Background: The integration of behavioral health and primary care is a best practice to improve p... more Background: The integration of behavioral health and primary care is a best practice to improve patient outcomes and achieve health equity. However, the process of integrating is complex, requiring organizational change and sometimes a complete system overhaul. Implementation science offers useful ideas for helping healthcare organizations to implement effective care, including recognition that change occurs incrementally and is stymied by specific barriers and facilitators. Although determinants (i.e., barriers and facilitators) of successful care integration have been identified their relevance to organizations seeking to integrate care remains unknown. This study sought to understand which implementation determinants (defined by the R=MC2 framework, where Readiness is conceptualized as Motivation, Innovation-specific Capacity, and General Capacity) are most important in the process of integrating care across four implementation stages: Exploration, Installation, Initial Implement...
Background African American (AA) women experience disproportionate levels of chronic disease, whi... more Background African American (AA) women experience disproportionate levels of chronic disease, which is theorized to be driven by greater exposure to acute and chronic stress. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has further exacerbated existing health disparities among AA communities. Understanding how AA women have experienced and responded to stress during the pandemic may help to inform how future interventions can better address physical and mental well-being in AA communities. Aims Drawing from stress and coping models and an ecological framework, the present study conducted a theory-based qualitative assessment of stress-related experiences during the pandemic among a cohort of AA women, including (1) sources of stress, (2) coping strategies, (3) perceptions of health-related behaviors, (4) the role of community, and (5) recommendations for future interventions. Method After completing a group-based physical activity intervention program during the COVID-19 pandemic, a cohort o...
Objective This study set out to examine the role of parenting practices in protecting or exacerba... more Objective This study set out to examine the role of parenting practices in protecting or exacerbating the negative effects of parent and adolescent stress on adolescent body mass index (BMI) over time. Separate longitudinal models were conducted to evaluate how parenting practices interacted with parental perceived stress and adolescent perceived stress in predicting adolescent BMI. Methods Baseline data were collected from 148 African American adolescents (Mage = 12.93, SD = 1.75; Mz-BMI = 0.78, SD = 0.50; MBMI%-ile = 96.7, SD = 3.90) and their caregivers (Mage = 44.45, SD = 8.65; MBMI = 37.63, SD = 8.21) enrolled in the Families Improving Together for Weight Loss trial. Adolescents self-reported their perceptions of caregiver parenting style and feeding practices. Both caregivers and adolescents self-reported their perceptions of chronic stress. BMI for parents and adolescents was assessed objectively at baseline and 16 weeks post-intervention. Results Hierarchical regression mode...
The Connect through Positive Leisure Activities for Youth (Connect through PLAY) trial is a prosp... more The Connect through Positive Leisure Activities for Youth (Connect through PLAY) trial is a prospective, randomized controlled trial implemented within pre-existing afterschool programs (ASPs) comparing a staff-based social development physical activity (PA) program to a health curriculum active control. The efficacy trial aims to improve staff capacity for implementing effective physical activity (PA) programming within ASPs serving underserved youth (minority, low-income) through enhancing the influence of ASP staff as key change agents and addressing the social development needs of adolescents. The 5-year cluster randomized trial will involve 30 ASPs that are randomized to either the Connect through PLAY intervention or the active health curriculum control. The Connect through PLAY intervention employs a novel theoretical framework that targets three key social mechanisms for increased and sustained PA of staff and youth including youth-peer connections/friendships, group belonging, and staff-youth connections. All components of the intervention are designed to improve staff capacity for facilitating a PA context that supports these social mechanisms and increases the influence of ASP staff as positive PA role models and agents of change. Compared to control sites, ASPs receiving Connect through PLAY are expected to show greater improvements from baseline to post- and 6-month follow-up on youth PA, staff PA and social mechanisms. The results of the Connect through PLAY trial will demonstrate the efficacy of the intervention and will assist in developing a model of training, motivating, and empowering ASP staff to address social mechanisms that promote youth PA.
In this study, we identified (1) subgroups of youth during middle childhood who displayed distinc... more In this study, we identified (1) subgroups of youth during middle childhood who displayed distinct profiles of social emotional learning (SEL) skills including cooperation, prosocial behaviors, work habits, emotion regulation, and self-control; and (2) how these profiles predict longitudinal academic and social functioning during early adolescence. Using the NICHD SECCYD dataset ( N = 932, 49% girls), four profiles emerged: relatively low SEL (14%), moderate-high SEL (51%), prosocial/self-control (22%), and cooperation/work habits (13%). Longitudinally, the prosocial/self-control group and cooperation/work habits group demonstrated area-specific weakness. The prosocial/self-control youth were at risk of poor academic competence; the high cooperation/work habit youth were at risk of poor social functioning whereas the relatively low SEL skills youth demonstrated highest risk in poor academic and social functioning in early adolescence.
Moral disengagement is a social cognition people use to engage in wrongdoings even when they know... more Moral disengagement is a social cognition people use to engage in wrongdoings even when they know it is wrong. However, little is known about the antecedents that predict moral disengagement. The current study focuses on the development of self-control and cooperation during middle childhood as two antecedents of moral disengagement among 1,103 children (50% female; 77% White, 12% Black, 6% Hispanic, and 5% other). Children's self-control at age 8 and growth in self-control from age 8 to 11 were positively linked to adolescents seeing themselves as having self-control at age 15, which then predicted less moral disengagement at age 18. Children's cooperation at age 8 also was positively linked to adolescents' self-views of cooperation at age 15, which in turn, was associated with less moral disengagement at age 18. These findings demonstrate the potential of self-control and cooperation as intrapersonal and interpersonal strengths during middle childhood for mitigating mo...
The risk for youth obesity is higher during the summer than any other time of year. Summer day ca... more The risk for youth obesity is higher during the summer than any other time of year. Summer day camps can be ideal settings for preventing obesity through reducing youth summer sedentary behaviors. However, little-to-no research has examined the role of camps for promoting youth physical activity (PA) and other healthy behaviors. This study begins to address the gap in research by conducting systematic observations of 4 summer day camps (2 highly- resourced and 2 low-resourced) to determine: 1) the degree to which camps engage youth in moderate-to-vigorous PA, and; 2) to what extent camps provide important physical and social-motivational features for promoting PA. Results indicate camps provide opportunities for youth to meet national recommendations of daily MVPA. However, there were differences in PA and motivational features by level of camp resources. This study helps inform practice and policy through identifying strengths and needs of camps for promoting PA.
The risk for youth obesity is higher during the summer than any other time of year. Summer day ca... more The risk for youth obesity is higher during the summer than any other time of year. Summer day camps can be ideal settings for preventing obesity through reducing youth summer sedentary behaviors. However, little-to-no research has examined the role of camps for promoting youth physical activity (PA) and other healthy behaviors. This study begins to address the gap in research by conducting systematic observations of 4 summer day camps (2 highly- resourced and 2 low-resourced) to determine: 1) the degree to which camps engage youth in moderate-to-vigorous PA, and; 2) to what extent camps provide important physical and social-motivational features for promoting PA. Results indicate camps provide opportunities for youth to meet national recommendations of daily MVPA. However, there were differences in PA and motivational features by level of camp resources. This study helps inform practice and policy through identifying strengths and needs of camps for promoting PA.
Health education & behavior : the official publication of the Society for Public Health Education, Jan 14, 2015
Afterschool programs (ASPs) have become increasingly recognized as a key context to support youth... more Afterschool programs (ASPs) have become increasingly recognized as a key context to support youth daily physical activity (PA) accrual. The purpose of the present study was to assess the physical and social-motivational climate characteristics of ASPs associated with youth PA, and variations in contextual correlates of PA by youth sex. Systematic observations of 7 ASPs serving underserved youth (minority, low income) was conducted using the System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth and a social-motivational climate observation tool founded on self-determination theory. For five program days at each site, teams of two coders conducted continuous observations of youth PA (sedentary, moderate, vigorous), five physical features (e.g., equipment availability), eight staff interactions (e.g., encourage PA), and seven motivational climate components (e.g., inclusive). Aligned with previous research, regressions controlling for variations by site indicated that organized PA, p...
The authors used data from Grades 5 through 7 of the longitudinal 4-H Study of Positive Youth Dev... more The authors used data from Grades 5 through 7 of the longitudinal 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development to assess relations among sports participation, other out-of-school-time (OST) activities, and indicators of youth development. They used a mixture of variable- and pattern-centered analyses aimed at disentangling different features of participation (i.e., intensity, breadth). The benefits of sports participation were found to depend, in part, on specific combinations of multiple activities in which youths participated along with sports. In particular, participation in a combination of sports and youth development programs was related to positive youth development and youth contribution, even after controlling for the total time youths spent in OST activities and their sports participation duration. Adolescents' total time spent participating in OST activities, duration of participation in sports, and activity participation pattern each explained a unique part of the variance in some of the indicators of youth functioning. These findings suggest the need for future research to simultaneously assess multiple indices of OST activity participation.
Nicole Zarrett and Sandra Simpkins, University of Michigan. ... abuse, interpersonal competence, ... more Nicole Zarrett and Sandra Simpkins, University of Michigan. ... abuse, interpersonal competence, quality relationships with peers, self-concept, high school GPA, and school engagement (Eccles & Barber, 1999; Eccles & Gootman, 2002; Eccles & Templeton, 2002; Holland & Andre ...
The activities in which youth engage during their out-of-school time (OST) can have major implica... more The activities in which youth engage during their out-of-school time (OST) can have major implications for the positive development of youth across adolescence. Research indicates that youth will derive the greatest benefits from their OST by participating in organized OST activities. This article addresses variations in youth engagement in OST activities, beginning first with a description of the influence of unorganized and unconstructive OST pursuits and progressing through to a discussion of constructive unorganized and organized activities. A detailed summary of outcomes related to involvement in particular types of constructive organized activities is provided. The article concludes with a discussion of various individual and environmental factors that influence the types of OST activities in which youth choose to participate.
Background: The integration of behavioral health and primary care is a best practice to improve p... more Background: The integration of behavioral health and primary care is a best practice to improve patient outcomes and achieve health equity. However, the process of integrating is complex, requiring organizational change and sometimes a complete system overhaul. Implementation science offers useful ideas for helping healthcare organizations to implement effective care, including recognition that change occurs incrementally and is stymied by specific barriers and facilitators. Although determinants (i.e., barriers and facilitators) of successful care integration have been identified their relevance to organizations seeking to integrate care remains unknown. This study sought to understand which implementation determinants (defined by the R=MC2 framework, where Readiness is conceptualized as Motivation, Innovation-specific Capacity, and General Capacity) are most important in the process of integrating care across four implementation stages: Exploration, Installation, Initial Implement...
Background African American (AA) women experience disproportionate levels of chronic disease, whi... more Background African American (AA) women experience disproportionate levels of chronic disease, which is theorized to be driven by greater exposure to acute and chronic stress. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has further exacerbated existing health disparities among AA communities. Understanding how AA women have experienced and responded to stress during the pandemic may help to inform how future interventions can better address physical and mental well-being in AA communities. Aims Drawing from stress and coping models and an ecological framework, the present study conducted a theory-based qualitative assessment of stress-related experiences during the pandemic among a cohort of AA women, including (1) sources of stress, (2) coping strategies, (3) perceptions of health-related behaviors, (4) the role of community, and (5) recommendations for future interventions. Method After completing a group-based physical activity intervention program during the COVID-19 pandemic, a cohort o...
Objective This study set out to examine the role of parenting practices in protecting or exacerba... more Objective This study set out to examine the role of parenting practices in protecting or exacerbating the negative effects of parent and adolescent stress on adolescent body mass index (BMI) over time. Separate longitudinal models were conducted to evaluate how parenting practices interacted with parental perceived stress and adolescent perceived stress in predicting adolescent BMI. Methods Baseline data were collected from 148 African American adolescents (Mage = 12.93, SD = 1.75; Mz-BMI = 0.78, SD = 0.50; MBMI%-ile = 96.7, SD = 3.90) and their caregivers (Mage = 44.45, SD = 8.65; MBMI = 37.63, SD = 8.21) enrolled in the Families Improving Together for Weight Loss trial. Adolescents self-reported their perceptions of caregiver parenting style and feeding practices. Both caregivers and adolescents self-reported their perceptions of chronic stress. BMI for parents and adolescents was assessed objectively at baseline and 16 weeks post-intervention. Results Hierarchical regression mode...
The Connect through Positive Leisure Activities for Youth (Connect through PLAY) trial is a prosp... more The Connect through Positive Leisure Activities for Youth (Connect through PLAY) trial is a prospective, randomized controlled trial implemented within pre-existing afterschool programs (ASPs) comparing a staff-based social development physical activity (PA) program to a health curriculum active control. The efficacy trial aims to improve staff capacity for implementing effective physical activity (PA) programming within ASPs serving underserved youth (minority, low-income) through enhancing the influence of ASP staff as key change agents and addressing the social development needs of adolescents. The 5-year cluster randomized trial will involve 30 ASPs that are randomized to either the Connect through PLAY intervention or the active health curriculum control. The Connect through PLAY intervention employs a novel theoretical framework that targets three key social mechanisms for increased and sustained PA of staff and youth including youth-peer connections/friendships, group belonging, and staff-youth connections. All components of the intervention are designed to improve staff capacity for facilitating a PA context that supports these social mechanisms and increases the influence of ASP staff as positive PA role models and agents of change. Compared to control sites, ASPs receiving Connect through PLAY are expected to show greater improvements from baseline to post- and 6-month follow-up on youth PA, staff PA and social mechanisms. The results of the Connect through PLAY trial will demonstrate the efficacy of the intervention and will assist in developing a model of training, motivating, and empowering ASP staff to address social mechanisms that promote youth PA.
In this study, we identified (1) subgroups of youth during middle childhood who displayed distinc... more In this study, we identified (1) subgroups of youth during middle childhood who displayed distinct profiles of social emotional learning (SEL) skills including cooperation, prosocial behaviors, work habits, emotion regulation, and self-control; and (2) how these profiles predict longitudinal academic and social functioning during early adolescence. Using the NICHD SECCYD dataset ( N = 932, 49% girls), four profiles emerged: relatively low SEL (14%), moderate-high SEL (51%), prosocial/self-control (22%), and cooperation/work habits (13%). Longitudinally, the prosocial/self-control group and cooperation/work habits group demonstrated area-specific weakness. The prosocial/self-control youth were at risk of poor academic competence; the high cooperation/work habit youth were at risk of poor social functioning whereas the relatively low SEL skills youth demonstrated highest risk in poor academic and social functioning in early adolescence.
Moral disengagement is a social cognition people use to engage in wrongdoings even when they know... more Moral disengagement is a social cognition people use to engage in wrongdoings even when they know it is wrong. However, little is known about the antecedents that predict moral disengagement. The current study focuses on the development of self-control and cooperation during middle childhood as two antecedents of moral disengagement among 1,103 children (50% female; 77% White, 12% Black, 6% Hispanic, and 5% other). Children's self-control at age 8 and growth in self-control from age 8 to 11 were positively linked to adolescents seeing themselves as having self-control at age 15, which then predicted less moral disengagement at age 18. Children's cooperation at age 8 also was positively linked to adolescents' self-views of cooperation at age 15, which in turn, was associated with less moral disengagement at age 18. These findings demonstrate the potential of self-control and cooperation as intrapersonal and interpersonal strengths during middle childhood for mitigating mo...
The risk for youth obesity is higher during the summer than any other time of year. Summer day ca... more The risk for youth obesity is higher during the summer than any other time of year. Summer day camps can be ideal settings for preventing obesity through reducing youth summer sedentary behaviors. However, little-to-no research has examined the role of camps for promoting youth physical activity (PA) and other healthy behaviors. This study begins to address the gap in research by conducting systematic observations of 4 summer day camps (2 highly- resourced and 2 low-resourced) to determine: 1) the degree to which camps engage youth in moderate-to-vigorous PA, and; 2) to what extent camps provide important physical and social-motivational features for promoting PA. Results indicate camps provide opportunities for youth to meet national recommendations of daily MVPA. However, there were differences in PA and motivational features by level of camp resources. This study helps inform practice and policy through identifying strengths and needs of camps for promoting PA.
The risk for youth obesity is higher during the summer than any other time of year. Summer day ca... more The risk for youth obesity is higher during the summer than any other time of year. Summer day camps can be ideal settings for preventing obesity through reducing youth summer sedentary behaviors. However, little-to-no research has examined the role of camps for promoting youth physical activity (PA) and other healthy behaviors. This study begins to address the gap in research by conducting systematic observations of 4 summer day camps (2 highly- resourced and 2 low-resourced) to determine: 1) the degree to which camps engage youth in moderate-to-vigorous PA, and; 2) to what extent camps provide important physical and social-motivational features for promoting PA. Results indicate camps provide opportunities for youth to meet national recommendations of daily MVPA. However, there were differences in PA and motivational features by level of camp resources. This study helps inform practice and policy through identifying strengths and needs of camps for promoting PA.
Health education & behavior : the official publication of the Society for Public Health Education, Jan 14, 2015
Afterschool programs (ASPs) have become increasingly recognized as a key context to support youth... more Afterschool programs (ASPs) have become increasingly recognized as a key context to support youth daily physical activity (PA) accrual. The purpose of the present study was to assess the physical and social-motivational climate characteristics of ASPs associated with youth PA, and variations in contextual correlates of PA by youth sex. Systematic observations of 7 ASPs serving underserved youth (minority, low income) was conducted using the System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth and a social-motivational climate observation tool founded on self-determination theory. For five program days at each site, teams of two coders conducted continuous observations of youth PA (sedentary, moderate, vigorous), five physical features (e.g., equipment availability), eight staff interactions (e.g., encourage PA), and seven motivational climate components (e.g., inclusive). Aligned with previous research, regressions controlling for variations by site indicated that organized PA, p...
The authors used data from Grades 5 through 7 of the longitudinal 4-H Study of Positive Youth Dev... more The authors used data from Grades 5 through 7 of the longitudinal 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development to assess relations among sports participation, other out-of-school-time (OST) activities, and indicators of youth development. They used a mixture of variable- and pattern-centered analyses aimed at disentangling different features of participation (i.e., intensity, breadth). The benefits of sports participation were found to depend, in part, on specific combinations of multiple activities in which youths participated along with sports. In particular, participation in a combination of sports and youth development programs was related to positive youth development and youth contribution, even after controlling for the total time youths spent in OST activities and their sports participation duration. Adolescents' total time spent participating in OST activities, duration of participation in sports, and activity participation pattern each explained a unique part of the variance in some of the indicators of youth functioning. These findings suggest the need for future research to simultaneously assess multiple indices of OST activity participation.
Nicole Zarrett and Sandra Simpkins, University of Michigan. ... abuse, interpersonal competence, ... more Nicole Zarrett and Sandra Simpkins, University of Michigan. ... abuse, interpersonal competence, quality relationships with peers, self-concept, high school GPA, and school engagement (Eccles & Barber, 1999; Eccles & Gootman, 2002; Eccles & Templeton, 2002; Holland & Andre ...
The activities in which youth engage during their out-of-school time (OST) can have major implica... more The activities in which youth engage during their out-of-school time (OST) can have major implications for the positive development of youth across adolescence. Research indicates that youth will derive the greatest benefits from their OST by participating in organized OST activities. This article addresses variations in youth engagement in OST activities, beginning first with a description of the influence of unorganized and unconstructive OST pursuits and progressing through to a discussion of constructive unorganized and organized activities. A detailed summary of outcomes related to involvement in particular types of constructive organized activities is provided. The article concludes with a discussion of various individual and environmental factors that influence the types of OST activities in which youth choose to participate.
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