicing poor, average, and good MHM were found to be 28.46%, 55.71%, and 15.83%, respectively. About 52% of girls reported using sanitary napkins (manufactured disposable pads), 43.4% reported using pieces of reusable cloths per occasion (multiple uses), and almost all (96.29%) reported using detergents to clean multiple-use cloths. We found 2.9 times (AOR: 2.90, 95% CI: 1.61–5.24) and 5.7 times (AOR: 5.65, 95% CI: 2.72–11.71) higher odds to achieve good academic performance among those who practiced ‘average’ and ‘good’ MHM after adjusting age, education, paternal education, occupation, maternal education, household wealth status, and respondent’s knowledge of menstruation. Conclusions: Results suggested that girls’ school academic performance can be improved by practicing good menstrual hygiene practices. School-based menstrual hygiene management education could be useful.

Centering Black Girls in Sexual Harassment Research: A Community-Based Participatory Action Research Approach

According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Bureau of Justice statistics, 1 in 4 Black girls will be sexually abused before the age of 18. The founder of the #Metoo movement, Ms. Tarana Burke, originally designed the hashtag to help bring awareness to Black women and girls from underprivileged communities that experienced rape or sexual assault. However, the phrase was co-opted by White women sharing their experience of being sexually violated or harassed on social media which resulted in Black girls’ experiences being left in the shadows, silencing their experiences. Here we describe the advocacy work of a community coalition dedicated to eradicating inequities Black girls’ experience in systems, including schools, the criminal justice system, and social services. We document our work regarding Black girls' experiences of sexual harassment in schools. We developed a community-based participatory action research project to center Black girls' perspectives about sexual harassment. We administered anonymous surveys to 45 Black girls in grades 7–12. Our findings demonstrate that girls experience a range of sexual harassment behaviors in person and online and report numerous adverse emotional, physical, and educational impacts.

“So she might know her beauty”: Creating safe spaces for Black girls in the middle grades

Leveraging the momentum of the #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter movements as a call for change, this piece focuses on how middle grades communities can better support and protect their Black female students. Coming together as middle grades teacher leaders, we took up The Bluest Eye as the starting point for a discussion of these issues. Grounded in interdisciplinary scholarship and practice, this piece shares anecdotes from our staff book club session to create a working outline for how middle grades might begin to build safer environments for the Black girls in our classrooms and communities.

Sosialisasi dan Pemanfaatan Data Antropometri Murid di SD Global Mandiri Cibubur untuk Tinjauan Ergonomi Meja dan Kursi

The activity aimed to help school to determine whether the schoolfurniture which were provided to the students match with theirdimensions. The evaluation focused on students from Grade 1-3. Byusing ergonomics criteria and students’ anthropometry, the chair anddesk were evaluated. Results showed that most students’ did not matchwith the chair available to them. The height of chair were too high forthe majority of students with percentage are ranging from 12.5% (Boysin Grade 3) to 87.5% (Girls in Grade 1). Meanwhile, the height of deskwas not appropriate for all students from Grade 1 to Grade 3 (100%percentage). Findings from this activity suggested that the schoolauthority should evaluate the used of their school furniture.

Engineering integration in elementary science classrooms: Effects of disciplinary language scaffolds on English learners' content learning and engineering identity

AbstractBackgroundLimited research examines the effects of integrated science and engineering (SE) instruction emphasizing disciplinary literacy and language activities on engineering identity and content understanding. Far fewer studies target English learners (ELs).PurposeThe impact of an SE intervention on the development of science, engineering, and technology knowledge as well as engineering identity was examined. To address ELs' learning needs, the curricular design was built on a validated SE model by integrating (1) developmental, (2) language scaffolds, and (3) culturally based accommodations.Design/MethodSeparate analysis of variance examined the effects of the intervention on science, engineering, and technology knowledge as well as engineering identity. The relationship among engineering identity and content outcomes was also examined. ELs from kindergarten to second grade classrooms were randomly assigned to the integrated SE group or control group.ResultsIntegrated SE instruction significantly increased ELs' science, engineering, and technology knowledge as well as a substantially developed engineering identity. Overall, ELs' engineering identity is associated with an increase in science, engineering, and technology content knowledge. However, second grade girls' identity development was not associated with learning measures. These correlations suggest the context of the engineering activity may have reinforced gendered stereotypes and reduced the effects for girls' engineering attitudes.ConclusionsIntegrated SE instruction emphasizing disciplinary literacy and cultural accommodations increases early elementary ELs' learning and engineering identity. Future studies should examine the unique effects of language scaffolds and cultural modifications on student learning and the impact of gender stereotypes on girls' engineering attitudes.

RELATIONSHIP OF KNOWLEDGE, NUTRITION INTAKE AND OTHER FACTORS RELATED TO THE EVENT OF ANEMIA IN ADOLESCENTS XII CLASS PRINCESS AT KANDANGHAUR VOCATIONAL SCHOOL, 2020

This study aims to determine the relationship between knowledge, nutritional intake and other factors related to the incidence of anemia in XII grade girls at SMK Kandanghaur in 2020. The research method used is a type of survey research using a cross-sectional approach. The population of all female adolescents in grade XII at SMK Kandanghaur is 300 students. Sampling with sampling using random sampling amounted to 75 respondents. The results of the research from the univariate analysis showed that 71 respondents or 94.7% had good knowledge of anemia, 52 respondents or 69.3% with normal nutritional status, 73 respondents or 97.3% with a regular diet, 72 respondents or 96% whose father's job is temporary workers, and 45 respondents or 60% who do not have anemia. Based on the bivariate analysis, it is known that there is no significant relationship between knowledge and the incidence of anemia, there is a significant relationship between nutritional status and the incidence of anemia, there is no significant relationship between diet and the incidence of anemia and there is no significant relationship between father's work and anemia in XII grade girls at SMK Kandanghaur in 2020.

Multiple cohort HPV vaccination in Zimbabwe: 2018–2019 program feasibility, awareness, and acceptability among health, education, and community stakeholders

IntroductionZimbabwe introduced human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine nationally in May 2018, targeting multiple cohorts (girls aged 10–14 years) through a school-based vaccination campaign. One year later, the second dose was administered to the multiple cohorts concurrently with the first dose given to a new single cohort of girls in grade 5. We conducted cross-sectional surveys among health workers, school personnel, and community members to assess feasibility of implementation, training, social mobilization, and community acceptability. MethodsThirty districts were selected proportional to the volume of the HPV vaccine doses delivered in 2018; two health facilities were randomly selected within each district. One health worker, school health coordinator, village health worker, and community leader were surveyed at each selected health facility and surrounding area during January-February 2020, using standard questionnaires. Descriptive analysis was completed across groups. ResultsThere were 221 interviews completed. Over 60% of health workers reported having enough staff to carry out vaccination sessions in schools while maintaining routine vaccination services in health facilities. All school health coordinators felt the HPV vaccine should be delivered in schools in the future. Knowledge of the correct target cohort eligibility decreased from 91% in 2018 to 50% in 2020 among health workers. Understanding of HPV infection and use of HPV vaccine for cervical cancer prevention was above 90% for all respondents. Forty-two percent of respondents reported hearing rumors about the HPV vaccine, primarily regarding infertility and safety. ConclusionsFindings demonstrate the presence of highly knowledgeable staff at health facilities and schools, strong community acceptance, and a school-based HPV program considered feasible to implement in Zimbabwe. However, misunderstandings regarding target eligibility and rumors persist, which can impact vaccine uptake and coverage. Continued social mobilization efforts to maintain community demand and training on eligibility were recommended. Integration, partnerships, and resource mobilization are also needed to ensure program sustainability.

How important is the structure of school vaccine requirement opt-out provisions? Evidence from Washington, DC's HPV vaccine requirement

Recent increases in vaccine-preventable diseases have led policymakers to reconsider the scope of vaccine requirement exemptions. Yet eliminating these provisions is politically difficult. Beginning in 2009, sixth grade girls in Washington, DC were required to receive the HPV vaccine or submit a one-time opt-out form. In 2014, the requirement was expanded to all students grades 6–12, and those not vaccinating were required to opt-out annually. I show that the movement from a one-time opt-out provision to an annual requirement increased the probability that teen girls in Washington, DC initiated HPV vaccination by 11 percentage points. Teen boys were 20 percentage points more likely to be vaccinated. Back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest 7 fewer cases of cervical cancer and 41 fewer cases of oropharyngeal cancer for the 33,000 enrolled during the 2017/2018 year. Using the initial value of cancer care and the value of a statistical life year, my estimates imply nearly $36 million in savings compared to $1.5 million spent on vaccination. In generalizing these results to other states, effect sizes even one-tenth the size of my most conservative estimate would imply meaningful reductions in the nationwide incidence of HPV-related cancers.

Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Sexual Harassment Victimization Among Girls on an Indian Reservation: An Examination of Rates and Risk and Protective Factors.

We documented the scope and correlates of past 6-month victimization among middle and high school girls on an Indian Reservation. Participants were 102 Native American girls in Grades 6-12. Rates of all forms of past 6-month victimization were higher for high school girls compared with middle school girls. In regression analyses, binge drinking related to higher rates of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Furthermore, connection to culture related to lower rates of sexual harassment, and efficacy to resist a sexual assault was related to lower rates of sexual assault and sexual harassment.

Peer victimization and reactive aggression in junior high-school students: A moderated mediation model of retaliatory normative beliefs and self-perspective.

Using an experimental design, we examined whether retaliatory normative beliefs mediated the relation between peer victimization and reactive aggression and whether self-perspective moderated the relations among peer victimization, retaliatory normative beliefs, and reactive aggressive behavior in a sample of 381 junior high-school students (165 girls) in Grades 7 and 8. Findings revealed that retaliatory normative beliefs fully mediated the relation between peer victimization and reactive aggression. Moreover, the mediating effect of retaliatory normative beliefs was moderated by self-perspective. Specifically, for the self-distanced group, peer victimization demonstrated a weaker impact on retaliatory normative beliefs than that of the self-immersed group and the control group. These results suggest that adolescents' beliefs about the acceptability of retaliatory aggression (rather than peer victimization) are directly associated with reactive aggression, and that self-distancing may be a protective factor against retaliatory normative beliefs and reactive aggression in provocative situations. The implications and limitations of these findings are discussed.

Multicultural Adaptation of Mighty Girls for Widespread Dissemination: Pilot Study, App Development and Usability Testing, and Gauging Parent Support With Focus Groups.

BackgroundTaking evidence-based interventions to scale is a challenge for prevention science. Mighty Girls is an evidence-based sexual health intervention program that combines classroom sessions with novel, cutting-edge technology (digital puppetry). The program was developed for 7th grade Latinas, but US school and community demographics rarely allow interventions targeting a single ethnic group. Additionally, digital puppetry is costly to scale up, and parent disapproval often prevents successful dissemination of adolescent sexual health programs. Intervening steps along the scaling-up pathway are needed to adapt the program prior to scaling up for dissemination.ObjectiveThe aims of this study were to create a multicultural adaptation of the Mighty Girls program using a mobile app that is less costly to disseminate and is acceptable to parents of 7th grade girls.MethodsThis study used a three-phase process to adapt Mighty Girls into Mighty Teens. All phases used purposive (nonprobability) sampling of low-income, multicultural, urban metropolitan groups (7th grade girls and their parents) within central Florida. Phase 1 involved two videotaped implementations of a multicultural adaptation of the classroom sessions, one involving focus groups (N=14) and the other serving as a single-group pretest-posttest pilot study (N=23). Phase 2 involved development of a narrative cell phone app prototype, which was subjected to usability testing (N=25). App usability and engagement were assessed qualitatively (observation, focus group, open-ended questions) and quantitatively. Phase 3 used focus groups to assess parent support for the program (N=6). Qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive content analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t tests.ResultsQualitative findings supported classroom sessions being multicultural, and identified simple changes to improve engagement and learning. Quantitative findings from the second classroom session implementation pilot study indicated a significant pre-post difference in intention to delay sexual intercourse (P=.04). App usability and appeal were supported by a System Usability Scale score of 76 (exceeding 68 per the industry standard) and 83% (20/24) of participants agreeing they would recommend the app to friends. Parents (mothers) expressed only positive regard for program goals, and classroom session and app activities.ConclusionsThis study adapted Mighty Girls into an engaging, easier-to-disseminate, multicultural program, termed Mighty Teens, that uses a narrative-generating app to support behavior change, and is likely to be accepted by parents of 7th grade girls. This study also provides evidence of the preliminary effectiveness of Mighty Teens classroom sessions. The sampling method and sample size were appropriate for adaptation, but research involving a more representative US sample is needed to confirm multicultural fit, parent receptivity, and program effectiveness. Study implications include integrating app use throughout the classroom sessions to build narrative-generating skills across the program and increasing the number of narratives produced, which should in turn increase the program’s behavior change potency.

California and federal school nutrition policies and obesity among children of Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Filipino origins: Interrupted time series analysis.

BackgroundObesity prevalence remains high among children of Pacific Islander (PI) origin, Filipino (FI), and American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) origins in the United States. While school nutrition policies may help prevent and reduce childhood obesity, their influences specifically among PI, FI, and AIAN children remain understudied. We evaluated the association of the California (CA) state school nutrition policies for competitive food and beverages and the federal policy for school meals (Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA 2010)) with overweight/obesity among PI, FI, and AIAN students.Methods and findingsWe used an interrupted time series (ITS) design with FitnessGram data from 2002 to 2016 for PI (78,841), FI (328,667), AIAN (97,129), and White (3,309,982) students in fifth and seventh grades who attended CA public schools. Multilevel logistic regression models estimated the associations of the CA school nutrition policies (in effect beginning in academic year 2004 to 2005) and HHFKA 2010 (from academic year 2012 to 2013) with overweight/obesity prevalence (above the 85 percentile of the age- and sex-specific body mass index (BMI) distribution). The models were constructed separately for each grade and sex combination and adjusted for school district-, school-, and student-level characteristics such as percentage of students eligible for free and reduced price meals, neighborhood income and education levels, and age. Across the study period, the crude prevalence of overweight/obesity was higher among PI (39.5% to 52.5%), FI (32.9% to 36.7%), and AIAN (37.7% to 45.6%) children, compared to White (26.8% to 30.2%) students. The results generally showed favorable association of the CA nutrition policies with overweight/obesity prevalence trends, although the magnitudes of associations and strengths of evidence varied among racial/ethnic subgroups. Before the CA policies went into effect (2002 to 2004), overweight/obesity prevalence increased for White, PI, and AIAN students in both grades and sex groups as well as FI girls in seventh grade. After the CA policies took place (2005 to 2012), the overweight/obesity rates decreased for almost all subgroups who experienced increasing trends before the policies, with the largest decrease seen among PI girls in fifth grade (before: log odds ratio = 0.149 (95% CI 0.108 to 0.189; p < 0.001); after: 0.010 (−0.005 to 0.025; 0.178)). When both the CA nutrition policies and HHFKA 2010 were in effect (2013 to 2016), declines in the overweight/obesity prevalence were seen among White girls and FI boys in fifth grade. Despite the evidence of the favorable association of the school nutrition policies with overweight/obesity prevalence trends, disparities between PI and AIAN students and their White peers remained large after the policies took place. As these policies went into effect for all public schools in CA, without a clear comparison group, we cannot conclude that the changes in prevalence trends were solely attributable to these policies.ConclusionsThe current study found evidence of favorable associations of the state and federal school nutrition policies with overweight/obesity prevalence trends. However, the prevalence of overweight/obesity continued to be high among PI and AIAN students and FI boys. There remain wide racial/ethnic disparities between these racial/ethnic minority subgroups and their White peers. Additional strategies are needed to reduce childhood obesity and related disparities among these understudied racial/ethnic populations.

Associations between mental health and sociodemographic characteristics among schoolchildren. A cross-sectional survey in Denmark 2019.

Aims: We aimed to investigate associations between mental health and sociodemographic characteristics among schoolchildren in Denmark. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey from January to October 2019 among 4th to 9th graders (N=1247) based on pilot data from a nationwide research project Stress-free Everyday LiFe for Children and Adolescents REsearch (SELFCARE). We assessed mental health using the five-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index and the self-report version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. We investigated associations between mental health and sex, age in terms of grade, type of school, family setting and geographic region using regression analysis. Results: Mental health was poorer among girls in the older classes compared to girls in 4th grade, and better among boys in the older classes compared to boys in 4th grade. We found no difference in mental health among schoolchildren in municipal and private schools. Mental health was poorer among both girls and boys living alternately with their parents compared to residing with both of them. Mental health varied across geographic regions. Conclusions: We found associations between mental health and sex, age in terms of grade, family setting and geographic region.

Latina Elementary School Girls’ Experiences in an Urban After-School Physical Education and Literacy Program

Purpose: To understand where and how Latina girls are physically active outside of the Reflective Educational Approach to Character and Health program and the impact of female role models on participation in the program. Methods: The authors implemented a yearlong after-school physical activity and literacy program for fifth and sixth grade girls (N = 22 girls) in a low-income, urban community. Four university students/coaches delivered all sessions. Data were triangulated through 10 Latina girls’ interviews, student journals, coaches’ journals, researcher journals, and field notes, and analyzed using constant comparison. Results: Girls participated in leisure-time physical activities with family in community spaces, in spite of social and cultural barriers. Female coaches facilitated girls’ increased engagement by acting as strong role models and fostering caring relationships. Conclusion: After-school programs, community spaces, and strong connections with coaches play a critical role in students’ engagement in physical activity.