Parent Workshops Research Articles

SWK-05. EDUCATIONAL APPROACH TO GRIEF MANAGEMENT

Pediatric neuro-oncology has a high mortality rate compared to other childhood cancers. This project sought to bring Awareness to the Grief and Trauma that families undergo during treatment through end of life. It also sought to create a pool of parent partners to support families receiving palliative care and to mend the healthcare relationship that is severed when a child passes away. The educational series included Grief Workshops for Bereaved Parents using the ATTEND model, a mindfulness-based bereavement model and seminars with traumatic grief experts for providers. This provided a better understanding on how healthcare workers are influential in the “death story” of a child and how this can dictate the family’s lifelong grief journey. Grief workshops consisted of 2 English and 1 Spanish speaking cohort each with 10–12 bereaved parents. The curriculum provided psychoeducation with the goal of creating a safe space to validate, clarify, and understand the events that happened in their child’s life; support for the parent as they explore emotional awareness; relief of emotional tension; support as the parent expresses their perspective of their new world to others that are in their life; and support as the parent finds meaning in their child’s life and untimely death. At the end of each group surveys showed that parents found that the group provided a safe community, a place to say their child’s name, a place to share their story, and a need to advocate for future oncology parents who undergo this journey.

P135 The SPORKS for Kids: A Preschool Nutrition Education Program to Increase Children's Willingness to Try New Foods

<h3>Objective</h3> To assess the impact of an experiential nutrition education program, The SPORKS for Kids program, on preschoolers' willingness to try a novel vegetable. <h3>Use of Theory or Research</h3> Intervention approaches which integrate repeated taste exposure, sensory learning, and nutrition education to provide repeated exposures to novel foods in fun, positive environments (positive valence) have been successful at increasing willingness to try new foods. These approaches were coupled with Social Cognitive Theory constructs to develop The SPORKS activities. <h3>Target Audience</h3> Preschool-aged children from 2 rural Colorado communities. <h3>Program Description</h3> The 6-week program was conducted in evenings as a complementary component to parent workshops. Children attended weekly 90-minute sessions focused on taste exposure and sensory learning via nutrition-related activities and imaginary trips/musical journeys. The SPORKS family consists of Sally Spoon (mom), Frankie Fork (dad); Buddy and Bubbles (preschoolers) and Junior and Freckles (older siblings). The SPORKS characters were embedded into activities and materials to facilitate experiential learning and build children's familiarity with the target vegetable (cauliflower). At tasting activities, 3 pieces of cauliflower were provided to each child and children were encouraged to try the food in a group setting. <h3>Evaluation Methods</h3> Observers recorded whether each child tried the cauliflower provided during the sessions. <h3>Results</h3> Sixteen children participated in the program across 2 sites. During week 1, 50% of children tried cauliflower and tries steadily increased (58%, 80%, 73%, 85%, weeks 2-5, respectively), and by week 6 this number rose to 100%. Once children tried cauliflower, they continued to try it across subsequent weeks (100%). Half of the children requested ‘seconds' beginning in week 3. <h3>Conclusions</h3> While half of the children tried the food at the start of The SPORKS program, repeated exposure with positive valence resulted in the remaining children's willingness to try a target vegetable.

Influence of pre-schooler and parent nutrition education on carotenoid levels of Mexican-heritage children.

To determine the mediating effect of direct preschool and parent nutrition education on changes in skin carotenoids scores over 2 years in children of Mexican heritage. In a quasi-experimental, community-based study, two school districts were randomly assigned to either a comparison group (parent workshops unrelated to nutrition) or a childhood obesity prevention intervention group which included nutrition education at family nights for parents and at school for children. Changes in skin carotenoid intensity scores (diffCAROT, year 2015 minus 2013) were measured in children as a proxy for fruit and vegetable consumption using Resonance Raman Spectroscopy. Two rural, low-income, school districts from a county in California's Central Valley. 316 Mexican heritage families with children aged 3-8 years. Intervention group children improved over 2 years in skin carotenoid scores relative to comparison group children (diffCAROT mean +1419 (sd 9540) v. -3473 (sd 9272), P = 0·0001). Parent attendance at nutrition education classes partially mediated the intervention effect on diffCAROT (P = 0·02). Controlling for child's age and other covariates, participation in preschool during the study had a significant positive effect on diffCAROT among intervention children compared with controls (P < 0·03), whereas no significant difference by group was observed among those not enrolled in preschool or already enrolled in elementary school. Programmes that combine direct parent and preschool nutrition education may be effective in low-income Mexican heritage families to improve children's intake of fruit and vegetables.

Abstract C132: A multilevel approach to accelerating the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine at a rural clinic for Native and non-Native youth

Abstract Accelerating the uptake of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations is a priority for cancer prevention and an issue for mitigating cancer health disparities particularly among rural youth, both Native American and non-Native. The rate of HPV vaccinations for rural and Native adolescents is markedly lower than urban adolescents. Based on a Memorandum of Collaboration between the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center and Northern Valley Indian Health (NVIH), a tribal health organization serving rural youth; funding from the National Cancer Institute; and the principles of community-based participatory research, we developed a multi-level approach to accelerate the HPV vaccination rates at the NVIH rural clinic in Willows, CA. Ultimately, the goal is to raise the HPV vaccination rates among patients ages 11-17 from the current 27% at this clinic to the Healthy People 2020 goal of 80%. Our presentation documents a year’s relationship-building that includes the intentional input and promising data from multiple levels for launching an accelerated HPV vaccination program, exemplifying the collaboration between NVIH and a NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center. Starting with community outreach and engagement, our multiple levels included provider and staff trainings; and parent workshops. We began by surveying 12 community members on their HPV vaccination knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors and learned that they had low knowledge of the HPV vaccine and stressed the importance of educating both the community as well as parents. We followed with training of 26 clinic providers and 44 staff (participants were from all four of NVIH’s medical clinics). Pre-tests were administered prior to the training and post-tests administered four months later. The training content had 3 objectives: (1) explaining the importance of HPV vaccinations and the rationale for vaccinating at ages 11-12; (2) providing an effective recommendation by clinicians; and (3) providing support to families to decide in favor of HPV vaccination. While there was attrition from pre to post tests, we achieved significant quantitative realignment of the rank order of HPV vaccination (from 3rd to most important) over other vaccinations and increased confidence in their ability to make a strong HPV vaccination recommendation (14% and 6% respectively). Interviews from parents provided insights on their perspectives of HPV vaccination that should be incorporated. Our next steps will be to apply these findings into a multi-pronged HPV vaccination intervention program for rural Native and non-Native adolescents. Citation Format: Julie HT Dang, Duke LeTran, Alexandra Gori, Arzoo Mojadedi, Teresa Martens, Sharon McClure, Inder Wadhwa, Chester Austin, Moon S Chen, Jr. A multilevel approach to accelerating the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine at a rural clinic for Native and non-Native youth [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr C132.

Impact of a Preschool Obesity Prevention (I-POP) Program on Nutrition Knowledge Scores of Head Start Parents and Teachers

Abstract Objectives To determine the effectiveness of an evidence-based preschool obesity prevention intervention on rural, low-income parents’ and Head Start teachers’ nutrition knowledge relative to advice from experts, nutrient content of foods, and health benefits of foods. Methods Parent-child dyads were recruited from 9 randomized Head Start centers with 5 centers in the experimental group and 4 centers in the control. The intervention consisted of 8 weekly evidence-based nutrition education sessions for children delivered by the Head Start teachers; a teacher workshop on the use of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in the classroom; and 8 parent workshops using an evidence-based behavioral intervention, Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). The PBIS and PCIT reinforced nutrition education sessions by including instruction for positive meal-time behaviors. A repeated measures design consisted of data collected at pre- (T1), post-intervention (T2), and a 6-month follow-up (T3). T1 and T2 results of a validated and reliable nutrition knowledge survey to address the sub-objective of the main study are reported here. Results 175 parents and 75 teachers participated in T1 data collection, of which 95 parents and 64 teachers completed T2. There were no significant differences in total scores within or between parent or teacher groups, scoring an average of 34% and 38% out of 100% for parents and teachers, respectively. However, there was a significant change in the knowledge of health benefits of foods survey section (31.6% to 39.5% correct) for parents in the experimental group from T1 to T2 (P &amp;lt; .05). Conclusions Overall, parents and teachers had poor knowledge of advice from experts, nutrient content of foods, and health benefits of foods at T1. Parents and teachers did have minimal, indirect nutrition education during PCIT and PBIS, which may have contributed to parents’ increase in awareness of health benefits of food at T2. However, there may be a lack of knowledge of how to apply nutrition principles. Nutrition education and intervention should target parents and teachers of children with a specific aim in application of nutrition principals. Funding Sources US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health.

Psychosocial Functioning in Children with Dyslexia: Perspectives from Parents, Counsellors and Teachers

Purpose: The study aimed to understand the issues and challenges encountered by various stakeholders (teachers, parents and counsellors) working with children with dyslexia in the inclusive school context. Method: Using purposive and snowball sampling, 20 teachers, 20 counsellors and 20 parents (mothers) of children with specific learning disability (dyslexia) were selected from 8 inclusive schools in Delhi. A qualitative approach was adopted, with a semi-structured interview schedule to elicit responses. Qualitative thematic analysis was used as a framework for data analysis. Results: Parents experienced negative feelings due to lack of awareness and acceptance of dyslexia. Counsellers felt parental ignorance led to delay in assessment and remediation. Parents and counsellors perceived lack of support from schools and lack of empathy among teachers. Teachers confessed they lacked training to deal with dyslexic learners, were unaware of policies and concessions for them, and were currently overburdened with their workload. Conclusion: There is a need to hold psycho-educational workshops for parents in order to increase their awareness, and conduct training workshops (pre-service and in-service) for teachers to increase awareness and build empathy. Schools should provide in-house assistive services such as assessment and remediation, and redefine the goals of education to focus on the holistic skills of children.

The change in the intensity of symptoms in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder after "Workshops for Parents of Hyperactive Children".

To evaluate changes in the intensity of ADHD symptoms and size effects after the completion of the twelve-week "Workshops for Parents of Hyperactive Children". Intervention group included parents (N = 199) of children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD, who completed the twelve-week parental training. The reference group included parents (N = 24) of children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD, who received 1-2 standard psychiatric visits within twelve weeks (treatment-as-usual). The following questionnaires were completed by the participants at the beginning and at the end of the training: CBCLand Conners-IOWA-10 (parent's assessment of the child), TRF and Conners-RCTRS-28 (assessment of the child by the teacher/educator), and YSR (in children of 11 years and over). The same diagnostic regime was used in the reference group - the patients were assessed during the first visit and after twelve weeks. The majority of attendees were parents of boys diagnosed with: ADHD mixed type with or without ODD and ADHD predominantly inattentive type. The intervention resulted in significant reduction of inattentive-impulsive-hyperactive and oppositional-defiant symptoms in Conners-IOWA-10 and significant reduction of symptoms in the following CBCL scales: "Social problems", "Attention problems", "Aggressive behavior", "Externalizing behavior", as well as the overall score, as rated by mothers. The improvement was age, diagnosis and pharmacotherapy independent. The therapeutic program used in our study resulted in small to moderate reduction of symptoms in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder irrespective of subtype, comorbid disorders or pharmacotherapy (if implemented).

Workshop Training to Facilitate Parent-Child Instructional Opportunities for Reading and Social Development with Kindergarten Students

ABSTRACT This study provided workshops for parents on either early literacy or socio-emotional learning to examine the impact on their children’s reading and social skills development (n = 576 parents; n = 584 children). Parents of kindergartners were offered interactive workshops designed to help them identify everyday opportunities to support reading skills or social skills development. Families were randomly assigned by school to workshops on one of three topics: (1) traditional text reading, (2) traditional text reading with computer-assisted learning opportunities, and (3) social-emotional learning. As expected, academic performance improved over time across all conditions. Additional gains were detected on specific language and literacy measures among children in both reading conditions whose parents attended the workshops in comparison to children of parents who did not attend. Gains were observed on academic measures for children in the socio-emotional condition relative to children in the reading conditions. Findings suggest that parental involvement in instructional workshops on early literacy and social development may have significant effects for children’s academic success. This study provides evidence for the potential of involving parents in their children’s educational interventions as a valuable addition to or alternative to traditional child-directed intervention programs to increase positive outcomes, reduce costs, and enhance parental efficacy.

The role of parents in developing the sense of subjectivity in children

The child’s subjectivity means his right to build his own identity and self-fulfilment, based on his personal needs and interests, rather than on the will of adults. The influence of parents can contribute to or limit their children's subjectivity. The article points out selected conditions and opportunities for developing children’s personal dispositions in relations with parents. It also presents the results of a survey showing the effectiveness of a workshop for parents aimed at developing their competences as partners of children in double-subjective relationships.

RCT of a reading aloud intervention in Brazil: Do impacts differ depending on parent literacy?

Children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are at risk for adverse early development and school readiness outcomes; low parent literacy is common and an important contributing factor. While prevention programs have sought to improve child outcomes by promoting positive parenting practices such as reading aloud, there has been limited evidence of whether such programs have impacts for parents with low literacy in LMICs. This study investigated: (1) whether parent literacy is associated with parent–child reading aloud interactions, the overall cognitive home environment, and child language and cognitive outcomes; and (2) whether impacts of a toddler/preschool reading aloud program differ depending on parent literacy among low-income families in northern Brazil. We performed a secondary analysis of a single-blind cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a parenting intervention (Universidade do Bebê [UBB]) implemented in educational childcare centers in Boa Vista, Brazil. UBB consisted of: (1) a lending library in which children’s books were borrowed weekly; and (2) monthly parent workshops focused on reading aloud. Control families received usual care without the reading aloud program. Five hundred and six mother-infant dyads (279 intervention; 287 control) were enrolled at mean (SD) child age 37.4 (6.5) months. Parents and children were evaluated at baseline/enrollment and approximately 6–9 months later. Measures: (1) Predictor/moderator: parent literacy; (2) Parent outcomes: parent–child interaction during shared storybook reading; cognitive home environment; (3) Child outcomes: expressive and receptive vocabulary; IQ; working memory and short-term phonological memory. Analyses accounted for baseline performance, sociodemographics, and clustering within centers and sites. Parent literacy was positively associated with parent–child verbal/reading interactions and child developmental outcomes, supporting our first hypothesis, that low parent literacy would be associated with lower quantity and quality of parent–child reading and lower scores on assessments of child development. UBB had positive impacts on parent–child interaction, cognitive stimulation, IQ, and receptive vocabulary for both high and low literacy parents, contrary to our second hypothesis, that low parent literacy would be associated with reductions in impacts of the reading aloud intervention. The comparable impacts of a reading aloud program on parent–child verbal/reading interactions and child cognitive outcomes regardless of parent literacy level suggest that preventive interventions in LMICs should consider promotion of shared reading even for low-literacy families.

Impacts of a Mindful Eating Intervention on Healthy Food-related Behaviors and Mindful Eating Practices among Elementary School Children

Background and Purpose: Mindful eating approaches encourage paying purposeful attention on purpose to body sensations, thoughts and emotions related to food and eating. The current study examined the impact of Foodie U, a mindful-eating intervention, among elementary school children and their families. Methods: A total of 178 third- through fifth grade children and their parents in rural northern California participated in Foodie U. The quasi-experimental intervention included two parent workshops, six monthly in-class mindful eating lessons and activities, and mindful eating activities to complete at home. Outcomes included food consumption, mindful-eating practices, emotional eating, and cue-elicited food craving among children. Results: T-tests and linear regression results revealed that students who received the intervention reported significantly less intense craving responses, especially among female and Hispanic students. The impact of the intervention on food craving was significant after controlling for gender and ethnicity. Fruit consumption significantly increased among intervention students. The mindful eating awareness score significantly increased among female intervention students. Conclusions: Foodie U had a positive impact on some food-related behaviors among elementary school-aged students. Further research is needed to examine the effectiveness of each element of the intervention.

Parental Sense of Competence Workshops for Parents of Children With Sensory Processing Issues

Parental Sense of Competence Workshops for Parents of Children With Sensory Processing Issues

An Emotion Focused Family Therapy workshop for parents with children 6-12 years increased parental self-efficacy

ABSTRACTIn this pilot study, we examined whether a 2-day Emotion-Focused Family Therapy workshop strengthened parental self-efficacy, satisfaction and beliefs regarding their ability to help their children regulate emotions and reduce the children’s symptoms of behavioural- or psychological difficulties. Twenty-three caretakers with 17 children (9 boys) aged 6 to 12 years old completed the workshop. Pre, post and 3-month follow-up data on the Parents` Beliefs About Children`s Emotions – Guidance scale and Parenting Sense of Competence scale, as well as pre and 3-month follow-up data on the Child Behaviour Checklist parent form, were used to assess the effects of the intervention. Parental self-efficacy significantly increased, the caretakers` satisfaction in the parenting role significantly increased but faded after 3 months and the caretakers` beliefs that children can guide their emotions on their own were significantly reduced. Finally, oppositional defiant problems in the children significantly declined.

CHIP-Family intervention to improve the psychosocial well-being of young children with congenital heart disease and their families: results of a randomised controlled trial.

Children with congenital heart disease and their families are at risk of psychosocial problems. Emotional and behavioural problems, impaired school functioning, and reduced exercise capacity often occur. To prevent and decrease these problems, we modified and extended the previously established Congenital Heart Disease Intervention Program (CHIP)-School, thereby creating CHIP-Family. CHIP-Family is the first psychosocial intervention with a module for children with congenital heart disease. Through a randomised controlled trial, we examined the effectiveness of CHIP-Family. Ninety-three children with congenital heart disease (age M = 5.34 years, SD = 1.27) were randomised to CHIP-Family (n = 49) or care as usual (no psychosocial care; n = 44). CHIP-Family consisted of a 1-day group workshop for parents, children, and siblings and an individual follow-up session for parents. CHIP-Family was delivered by psychologists, paediatric cardiologists, and physiotherapists. At baseline and 6-month follow-up, mothers, fathers, teachers, and the child completed questionnaires to assess psychosocial problems, school functioning, and sports enjoyment. Moreover, at 6-month follow-up, parents completed program satisfaction assessments. Although small improvements in child outcomes were observed in the CHIP-Family group, no statistically significant differences were found between outcomes of the CHIP-Family and care-as-usual group. Mean parent satisfaction ratings ranged from 7.4 to 8.1 (range 0-10). CHIP-Family yielded high program acceptability ratings. However, compared to care as usual, CHIP-Family did not find the same extent of statistically significant outcomes as CHIP-School. Replication of promising psychological interventions, and examination of when different outcomes are found, is recommended for refining interventions in the future. Dutch Trial Registry number NTR6063, https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/5780.

Healthy for Life Pilot Study: A Multicomponent School and Home Based Physical Activity Intervention for Disadvantaged Children.

The study aimed to develop and evaluate a multicomponent school and home based physical activity (PA) intervention in children in grades 3–7 (aged 8–13 years) and determine the psychological variables that influence PA; 10 × 1 h school-based training sessions, a home-based activity program and 4 × 1 h lifestyle workshops for parents. PA was assessed at an intervention and nearby control school using accelerometers and self-report at 3-time points: baseline, post intervention and 10-week follow-up. Self-efficacy, self-management strategies, enjoyment, perceived barriers to PA, outcome-expectancy and social support were evaluated. The study showed 73% of the children with complete data sets at the intervention school (n = 27) did not increase device measured moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) in the after-school period (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.) or over the whole day or during school break time immediately following the intervention or at follow-up, as compared to 70% of children with complete data sets at the control school (n = 35; p > 0.05 for all). Overall, 59% of boys attained more than double the recommended 120 min of MVPA each day compared to 42% of girls (p = 0.013). At the baseline, children’s self-reported PA in the intervention school positively correlated with: outcome expectancy (R = 0.240, p = 0.015), enjoyment (R = 0.339, p < 0.001), self-efficacy (R = 0.399, p < 0.001), self-management (R = 0.617, p < 0.001), social support at home (R = 0.406, p < 0.001), and social support at school (R = 0.407, p < 0.001). Similar relationships were observed after the intervention and at follow-up. Focus groups with the children, parents and interviews with teachers identified areas for improvement of the intervention. In conclusion, while the multifaceted approach to improve PA was ineffective over the time span of the study, important predictors of PA in this sample of disadvantaged children were identified.

The Mediating Role of Resilience in the Relationship Between Perceived Parenting Styles and Anger Management

Background: The study of anger is important from many aspects, one of which is the anger management. Objectives: The current study aimed at examining the mediating role of resilience in the relationship between perceived parenting styles and anger management in high school students. Methods: Using randomized cluster sampling, 395 high school students (females and males) from Babolsar city, Iran enrolled in the school for the academic year of 2017 - 2018 were selected as the study participants. The participants’ ages ranged 12 to 16 years (mean = 13.93, SD = 0.81). The perceived parenting style of the participants was determined, using resilience and anger management scales. Data were analyzed by AMOS version 22. In order to evaluate the proposed model of the study, path analysis was performed. Results: The results indicated that the authoritative parenting style was a positive predictor of anger management (P = 0.006,β= 0.19) and resilience (P = 0.012,β= 0.21). The results also revealed that the authoritarian parenting style was a negative predictor of anger management (P = 0.008,β= -.25) and resilience (P = 0.005,β= - 0.31). Resilience was a positive predictor of anger management (P = 0.011,β= 0.33) and played a mediator role between authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles and anger management. The results showed that the acceptable percentage of anger management variance was explained by the model. Conclusions: Given the results, increase of authoritative parenting style and decrease of authoritarian parenting style are accompanied by strengthened anger management skill in high school students. Therefore, holding workshops for parents can help them to strengthen the management of anger in their children.

NP8 The HEROs Study Year 4: Intervention Design to Promote Healthy Eating and Activity Behaviors in Early Childhood

Objective The objective of the HEROs Study (HEalthy EnviROnments Study) is to develop a technology-based, interactive family intervention to promote healthy lifestyles and weight outcomes for young children in the family setting. Description The project aims to improve family routines and parent-child eating and physical activity (PA) interactions. Research activities will be conducted through four key objectives: Formative Research; Intervention Design; Intervention Testing; and Education. Evaluation Year 4 focused on intervention development. Focus groups were conducted with parents (n = 3) and Head Start/preschool teachers and staff (n = 3) to assist in strategy refinement. Core content was developed for parent workshops, child lessons, and web content using Social Cognitive Theory constructs. Prototypes of nutrition and physical activity mobile applications continued to be developed and tested. Creative concepts were developed and pretested with children, parents, and teachers/staff. Testing will occur to determine outcomes for intervention components, including the core set of parent workshops (behavioral mediators), mobile apps (parent child interaction), self-care module (parent behaviors), and home food environment assessment tool (availability and quality). Conclusion and Implications The HEROs intervention will be studied to understand which of the key intervention components resonates with and drives participants towards behavior change. It is anticipated that this intervention will lead to improved parent-child interactions specific to engaging children to try new foods and enhancing fundamental movement skills, foundational behaviors to developing a quality diet and positive physical activity behaviors in early childhood. Funding 2015-68001-23240.

Effects of Social Development Intervention in Childhood on Adult Life at Ages 30 to 39.

Elementary schools can be effective sites for universal preventive interventions. Less is known about how long effects of intervention in elementary grades last. Can they improve outcomes in adulthood? To test effects of a social developmental intervention in the elementary grades on adult life through the 30s, the Seattle Social Development Project, a nonrandomized controlled trial, followed all consenting 5th-grade students (N = 808) from 18 Seattle public elementary schools from age 10 (in 1985) to age 39 (in 2014), with 88% retention. The sample was gender balanced and ethnically and economically diverse. The full intervention, called Raising Healthy Children, continued from Grades 1 through 6 and consisted of teacher in-service training in classroom management and instructional methods; cognitive, social, and refusal skills training for children; and parent workshops in child behavior monitoring and management, academic support, and anticipatory guidance. Using structural equation modeling, we examined intervention effects from age 30 to age 39 across 9 constructs indicating 3 domains of adult life: health behavior, positive functioning, and adult health and success. An omnibus test across all 9 constructs indicated a significant positive overall intervention-control difference. Examined individually, significant intervention effects included better health maintenance behavior, mental health, and overall adult health and success. Significant effects were not found on substance use disorder symptoms, sex-risk behaviors, or healthy close relationships in the 30s. Results indicate that sustained, theory-based, multicomponent intervention in the elementary grades can produce lasting changes in health maintenance, mental health, and adult functioning through the 30s.

A three-year multifaceted intervention to prevent obesity in children of Mexican-heritage

BackgroundObesity and overweight have increased dramatically in the United States over the last decades. The complexity of interrelated causal factors that result in obesity needs to be addressed within the cultural dynamic of sub-populations. In this study, we sought to estimate the effects of a multifaceted, community-based intervention on body mass index (BMI) among Mexican-heritage children.MethodsNiños Sanos, Familia Sana (Healthy Children, Healthy Family) was a quasi-experimental intervention study designed to reduce the rate of BMI growth among Mexican-heritage children in California’s Central Valley. Two rural communities were matched based on demographic and environmental characteristics and were assigned as the intervention or comparison community. The three-year intervention included parent workshops on nutrition and physical activity; school-based nutrition lessons and enhanced physical education program for children; and a monthly voucher for fruits and vegetables. Eligible children were between 3 and 8 years old at baseline. Intent-to-treat analyses were estimated using linear mixed-effect models with random intercepts. We ran a series of models for each gender where predictors were fixed except interactions between age groups and obesity status at baseline with intervention to determine the magnitude of impact on BMI.ResultsAt baseline, mean (SD) BMI z-score (zBMI) was 0.97 (0.98) in the intervention group (n = 387) and 0.98 (1.02) in the comparison group (n = 313) (NS). The intervention was significantly associated with log-transformed BMI (β = 0.04 (0.02), P = 0.03) and zBMI (β = 0.25 (0.12), P = 0.04) among boys and log-transformed BMI among obese girls (β = − 0.04 (0.02), P = 0.04). The intervention was significantly and inversely associated with BMI in obese boys and girls across all age groups and normal weight boys in the oldest group (over 6 years) relative to their counterparts in the comparison community.ConclusionsA community-based, multifaceted intervention was effective at slowing the rate of BMI growth among Mexican-heritage children. Our findings suggest that practitioners should consider strategies that address gender disparities and work with a variety of stakeholders to target childhood obesity.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01900613. Registered 16th July 2013.

General health, sense of coherence and coping styles in parents participating in Workshops for Parents of Hyperactive Children.

The assessment of changes in the general health, sense of coherence and stress coping styles in parents of children and adolescents with ADHD, participating in 12-week Workshops for Parents of Hyperactive Children. The experimental group included 186 mothers and 139 fathers (parents of 199 children); the reference group included 23 mothers and 19 fathers (parents of 24 children), attending 1-2 standard medical visits within a 12-week period (treatment as usual). Parents from both groups were assessed twice using (1) the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), (2) the Life Orientation Questionnaire (SOC-29), and (3) the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). (1) The experimental group showed a significant improvement in the severity of somatic symptoms and anxiety/insomnia in mothers and the general well-being of mothers and fathers. We observed the influence of workshops on manageability and reduction of the emotion-oriented coping in mothers; (2) the participation in the workshops was associated with a statistically significant effect (mostly moderate) in relation to general health of mothers, while TAU was mostly associated with a low or insignificant effect. The assessed form of interventions improves the functioning of parents of children with ADHD.