Improving service delivery of water, sanitation, and hygiene in primary schools: a cluster-randomized trial in western Kenya.

PubMed

Alexander, Kelly T; Dreibelbis, Robert; Freeman, Matthew C; Ojeny, Betty; Rheingans, Richard

2013-09-01

Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs in schools have been shown to improve health and reduce absence. In resource-poor settings, barriers such as inadequate budgets, lack of oversight, and competing priorities limit effective and sustained WASH service delivery in schools. We employed a cluster-randomized trial to examine if schools could improve WASH conditions within existing administrative structures. Seventy schools were divided into a control group and three intervention groups. All intervention schools received a budget for purchasing WASH-related items. One group received no further intervention. A second group received additional funding for hiring a WASH attendant and making repairs to WASH infrastructure, and a third group was given guides for student and community monitoring of conditions. Intervention schools made significant improvements in provision of soap and handwashing water, treated drinking water, and clean latrines compared with controls. Teachers reported benefits of monitoring, repairs, and a WASH attendant, but quantitative data of WASH conditions did not determine whether expanded interventions out-performed our budget-only intervention. Providing schools with budgets for WASH operational costs improved access to necessary supplies, but did not ensure consistent service delivery to students. Further work is needed to clarify how schools can provide WASH services daily.

A Youth-Led, Social Marketing Intervention Run by Adolescents to Encourage Healthy Lifestyles among Younger School Peers (EYTO-Kids Project): A Protocol for Pilot Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (Spain)

PubMed Central

Aceves-Martins, Magaly; Papell-Garcia, Ignasi; Arola, Lluís; Giralt, Montse; Solà, Rosa

2017-01-01

Introduction: The EYTO-kids (European Youth Tackling Obesity in Adolescents and Children) study aims to increase fruit and/or vegetable consumption and physical activity, decrease sedentary lifestyles, and reduce the intake of sugary drinks and fast food using an innovative methodology based on social marketing and youth involvement. Methods: This study is a pilot school-based cluster randomized controlled 10-month intervention spanning two academic years (2015–2016 and 2016–2017), with eight primary schools and three high schools randomized into and designated the control group and eight primary schools and four high schools designated the intervention group in Reus, Spain. At least 301 younger school peers per group should be included. At the intervention high schools, the adolescent creators (ACs) receive an initial 16-h training session. In total, 26–32 high school ACs (12–14 years) from the four high schools will design and implement four health-promotion activities (1 h/each) for their younger (8–10 years), primary school peers. The control group will not receive any intervention. The outcomes (fruit, vegetable, fast food and sugary drink consumption; physical activity; and sedentary behaviors) of the control and intervention groups will be measured pre- and post-intervention. Conclusion: This study describes a protocol for pilot, peer-led, social marketing and youth-involved intervention, where adolescents design and implement activities for their younger peers to promote healthy lifestyles.

School gardens and physical activity: a randomized controlled trial of low-income elementary schools.

PubMed

Wells, Nancy M; Myers, Beth M; Henderson, Charles R

2014-12-01

This study examines effects of a school garden intervention on elementary school children's physical activity (PA). Twelve schools in New York were randomly assigned to receive the school garden intervention (n=6) or to the waitlist control group that later received gardens (n=6). PA was measured by self-report survey (Girls Health Enrichment Multi-site Study Activity Questionnaire) (N=227) and accelerometry (N=124, 8 schools) at baseline (Fall 2011) and follow-up (Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013). Direct observation (N=117, 4 schools) was employed to compare indoor (classroom) and outdoor (garden) PA. Analysis was by general linear mixed models. Survey data indicate garden intervention children's reports of usual sedentary activity decreased from pre-garden baseline to post-garden more than the control group children's (Δ=-.19, p=.001). Accelerometry data reveal that during the school day, children in the garden intervention showed a greater increase in percent of time spent in moderate and moderate-to-vigorous PA from baseline to follow-up than the control group children (Δ=+.58, p=.010; Δ=+1.0, p=.044). Direct observation within-group comparison of children at schools with gardens revealed that children move more and sit less during an outdoor garden-based lesson than during an indoor, classroom-based lesson. School gardens show some promise to promote children's PA. clinicaltrials.gov # NCT02148315. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Incredible Year Teacher Classroom Management Program: Initial Findings from a Group Randomized Control Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reinke, Wendy M.; Herman, Keith C.; Dong, Nianbo

2014-01-01

A significant number of children in schools have mental health problems (World Health Organization, 2004). If children receive any type of mental health services, the vast majority receive these supports at school (Rones & Hoagwood, 2000). Mental health needs in children often manifest as emotional dysregulation, social incompetence, and…

The School Inner-City Asthma Intervention Study: Design, rationale, methods, and lessons learned.

PubMed

Phipatanakul, Wanda; Koutrakis, Petros; Coull, Brent A; Kang, Choong-Min; Wolfson, Jack M; Ferguson, Stephen T; Petty, Carter R; Samnaliev, Mihail; Cunningham, Amparito; Sheehan, William J; Gaffin, Jonathan M; Baxi, Sachin N; Lai, Peggy S; Permaul, Perdita; Liang, Liming; Thorne, Peter S; Adamkiewicz, Gary; Brennan, Kasey J; Baccarelli, Andrea A; Gold, Diane R

2017-09-01

Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood in the United States, causes significant morbidity, particularly in the inner-city, and accounts for billions of dollars in health care utilization. Home environments are established sources of exposure that exacerbate symptoms and home-based interventions are effective. However, elementary school children spend 7 to 12h a day in school, primarily in one classroom. From the observational School Inner-City Asthma Study we learned that student classroom-specific exposures are associated with worsening asthma symptoms and decline in lung function. We now embark on a randomized, blinded, sham-controlled school environmental intervention trial, built on our extensively established school/community partnerships, to determine the efficacy of a school-based intervention to improve asthma control. This factorial school/classroom based environmental intervention will plan to enroll 300 students with asthma from multiple classrooms in 40 northeastern inner-city elementary schools. Schools will be randomized to receive either integrated pest management versus control and classrooms within these schools to receive either air purifiers or sham control. The primary outcome is asthma symptoms during the school year. This study is an unprecedented opportunity to test whether a community of children can benefit from school or classroom environmental interventions. If effective, this will have great impact as an efficient, cost-effective intervention for inner city children with asthma and may have broad public policy implications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A school-based program for control of group a streptococcal upper respiratory tract infections: a controlled trial in Southern China.

PubMed

Lin, Shuguang; Kaplan, Edward L; Rao, Xuxu; Johnson, Dwight R; Deng, Mulan; Zhuo, Qiling; Yang, Pingzhen; Mai, Jinzhuang; Dong, Taiming; Liu, Xiaoqing

2008-08-01

A prospective, school-based study included daily monitoring for incidence of symptomatic streptococcal-associated pharyngitis and monthly determinations of group A streptococcal prevalence. A treatment group received penicillin/erythromycin therapy at school for positive throat cultures; the control group sought medical care from their regular provider. Prevalence and incidence of group A streptococcal pharyngitis were significantly lower among the treatment group than in the controls.

The Impact of School Subsidies on HIV-Related Outcomes among Adolescent Female Orphans

PubMed Central

Hallfors, Denise Dion; Cho, Hyunsan; Rusakaniko, Simbarashe; Mapfumo, John; Iritani, Bonita; Zhang, Lei; Luseno, Winnie; Miller, Ted

2014-01-01

Objectives We examine effects of school support as a structural HIV prevention intervention for adolescent female orphans in Zimbabwe after 5 years. Methods 328 orphan adolescent girls were followed in a clustered randomized control trial from 2007 to 2010. The experimental group received school fees, uniforms, and school supplies and were assigned a school-based “helper.” In 2011-12, the control group received delayed partial treatment of school fees only. At the final data point in 2012, survey, HIV, and HSV-2 biomarker data were collected from approximately 88% of the sample. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted on endpoint outcomes, controlling for age, religious affiliation, and baseline SES. Results The two groups did not differ on HIV or HSV-2 biomarkers. The comprehensive five-year intervention continued to reduce the likelihood of marriage, improve school retention, improve SES (food security), and marginally maintain gains in quality of life, even after providing school fees to the control group. Conclusions Paying school fees and expenses resulted in significant improvements in life outcomes for orphan adolescent girls. Biological evidence of HIV infection prevention, however, was not observed. Our study adds to the growing body of research on school support as HIV prevention for girls in sub-Saharan Africa, but as yet, no clear picture of effectiveness has emerged. PMID:25530603

Sun protection at elementary schools: a cluster randomized trial.

PubMed

Hunter, Seft; Love-Jackson, Kymia; Abdulla, Rania; Zhu, Weiwei; Lee, Ji-Hyun; Wells, Kristen J; Roetzheim, Richard

2010-04-07

Elementary schools represent both a source of childhood sun exposure and a setting for educational interventions. Sun Protection of Florida's Children was a cluster randomized trial promoting hat use at (primary outcome) and outside of schools among fourth-grade students during August 8, 2006, through May 22, 2007. Twenty-two schools were randomly assigned to the intervention (1115 students) or control group (1376 students). Intervention schools received classroom sessions targeting sun protection attitudes and social norms. Each student attending an intervention school received two free wide-brimmed hats. Hat use at school was measured by direct observation and hat use outside of school was measured by self-report. A subgroup of 378 students (178 in the intervention group and 200 in the control group) underwent serial measurements of skin pigmentation to explore potential physiological effects of the intervention. Generalized linear mixed models were used to evaluate the intervention effect by accounting for the cluster randomized trial design. All P values were two-sided and were claimed as statistically significant at a level of .05. The percentage of students observed wearing hats at control schools remained essentially unchanged during the school year (baseline = 2%, fall = 0%, and spring = 1%) but increased statistically significantly at intervention schools (baseline = 2%, fall = 30%, and spring = 41%) (P < .001 for intervention effect comparing the change in rate of hat use over time at intervention vs control schools). Self-reported use of hats outside of school did not change statistically significantly during the study (control: baseline = 14%, fall = 14%, and spring = 11%; intervention: baseline = 24%, fall = 24%, and spring = 23%) nor did measures of skin pigmentation. The intervention increased use of hats among fourth-grade students at school but had no effect on self-reported wide-brimmed hat use outside of school or on measures of skin pigmentation.

Creating a peaceful school learning environment: a controlled study of an elementary school intervention to reduce violence.

PubMed

Twemlow, S W; Fonagy, P; Sacco, F C; Gies, M L; Evans, R; Ewbank, R

2001-05-01

The impact of a manual-based antiviolence program on the learning climate in an elementary school over 4 years was compared with the outcome in a control school. The two schools were matched for demographic characteristics. The intervention in the experimental school was based on zero tolerance for bullying; the control school received only regular psychiatric consultation. Disciplinary and academic achievement data were collected in both schools. The experimental school showed significant reductions in discipline referrals and increases in scores on standardized academic achievement measures. A low-cost antiviolence intervention that does not focus on individual pathology or interfere with the educational process may improve the learning environment in elementary schools.

Comprehensive School Reform: A Longitudinal Study of School Improvement in One State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Good, Thomas L.; Burross, Heidi Legg; McCaslin, Mary M.

2005-01-01

We report on comprehensive school reform (CSR) reform in 48 schools over 6 consecutive years. In 1998, a total of 24 schools received CSR awards to improve student achievement. Control schools were carefully matched on 26 demographic variables to form a comparison group. Students' average performance, as represented in publicly available school…

Enhancing the educational achievement of at-risk youth.

PubMed

Schinke, S P; Cole, K C; Poulin, S R

2000-03-01

This study examined a non-school program aimed at enhancing the educational performance of economically disadvantaged early adolescents who live in public housing. The educational enhancement program included discussions with adults, writing activities, leisure reading, homework, helping others, and games using cognitive skills. A three-arm research design juxtaposed program youth who received educational enhancements with comparison youth in affiliated facilities who did not receive the program and with control youth in other community programs without educational enhancements. From youths, follow-up data collected 2 1/2 years after baseline revealed uniformly positive outcomes for program youth on measures of reading, verbal skills, writing, and tutoring. Teacher reports at final follow-up favored program and comparison youth over controls on measures of reading, writing, games, overall school performance, and interest in class material. School grades were higher for program youth than for comparison and control youth for reading, spelling, history, science, and social studies. Overall grade averages were higher for program youth versus comparisons and controls, as was school attendance. Study data lend empirical support to the provision of educational enhancements in non-school settings for at-risk youths.

PATHWAYS TO PROGRESS, A RESEARCH MONOGRAPH FROM OHIO'S PROGRAMS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

KOLB, DAVID A.

THE EFFECT OF A TRAINING PROGRAM IN ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION ON THE OF EDUCATION FOR THE ACADEMICALLY TALENTED STUDENT. AMONG PRESENTED. TWENTY BOYS WITH IQ'S ABOVE 120 AND SCHOOL GRADES BELOW C RECEIVED THE TRAINING PROGRAM IN ADDITION TO AN ACADEMIC SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM. THEY WERE COMPARED TO A CONTROL GROUP OF 37 SIMILAR BOYS WHO RECEIVED ONLY…

Association Between Childhood School Segregation and Changes in Adult Sense of Control in the African American Health Cohort

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Objective. Cross-sectional associations between childhood school segregation and adult sense of control and physical performance have been established in the African American Health (AAH) cohort. Here we extend that work by estimating the association between childhood school segregation and 2-year changes in adult sense of control. Method. Complete data on 541 older AAH men and women were used to estimate the association between childhood school segregation and changes in the sense of control. Exposure to segregation was self-reported in 2004, and the sense of control was measured in 2008 and 2010 using Blom rank transformations of Mirowsky and Ross’ 8-item scale. Declining subjective income and experiencing major life stressors between 2008 and 2010, as well as traditional covariates (demographic factors, socioeconomic status, self-rated health, racial attitudes and beliefs, and religiosity) were included for statistical adjustment. Multiple linear regression analysis with propensity score reweighting was used. Results. Receiving the majority of one’s primary and secondary education in segregated schools had a significant net positive association (d = 0.179; p = .029) with 2-year changes in adult sense of control. Conclusion. AAH participants receiving the majority of their primary and secondary educations in segregated schools appeared to have been protected, in part, from age-related declines in the sense of control. PMID:24056692

Impact of Regular Soap Provision to Primary Schools on Hand Washing and E. coli Hand Contamination among Pupils in Nyanza Province, Kenya: A Cluster-Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Saboori, Shadi; Greene, Leslie E.; Moe, Christine L.; Freeman, Matthew C.; Caruso, Bethany A.; Akoko, Daniel; Rheingans, Richard D.

2013-01-01

We assessed whether supplying soap to primary schools on a regular basis increased pupil hand washing and decreased Escherichia coli hand contamination. Multiple rounds of structured observations of hand washing events after latrine use were conducted in 60 Kenyan schools, and hand rinse samples were collected one time in a subset of schools. The proportion of pupils observed practicing hand washing with soap (HWWS) events was significantly higher in schools that received a soap provision intervention (32%) and schools that received soap and latrine cleaning materials (38%) compared with controls (3%). Girls and boys had similar hand washing rates. There were non-significant reductions in E. coli contamination among intervention school pupils compared with controls. Removing the barrier of soap procurement can significantly increase availability of soap and hand washing among pupils; however, we discuss limitations in the enabling policy and institutional environment that may have prevented reaching desired levels of HWWS. PMID:23939707

Impact of regular soap provision to primary schools on hand washing and E. coli hand contamination among pupils in Nyanza Province, Kenya: a cluster-randomized trial.

PubMed

Saboori, Shadi; Greene, Leslie E; Moe, Christine L; Freeman, Matthew C; Caruso, Bethany A; Akoko, Daniel; Rheingans, Richard D

2013-10-01

We assessed whether supplying soap to primary schools on a regular basis increased pupil hand washing and decreased Escherichia coli hand contamination. Multiple rounds of structured observations of hand washing events after latrine use were conducted in 60 Kenyan schools, and hand rinse samples were collected one time in a subset of schools. The proportion of pupils observed practicing hand washing with soap (HWWS) events was significantly higher in schools that received a soap provision intervention (32%) and schools that received soap and latrine cleaning materials (38%) compared with controls (3%). Girls and boys had similar hand washing rates. There were non-significant reductions in E. coli contamination among intervention school pupils compared with controls. Removing the barrier of soap procurement can significantly increase availability of soap and hand washing among pupils; however, we discuss limitations in the enabling policy and institutional environment that may have prevented reaching desired levels of HWWS.

Childhood Obesity and Schools: Evidence from the National Survey of Children's Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Ji; Hooker, Neal H.

2010-01-01

Background: The international prevalence of childhood obesity and obesity-related diseases has received increasing attention. Applying data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we explore relationships between childhood obesity and school type, National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) eligibility,…

34 CFR 300.28 - Local educational agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... legally constituted within a State for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a... having administrative control and direction of a public elementary school or secondary school, including... population that is smaller than the student population of the LEA receiving assistance under the Act with the...

34 CFR 300.28 - Local educational agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... legally constituted within a State for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a... having administrative control and direction of a public elementary school or secondary school, including... population that is smaller than the student population of the LEA receiving assistance under the Act with the...

34 CFR 300.28 - Local educational agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... legally constituted within a State for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a... having administrative control and direction of a public elementary school or secondary school, including... population that is smaller than the student population of the LEA receiving assistance under the Act with the...

34 CFR 300.28 - Local educational agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... legally constituted within a State for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a... having administrative control and direction of a public elementary school or secondary school, including... population that is smaller than the student population of the LEA receiving assistance under the Act with the...

The CLIMATE schools combined study: a cluster randomised controlled trial of a universal Internet-based prevention program for youth substance misuse, depression and anxiety

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Anxiety, depressive and substance use disorders account for three quarters of the disability attributed to mental disorders and frequently co-occur. While programs for the prevention and reduction of symptoms associated with (i) substance use and (ii) mental health disorders exist, research is yet to determine if a combined approach is more effective. This paper describes the study protocol of a cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the CLIMATE Schools Combined intervention, a universal approach to preventing substance use and mental health problems among adolescents. Methods/design Participants will consist of approximately 8400 students aged 13 to 14-years-old from 84 secondary schools in New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland, Australia. The schools will be cluster randomised to one of four groups; (i) CLIMATE Schools Combined intervention; (ii) CLIMATE Schools - Substance Use; (iii) CLIMATE Schools - Mental Health, or (iv) Control (Health and Physical Education as usual). The primary outcomes of the trial will be the uptake and harmful use of alcohol and other drugs, mental health symptomatology and anxiety, depression and substance use knowledge. Secondary outcomes include substance use related harms, self-efficacy to resist peer pressure, general disability, and truancy. The link between personality and substance use will also be examined. Discussion Compared to students who receive the universal CLIMATE Schools - Substance Use, or CLIMATE Schools - Mental Health or the Control condition (who received usual Health and Physical Education), we expect students who receive the CLIMATE Schools Combined intervention to show greater delays to the initiation of substance use, reductions in substance use and mental health symptoms, and increased substance use and mental health knowledge. Trial registration This trial is registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials registry, ACTRN12613000723785. PMID:24499060

CAI: Overcoming Attitude Barriers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Netusil, Anton J.; Kockler, Lois H.

During each of two school quarters, approximately 60 college students enrolled in a mathematics course were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group. The control group received instruction by the lecture method only; the experimental group received the same instruction, except that six computer-assisted instruction (CAI) units…

Assessing the impact of a school-based latrine cleaning and handwashing program on pupil absence in Nyanza Province, Kenya: A cluster-randomized trial

PubMed Central

Caruso, Bethany A.; Freeman, Matthew C.; Garn, Joshua V.; Dreibelbis, Robert; Saboori, Shadi; Muga, Richard; Rheingans, Richard

2016-01-01

Improving school water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) conditions has been shown to be effective in reducing pupil absence and illness. However, the benefit of sanitation and hygiene promotion improvements at school may depend on the conditions of the latrines and availability of consumables. We employed a three-arm, cluster-randomized trial to determine if a low-cost, policy-relevant, environmental-level latrine cleaning intervention could a) improve latrine cleanliness, b) increase latrine use, and c) reduce absenteeism. We assessed absence via periodical roll-call among 17,564 pupils in 60 schools that previously received WASH Improvements as part of the SWASH+ project. Latrine conditions and use were also assessed using structured observation. Latrine cleanliness increased significantly during the post-intervention period among schools receiving the latrine-cleaning package compared to controls. Handwashing with soap increased as well in intervention schools relative to controls. We found no difference in latrine use and absence across arms. The additive impact of cleaning may not have been strong enough to impact absence above and beyond reductions attributable to the original WASH infrastructure improvements and basic hygiene education the schools previously received. Improving latrine conditions is important for the dignity and well being of pupils, and investments and strategies are necessary to ensure school sanitation environments are clean and pupil-friendly. PMID:25055716

Design of a school randomized trial for nudging students towards healthy diet and physical activity to prevent obesity: PAAPAS Nudge study protocol.

PubMed

Cunha, Diana Barbosa; Verly Junior, Eliseu; Paravidino, Vitor Barreto; Araújo, Marina Campos; Mediano, Mauro Felippe Felix; Sgambato, Michele Ribeiro; de Souza, Bárbara da Silva Nalin; Marques, Emanuele Souza; Baltar, Valéria Troncoso; de Oliveira, Alessandra Silva Dias; da Silva, Ana Carolina Feldenheimer; Pérez-Cueto, Federico J; Pereira, Rosangela Alves; Sichieri, Rosely

2017-12-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of nudge activities at school on the students' body mass index (BMI). School-based factorial randomized community trial. Eighteen public schools in the municipality of Duque de Caxias, metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 18 schools will be randomized into 4 group arms: group 1-control (without any activity); group 2-will receive educational activities in the classroom; group 3-will receive changes in the school environment (nudge strategies); group 4-will receive educational activities and changes in the school environment. Activities will occur during the 2018 school-year. The primary (BMI) and secondary (body fat percentage) outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after the study using a portable electronic scale with a segmental body composition monitor. The height will be measured by a portable stadiometer. Statistical analyses for each outcome will be conducted through linear mixed models that took into account the missing data and cluster effect of the schools. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Design of a school randomized trial for nudging students towards healthy diet and physical activity to prevent obesity

PubMed Central

Cunha, Diana Barbosa; Verly Junior, Eliseu; Paravidino, Vitor Barreto; Araújo, Marina Campos; Mediano, Mauro Felippe Felix; Sgambato, Michele Ribeiro; de Souza, Bárbara da Silva Nalin; Marques, Emanuele Souza; Baltar, Valéria Troncoso; de Oliveira, Alessandra Silva Dias; da Silva, Ana Carolina Feldenheimer; Pérez-Cueto, Federico J.; Pereira, Rosangela Alves; Sichieri, Rosely

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of nudge activities at school on the students’ body mass index (BMI). Design: School-based factorial randomized community trial. Setting: Eighteen public schools in the municipality of Duque de Caxias, metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Participants and intervention: The 18 schools will be randomized into 4 group arms: group 1—control (without any activity); group 2—will receive educational activities in the classroom; group 3—will receive changes in the school environment (nudge strategies); group 4—will receive educational activities and changes in the school environment. Activities will occur during the 2018 school-year. Main outcome measure(s): The primary (BMI) and secondary (body fat percentage) outcomes will be assessed at baseline and after the study using a portable electronic scale with a segmental body composition monitor. The height will be measured by a portable stadiometer. Analysis: Statistical analyses for each outcome will be conducted through linear mixed models that took into account the missing data and cluster effect of the schools. PMID:29390278

Southern Schools: An Evaluation of the Effects of the Emergency School Assistance Program and of School Desegregation. Volume I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crain, Robert L., Ed.

This evaluation sampled 150 pairs of schools (50 pairs of high schools and 100 pairs of elementary schools) eligible for ESAP funds, randomly designating one school from each pair as a control school to receive no ESAP funds and using a flip of the coin to so designate. The first volume of the report comprises four chapters and seven appendices.…

78 FR 13677 - Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panels (SEP): Initial Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-28

... announced below concerns Monitoring Cause-Specific School Absenteeism for Estimating Community Wide... received in response to ``Monitoring Cause-Specific School Absenteeism for Estimating Community Wide...

Effects of Home and School Computer Use on School Readiness and Cognitive Development among Head Start Children: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Xiaoming; Atkins, Melissa S.; Stanton, Bonita

2006-01-01

Data from 122 Head Start children were analyzed to examine the impact of computer use on school readiness and psychomotor skills. Children in the experimental group were given the opportunity to work on a computer for 15-20 minutes per day with their choice of developmentally appropriate educational software, while the control group received a…

Unprogrammed Deworming in the Kibera Slum, Nairobi: Implications for Control of Soil-Transmitted Helminthiases

PubMed Central

Harris, Julie R.; Worrell, Caitlin M.; Davis, Stephanie M.; Odero, Kennedy; Mogeni, Ondari D.; Deming, Michael S.; Mohammed, Aden; Montgomery, Joel M.; Njenga, Sammy M.; Fox, LeAnne M.; Addiss, David G.

2015-01-01

Background Programs for control of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are increasingly evaluating national mass drug administration (MDA) interventions. However, “unprogrammed deworming” (receipt of deworming drugs outside of nationally-run STH control programs) occurs frequently. Failure to account for these activities may compromise evaluations of MDA effectiveness. Methods We used a cross-sectional study design to evaluate STH infection and unprogrammed deworming among infants (aged 6–11 months), preschool-aged children (PSAC, aged 1–4 years), and school-aged children (SAC, aged 5–14 years) in Kibera, Kenya, an informal settlement not currently receiving nationally-run MDA for STH. STH infection was assessed by triplicate Kato-Katz. We asked heads of households with randomly-selected children about past-year receipt and source(s) of deworming drugs. Local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and school staff participating in school-based deworming were interviewed to collect information on drug coverage. Results Of 679 children (18 infants, 184 PSAC, and 477 SAC) evaluated, 377 (55%) reported receiving at least one unprogrammed deworming treatment during the past year. PSAC primarily received treatments from chemists (48.3%) or healthcare centers (37.7%); SAC most commonly received treatments at school (55.0%). Four NGOs reported past-year deworming activities at 47 of >150 schools attended by children in our study area. Past-year deworming was negatively associated with any-STH infection (34.8% vs 45.4%, p = 0.005). SAC whose most recent deworming medication was sourced from a chemist were more often infected with Trichuris (38.0%) than those who received their most recent treatment from a health center (17.3%) or school (23.1%) (p = 0.05). Conclusion Unprogrammed deworming was received by more than half of children in our study area, from multiple sources. Both individual-level treatment and unprogrammed preventive chemotherapy may serve an important public health function, particularly in the absence of programmed deworming; however, they may also lead to an overestimation of programmed MDA effectiveness. A standardized, validated tool is needed to assess unprogrammed deworming. PMID:25763577

Hip-Hop to Health Jr. Obesity Prevention Effectiveness Trial: Post-Intervention Results

PubMed Central

Fitzgibbon, M. L.; Stolley, M. R.; Schiffer, L.; Braunschweig, C. L.; Gomez, S. L.; Van Horn, L.; Dyer, A.

2013-01-01

The preschool years offer an opportunity to interrupt the trajectory toward obesity in black children. The Hip-Hop to Health Jr. Obesity Prevention Effectiveness Trial was a group-randomized controlled trial assessing the feasibility and effectiveness of a teacher-delivered weight control intervention for black preschool children. The 618 participating children were enrolled in 18 schools administered by the Chicago Public Schools. Children enrolled in the 9 schools randomized to the intervention group received a 14-week weight control intervention delivered by their classroom teachers. Children in the 9 control schools received a general health intervention. Height and weight, physical activity, screen time, and diet data were collected at baseline and post-intervention. At post-intervention, children in the intervention schools engaged in more moderate-to vigorous physical activity than children in the control schools (difference between adjusted group means=7.46 min/day, p=.02). Also, children in the intervention group had less total screen time (−27.8 min/day, p=.05). There were no significant differences in BMI, BMI Z score, or dietary intake. It is feasible to adapt an obesity prevention program to be taught by classroom teachers. The intervention showed positive influences on physical activity and screen time, but not diet. Measuring diet and physical activity in preschool children remains a challenge, and interventions delivered by classroom teachers require both intensive initial training and ongoing individualized supervision. PMID:21193852

Hip-Hop to Health Jr. Obesity Prevention Effectiveness Trial: postintervention results.

PubMed

Fitzgibbon, Marian L; Stolley, Melinda R; Schiffer, Linda A; Braunschweig, Carol L; Gomez, Sandra L; Van Horn, Linda; Dyer, Alan R

2011-05-01

The preschool years offer an opportunity to interrupt the trajectory toward obesity in black children. The Hip-Hop to Health Jr. Obesity Prevention Effectiveness Trial was a group-randomized controlled trial assessing the feasibility and effectiveness of a teacher-delivered weight control intervention for black preschool children. The 618 participating children were enrolled in 18 schools administered by the Chicago Public Schools. Children enrolled in the nine schools randomized to the intervention group received a 14-week weight control intervention delivered by their classroom teachers. Children in the nine control schools received a general health intervention. Height and weight, physical activity, screen time, and diet data were collected at baseline and postintervention. At postintervention, children in the intervention schools engaged in more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) than children in the control schools (difference between adjusted group means = 7.46 min/day, P = 0.02). Also, children in the intervention group had less total screen time (-27.8 min/day, P = 0.05). There were no significant differences in BMI, BMI Z score, or dietary intake. It is feasible to adapt an obesity prevention program to be taught by classroom teachers. The intervention showed positive influences on physical activity and screen time, but not on diet. Measuring diet and physical activity in preschool children remains a challenge, and interventions delivered by classroom teachers require both intensive initial training and ongoing individualized supervision.

Collaborative Philosophical Enquiry for School Children: Socio-Emotional Effects at 11 to 12 Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trickey, S.; Topping, K. J.

2006-01-01

Two measures were used to investigate the socioemotional effects of collaborative philosophical enquiry on children aged 11 at pre-test in five experimental and three control primary (elementary) school mainstream classes. Experimental teachers received initial and follow-up professional development. In a pre-post controlled design, experimental…

In Control: Anger Management and the Development of Prosocial Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellner, Millicent H.; Salvador, Diana S.; Bry, Brenna H.

This paper describes the preliminary results of a study of In Control, an anger management curriculum offered in the middle school of a therapeutic day school for children with severe emotional and behavioral disorders. Twenty students received the program, while 26 did not. Measures were number of anger logs students completed; institutional…

Assessing the use of school public address systems to deliver nutrition messages to children: Shape up Somerville--audio adventures.

PubMed

Folta, Sara C; Goldberg, Jeanne P; Economos, Christina; Bell, Rick; Landers, Stewart; Hyatt, Raymond

2006-11-01

Given the current childhood obesity epidemic, it is especially important to find effective ways to promote healthful foods to children. School public address (PA) systems represent an inexpensive and a replicable way of reaching children with health messages. To test the effectiveness of this channel, messages were created to promote 2 dried bean (legume) dishes that had been added to the school lunch menu. Six elementary schools were pair matched, and 1 school from each pair was randomly chosen to play the messages. The impact of the intervention on choice of the 2 new entrees was assessed. Results indicate that for all schools combined, choice was not significantly affected. However, compared to their matched control schools, choice was significantly higher in the school that received the highest dose of the intervention and was significantly lower in the school that received the lowest dose. Choice was not changed in the school that received an intermediate dose. These results suggest that PA systems show promise as an effective and appropriate communications channel but only in schools that are able to play messages frequently.

Bristol girls dance project feasibility trial: outcome and process evaluation results.

PubMed

Jago, Russell; Sebire, Simon J; Cooper, Ashley R; Haase, Anne M; Powell, Jane; Davis, Laura; McNeill, Jade; Montgomery, Alan A

2012-07-02

Many adolescent girls do not engage in sufficient physical activity (PA). This study examined the feasibility of conducting a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate an after-school dance program to increase PA among 11-12 year old girls in Bristol, UK. Three-arm, cluster RCT. Three secondary schools were assigned to intervention arm. Intervention participants received a 9-week dance program with 2, 90-minute dance classes per week. Participants at 2 control schools received incentives for data collection. Participants at 2 additional control schools received incentives and a delayed dance workshop. Accelerometer data were collected at baseline (time 0), during the last week of the dance program (time 1) and 20 weeks after the start of the study (time 2). Weekly attendance, enjoyment and perceived exertion were assessed in intervention participants. Post-study qualitative work was conducted with intervention participants and personnel. 40.1% of girls provided consent to be in the study. The mean number of girls attending at least one dance session per week ranged from 15.4 to 25.9. There was greater number of participants for whom accelerometer data were collected in control arms. The mean attendance was 13.3 sessions (maximum=18). Perceived exertion ratings indicated that the girls did not find the sessions challenging. The dance teachers reported that the program content would benefit from revisions including less creative task time, a broader range of dance genres and improved behavioral management policies. At time 2, the 95% confidence intervals suggest between 5 and 12 minutes more weekday MVPA in the intervention group compared with the control incentives only group, and between 6 minutes fewer and 1 minute more compared with the control incentives plus workshop group. Between 14 and 24 schools would be required to detect a difference of 10 minutes in mean weekday MVPA between intervention and control groups. It is possible to recruit 11-12 year old girls to participate in an after-school dance study. An after-school dance intervention has potential to positively affect the PA levels of 11-12 year old girls but an adequately powered RCT is required to test this intervention approach.

Effects of Technology Immersion on Middle School Students' Learning Opportunities and Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapley, Kelly; Sheehan, Daniel; Maloney, Catherine; Caranikas-Walker, Fanny

2011-01-01

An experimental study of the Technology Immersion model involved comparisons between 21 middle schools that received laptops for each teacher and student, instructional and learning resources, professional development, and technical and pedagogical support, and 21 control schools. Using hierarchical linear modeling to analyze longitudinal survey…

Integrating life skills into a theory-based drug-use prevention program: effectiveness among junior high students in Taiwan.

PubMed

Huang, Chiu-Mieh; Chien, Li-Yin; Cheng, Chin-Feng; Guo, Jong-Long

2012-07-01

Drug use has been noted among students in Taiwan during the past decade and schools have a role in preventing or delaying students' drug use. We developed and evaluated a school-based, drug-use prevention program integrating the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and life skills for junior high school students. We recruited 441 seventh graders from randomly selected schools: N = 143 experimental groups, N = 142 conventional groups, and N = 156 control groups. The experimental group received ten 45-minute sessions of theory-based interventions. The conventional group got traditional didactic teaching and drug refusal skills. The control group received no intervention. Compared to the control group, experimental group students showed greater improvement in attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, life skills, and intention not to use drugs. Compared to the conventional group, the experimental group had significantly higher posttest scores for 4 of the 5 outcomes, including life skills (96.53 vs. 90.92, p < .001), attitude (27.43 vs. 24.40, p = .012), subjective norm (29.51 vs. 28.06, p = .002), and perceived behavioral control (18.59 vs. 16.81, p < .001). The conventional group scored significantly higher in behavioral intention than did the control group. Study results demonstrated the effectiveness of a drug-use prevention program integrating the TPB and life skills. © 2012, American School Health Association.

The effects of a family fitness program on the physical activity and nutrition behaviors of third-grade children.

PubMed

Hopper, Chris A; Munoz, Kathy D; Gruber, Mary B; Nguyen, Kim P

2005-06-01

This study examined the efficacy of a school-based exercise and nutrition program with a parent component. Third-grade children (N = 238) from six elementary schools participated in the study, with three schools randomly assigned to a program group and the other three schools to a control group. The program group received a health-related fitness school-based program and a home program that required parents and children to complete activities and earn points for nutrition and exercise activities. The control group received their traditional physical education and nutrition education program. Univariate analysis of variance on pre- and posttest scores were completed on the following variables: height, weight, body mass index, skinfold, blood cholesterol, mile run, exercise and nutrition knowledge, calories, protein, carbohydrates, total fat, saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, fiber, sodium, percentage of calories from carbohydrates, and percentage of calories from fat. At pretest, the treatment and control groups did not significantly differ on the measures using schools as the unit of analysis. Girls scored significantly higher than boys on skinfold and pretest knowledge. At posttest, the treatment group scored significantly higher than the control group on exercise and nutrition knowledge and significantly lower than the control group on total fat intake, using schools as the unit of analysis. There was no improvement in physiological measures, including blood cholesterol. The study demonstrated that schools can adjust curriculum to meet some health needs of students and achieve modest changes in exercise and nutrition knowledge and diet. The family component of the program provided a practical approach to improving physical activity and nutrition behaviors for elementary school teachers who teach many participants in a crowded curriculum.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Teaching Methods: Do Classroom Experiments Improve Economic Education in High Schools?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenkopf, Gerald; Sulser, Pascal A.

2016-01-01

The authors present results from a comprehensive field experiment at Swiss high schools in which they compare the effectiveness of teaching methods in economics. They randomly assigned classes into an experimental and a conventional teaching group, or a control group that received no specific instruction. Both teaching treatments improve economic…

76 FR 9836 - Submission for OMB Review; Request for Comments on a Revised Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-22

... collection. ``Self-Certification of Full-Time School Attendance for the School Year'' (OMB Control No. 3206... OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT [OMB Control No. 3206-0032; RI 25-14 and RI 25-14A] Submission for... receive benefits as a student. ``Information and Instructions for Completing the Self-Certification of...

Your Health, an Intervention at Senior Vocational Schools to Promote Adolescents' Health and Health Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bannink, Rienke; Broeren, Suzanne; Heydelberg, Jurriën; van 't Klooster, Els; van Baar, Cathelijn; Raat, Hein

2014-01-01

This study evaluates the appreciation, application and effects of an intervention (Your Health), in which adolescents received a consultation with the school nurse. A cluster randomized controlled trial with an intervention and control group (care-as-usual) was conducted among first-grade senior vocational students. Adolescents (n = 418) completed…

Improving Young English Learners' Language and Literacy Skills through Teacher Professional Development: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babinski, Leslie M.; Amendum, Steven J.; Knotek, Steven E.; Sánchez, Marta; Malone, Patrick

2018-01-01

Using a randomized controlled trial, we tested a new teacher professional development program for increasing the language and literacy skills of young Latino English learners with 45 teachers and 105 students in 12 elementary schools. School-based teams randomly assigned to the intervention received professional development focused on cultural…

Enhancing a Classroom Social Competence and Problem-Solving Curriculum by Offering Parent Training to Families of Moderate- to High-Risk Elementary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, M. Jamila; Webster-Stratton, Carolyn; Hammond, Mary

2007-01-01

The Incredible Years parent and classroom interventions were evaluated for the first time in elementary schools. Culturally diverse, socioeconomically disadvantaged schools were randomly assigned to intervention or control (CON). In intervention schools, all children received a 2-year classroom intervention beginning in kindergarten. In addition,…

Pilot Intervention to Increase Physical Activity among Sedentary Urban Middle School Girls: A Two-Group Pretest-Posttest Quasi-Experimental Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robbins, Lorraine B.; Pfeiffer, Karin A.; Maier, Kimberly S.; Lo, Yun-Jia; Wesolek, Stacey M.

2012-01-01

The primary purpose of the study was to determine whether girls in one school receiving nurse counseling plus an after-school physical activity club showed greater improvement in physical activity, cardiovascular fitness, and body composition than girls assigned to an attention control condition in another school (N = 69). Linear regressions…

The effects of a three-year smoking prevention programme in secondary schools in Helsinki.

PubMed

Vartiainen, Erkki; Pennanen, Marjaana; Haukkala, Ari; Dijk, Froukje; Lehtovuori, Riku; De Vries, Hein

2007-06-01

This study evaluates the effects of a 3-year smoking prevention programme in secondary schools in Helsinki. The study is part of the European Smoking prevention Framework Approach (ESFA), in which Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the UK participated. A total of 27 secondary schools in Finland participated in the programme (n = 1821). Schools were randomised into experimental (13) and control groups (14). The programme included 14 information lessons about smoking and refusal skills training. The 3-year smoking prevention programme was also integrated into the standard curriculum. The community-element of the programme included parents, parish confirmation camps and dentists. The schools in the experimental group received the prevention programme and the schools in the control group received the standard health education curriculum. Among baseline never smokers (60.8%), the programme had a significant effect on the onset of weekly smoking in the experimental group [OR = 0.63 (0.45-0.90) P = 0.009] when compared with the control group. Being female, doing poorly at school, having parents and best friends who smoke and more pocket money to spend compared with others were associated with an increased likelihood of daily and weekly smoking onset. These predictors did not have an interaction effect with the experimental condition. This study shows that a school- and community-based smoking prevention programme can prevent smoking onset among adolescents.

The Behavior Education Support and Treatment (BEST) school intervention program: pilot project data examining schoolwide, targeted-school, and targeted-home approaches.

PubMed

Waschbusch, Daniel A; Pelham, William E; Massetti, Greta

2005-08-01

As part of a pilot project, four elementary schools were randomly assigned to receive one of four interventions: (a) a schoolwide intervention that incorporated universal and targeted treatment, (b) a targeted-school intervention delivered to individual students in regular and special education classrooms, (c) a targeted-home intervention delivered in home and regular classroom settings, and (d) a control condition that did not receive a designated intervention. Results showed that the behavior of disruptive children in all schools improved during the course of the year, with some evidence that interventions provided complementary effects. These findings support the continued use of behavioral interventions in elementary schools and argue for interventions that combine different methods of delivering interventions.

Sexual Abuse Prevention Mobile Application (SAP_MobAPP) for Primary School Children in Korea.

PubMed

Moon, Kyoung Ja; Park, Kyung Min; Sung, Yunsick

2017-07-01

This study aimed to develop and evaluate the effects of a sexual abuse prevention mobile application, SAP_MobAPP, for primary school children. Forty-five subjects were trained for 40 minutes once a week. The experimental group received education that utilized the SAP_MobAPP. Control group A received Web based sexual abuse prevention education, while control group B received textbook based sexual abuse prevention education. Effectiveness was verified through a survey on child sexual abuse recognition and avoidance skills administered before and after training. The SAP_MobAPP program improved recognition (awareness) and the child's skills to avoid child sexual abuse situations, and the effects were long-lasting. However, differences between groups were not statistically significant. This study developed a sexual abuse prevention application and verified its effectiveness. Awareness and skills to avoid child sexual abuse after app education increased immediately after training and four weeks later. The SAP_MobAPP could be used for sexual abuse prevention education in schools.

Efficacy of infant simulator programmes to prevent teenage pregnancy: a school-based cluster randomised controlled trial in Western Australia.

PubMed

Brinkman, Sally A; Johnson, Sarah E; Codde, James P; Hart, Michael B; Straton, Judith A; Mittinty, Murthy N; Silburn, Sven R

2016-11-05

Infant simulator-based programmes, which aim to prevent teenage pregnancy, are used in high-income as well as low-income and middle-income countries but, despite growing popularity, no published evidence exists of their long-term effect. The aim of this trial was to investigate the effect of such a programme, the Virtual Infant Parenting (VIP) programme, on pregnancy outcomes of birth and induced abortion in Australia. In this school-based pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial, eligible schools in Perth, Western Australia, were enrolled and randomised 1:1 to the intervention and control groups. Randomisation using a table of random numbers without blocking, stratification, or matching was done by a researcher who was masked to the identity of the schools. Between 2003 and 2006, the VIP programme was administered to girls aged 13-15 years in the intervention schools, while girls of the same age in the control schools received the standard health education curriculum. Participants were followed until they reached 20 years of age via data linkage to hospital medical and abortion clinic records. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of pregnancy during the teenage years. Binomial and Cox proportional hazards regression was used to test for differences in pregnancy rates between study groups. This study is registered as an international randomised controlled trial, number ISRCTN24952438. 57 (86%) of 66 eligible schools were enrolled into the trial and randomly assigned 1:1 to the intervention (28 schools) or the control group (29 schools). Then, between Feb 1, 2003, and May 31, 2006, 1267 girls in the intervention schools received the VIP programme while 1567 girls in the control schools received the standard health education curriculum. Compared with girls in the control group, a higher proportion of girls in the intervention group recorded at least one birth (97 [8%] of 1267 in the intervention group vs 67 [4%] of 1567 in the control group) or at least one abortion as the first pregnancy event (113 [9%] vs 101 [6%]). After adjustment for potential confounders, the intervention group had a higher overall pregnancy risk than the control group (relative risk 1·36 [95% CI 1·10-1·67], p=0·003). Similar results were obtained with the use of proportional hazard models (hazard ratio 1·35 [95% CI 1·10-1·67], p=0·016). The infant simulator-based VIP programme did not achieve its aim of reducing teenage pregnancy. Girls in the intervention group were more likely to experience a birth or an induced abortion than those in the control group before they reached 20 years of age. Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation (Healthway), Lotteries WA, the Western Australian Department of Education and Training, and the Western Australian Department of Health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancing cognitive and social-emotional development through a simple-to-administer mindfulness-based school program for elementary school children: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Schonert-Reichl, Kimberly A; Oberle, Eva; Lawlor, Molly Stewart; Abbott, David; Thomson, Kimberly; Oberlander, Tim F; Diamond, Adele

2015-01-01

The authors hypothesized that a social and emotional learning (SEL) program involving mindfulness and caring for others, designed for elementary school students, would enhance cognitive control, reduce stress, promote well-being and prosociality, and produce positive school outcomes. To test this hypothesis, 4 classes of combined 4th and 5th graders (N = 99) were randomly assigned to receive the SEL with mindfulness program versus a regular social responsibility program. Measures assessed executive functions (EFs), stress physiology via salivary cortisol, well-being (self-reports), prosociality and peer acceptance (peer reports), and math grades. Relative to children in the social responsibility program, children who received the SEL program with mindfulness (a) improved more in their cognitive control and stress physiology; (b) reported greater empathy, perspective-taking, emotional control, optimism, school self-concept, and mindfulness, (c) showed greater decreases in self-reported symptoms of depression and peer-rated aggression, (d) were rated by peers as more prosocial, and (e) increased in peer acceptance (or sociometric popularity). The results of this investigation suggest the promise of this SEL intervention and address a lacuna in the scientific literature-identifying strategies not only to ameliorate children's problems but also to cultivate their well-being and thriving. Directions for future research are discussed.

Taking Be Proud! Be Responsible! to the Suburbs: A Replication Study

PubMed Central

Borawski, Elaine A.; Trapl, Erika S.; Adams-Tufts, Kimberly; Hayman, Laura L.; Goodwin, Meredith A.; Lovegreen, Loren D.

2011-01-01

CONTEXT An important phase of HIV prevention research is replicating successful interventions with different groups and in different settings. METHODS Be Proud! Be Responsible!, a successful intervention originally targeting black urban males and carried out in nonschool settings, was presented in health classes at urban and suburban schools with diverse student bodies. A group-randomized intervention study, which included 1,357 ninth and 10th graders from 10 paired schools in a Midwestern metropolitan area, was conducted in 2000–2002. Half the schools received the intervention, and half received a general health promotion program. Students’ reports of their sexual behavior and selected cognitive mediators were analyzed immediately following the programs and four and 12 months later. RESULTS Compared with students who received the control curriculum, students exposed to the intervention reported significantly greater knowledge of HIV, other STDs and condoms; greater confidence in their ability to control sexual impulses, to use condoms and to negotiate the use of condoms; and stronger intentions to use condoms. Stratified analyses revealed that the strongest intervention impacts were on knowledge and efficacy among males and students attending suburban schools. The intervention had no impact on sexual initiation, frequency of intercourse or condom use. CONCLUSIONS Schools are a logical and viable setting for the dissemination and acquisition of information about HIV, including prevention strategies. However, the behavioral impact of an intervention may not be easily transferable when the program is taught outside a carefully controlled, nonschool setting. PMID:19291124

The effect of a school-based intervention on sunbed use in Danish pupils at continuation schools: a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Aarestrup, Cecilie; Bonnesen, Camilla T; Thygesen, Lau C; Krarup, Anne F; Waagstein, Anne B; Jensen, Poul D; Bentzen, Joan

2014-02-01

To examine the effect of an educational intervention on sunbed use and intentions and attitudes toward sunbed use in 14- to 18-year-olds at continuation schools. We randomized 33 continuation schools either to receive the educational intervention (n = 16) or to be controls (n = 17). Intervention schools received an e-magazine addressing the health risks of sunbed use. Information on behavior and intentions and attitudes toward sunbed use was gathered through self-administrated questionnaires before the intervention and at 6 months as a follow-up. The effect of the intervention was examined by multilevel linear regression and logistic regression. Sunbed use was significantly lower at follow-up among pupils at intervention schools versus pupils at control schools (girls: odds ratio .60, 95% confidence interval .42-.86; Boys: odds ratio .58, 95% confidence interval .35-.96). The intervention had no effect on intention to use sunbeds or attitudes toward sunbed use. The analyses revealed a significant impact of school on attitudes toward sunbed; the intraclass correlation coefficient was estimated to be 6.0% and 7.8% for girls and boys, respectively. The findings from the present study provide new evidence of a positive effect of an educational intervention on sunbed use among pupils aged 14-18 years at continuation schools. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of school support on early marriage experiences and health services utilization among young orphaned women in Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Luseno, Winnie Kavulani; Zhang, Lei; Iritani, Bonita J; Hartman, Shane; Rusakaniko, Simbarashe; Hallfors, Denise Dion

2017-03-01

School support programs reduce school dropout, early marriage, and early pregnancy for a majority of young orphaned women. We used a mixed-methods approach to examine why these programs are less effective for a significant minority by exploring their influence on marriage and health services utilization. Participants were from a randomized controlled trial testing school support as HIV prevention. Half as many intervention as control participants had been married; married intervention participants had 1 more year of education compared with married control participants. Receiving school support did not appear to improve health-related factors. Pregnancy was among the most common reasons for marriage across both groups. The greatest benefit of school support appears to be in delaying marriage and pregnancy while increasing educational attainment.

Animal source foods have a positive impact on the primary school test scores of Kenyan schoolchildren in a cluster-randomised, controlled feeding intervention trial.

PubMed

Hulett, Judie L; Weiss, Robert E; Bwibo, Nimrod O; Galal, Osman M; Drorbaugh, Natalie; Neumann, Charlotte G

2014-03-14

Micronutrient deficiencies and suboptimal energy intake are widespread in rural Kenya, with detrimental effects on child growth and development. Sporadic school feeding programmes rarely include animal source foods (ASF). In the present study, a cluster-randomised feeding trial was undertaken to determine the impact of snacks containing ASF on district-wide, end-term standardised school test scores and nutrient intake. A total of twelve primary schools were randomly assigned to one of three isoenergetic feeding groups (a local plant-based stew (githeri) with meat, githeri plus whole milk or githeri with added oil) or a control group receiving no intervention feeding. After the initial term that served as baseline, children were fed at school for five consecutive terms over two school years from 1999 to 2001. Longitudinal analysis was used controlling for average energy intake, school attendance, and baseline socio-economic status, age, sex and maternal literacy. Children in the Meat group showed significantly greater improvements in test scores than those in all the other groups, and the Milk group showed significantly greater improvements in test scores than the Plain Githeri (githeri+oil) and Control groups. Compared with the Control group, the Meat group showed significant improvements in test scores in Arithmetic, English, Kiembu, Kiswahili and Geography. The Milk group showed significant improvements compared with the Control group in test scores in English, Kiswahili, Geography and Science. Folate, Fe, available Fe, energy per body weight, vitamin B₁₂, Zn and riboflavin intake were significant contributors to the change in test scores. The greater improvements in test scores of children receiving ASF indicate improved academic performance, which can result in greater academic achievement.

School-based asthma disease management.

PubMed

Tinkelman, David; Schwartz, Abby

2004-06-01

Asthma is the most common chronic childhood illness and the leading cause of missed school days. School is a potential location for establishing an asthma education program for children and their parents/caregivers designed to improve disease management. To determine whether a comprehensive, school-based asthma management program, in addition to a conventional disease management program, can reduce measures of asthma control, student absenteeism, and caregiver lost workdays. School nurses recruited parents/caregivers of students with asthma from three urban elementary and middle schools. Children were identified as having asthma by a previous diagnosis from their personal physician. Parents were invited to attend educational sessions about the program. Students received peak flow meters and training in their use and had access to an interactive asthma diary to record symptoms, peak flow, and medicine usage. They received monthly asthma education at school and had access to an online asthma education program and additional handouts. Parents received several educational calls regarding asthma and had a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week emergency number to call if problems arose. At 6 months, missed school days and unscheduled doctor visits were reduced by two thirds (n = 41; p< 0.01 for each). Caregivers' perception of children's activity level increased by 11% (n = 26; p = 0.037). Daytime and nighttime frequency of symptoms dropped by 62% and 34%, respectively (n = 32; p < 0.007 and p<0.03 for each). These trends continued at 12 months, although only reduction in frequency of symptoms attained statistical significance. A comprehensive, school-based asthma management program can successfully improve asthma control and reduce absenteeism in elementary and middle school students and caregiver lost workdays.

Teachers' Attunement to Students' Peer Group Affiliations as a Source of Improved Student Experiences of the School Social-Affective Context following the Middle School Transition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamm, Jill V.; Farmer, Thomas W.; Dadisman, Kimberly; Gravelle, Maggie; Murray, Allen R.

2011-01-01

A randomized control trial examined the impact of a professional development program on rural teachers' attunement to student social dynamics, and the influence of teacher attunement on students' school experiences. In intervention schools serving Latino and White rural early adolescents, teachers (N = 14) received training on social dynamics and…

The Effects of a Family Fitness Program on the Physical Activity and Nutrition Behaviors of Third-Grade Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopper, Chris A.; Munoz, Kathy D.; Gruber, Mary B.; Nguyen, Kim P.

2005-01-01

This study examined the efficacy of a school-based exercise and nutrition program with a parent component. Third-grade children (N = 238) from six elementary schools participated in the study, with three schools randomly assigned to a program group and the other three schools to a control group. The program group received a health-related fitness…

A Study of the Impact of Transformative Professional Development on Hispanic Student Performance on State Mandated Assessments of Science in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Carla C.; Fargo, Jamison D.

2014-01-01

This paper reports the findings of a study of the impact of the transformative professional development (TPD) model on student achievement on state-mandated assessments of science in elementary school. Two schools (one intervention and one control) participated in the case study where teachers from one school received the TPD intervention across a…

Integrating GIS in the Middle School Curriculum: Impacts on Diverse Students' Standardized Test Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Donna; Alibrandi, Marsha

2013-01-01

This case study conducted with 1,425 middle school students in Palm Beach County, Florida, included a treatment group receiving GIS instruction (256) and a control group without GIS instruction (1,169). Quantitative analyses on standardized test scores indicated that inclusion of GIS in middle school curriculum had a significant effect on student…

78 FR 18985 - Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-28

...): Preventing and Interrupting Teen Dating Violence among At-Risk Middle and High School Students (OMB No. 0920... Violence among At-Risk Middle and High School Students (OMB No.0920-0861, Expiration 8/31/2013). CDC seeks... students participating in ERSG, compared to at-risk students in control schools who do not receive ERSG...

Effect of the good school toolkit on school staff mental health, sense of job satisfaction and perceptions of school climate: Secondary analysis of a cluster randomised trial.

PubMed

Kayiwa, Joshua; Clarke, Kelly; Knight, Louise; Allen, Elizabeth; Walakira, Eddy; Namy, Sophie; Merrill, Katherine G; Naker, Dipak; Devries, Karen

2017-08-01

The Good School Toolkit, a complex behavioural intervention delivered in Ugandan primary schools, has been shown to reduce school staff-perpetrated physical violence against students. We aimed to assess the effect of this intervention on staff members' mental health, sense of job satisfaction and perception of school climate. We analysed data from a cluster-randomised trial administered in 42 primary schools in Luwero district, Uganda. The trial was comprised of cross-sectional baseline (June/July 2012) and endline (June/July 2014) surveys among staff and students. Twenty-one schools were randomly selected to receive the Toolkit, whilst 21 schools constituted a wait-listed control group. We generated composite measures to assess staff members' perceptions of the school climate and job satisfaction. The trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01678846). No schools dropped out of the study and all 591 staff members who completed the endline survey were included in the analysis. Staff in schools receiving the Toolkit had more positive perspectives of their school climate compared to staff in control schools (difference in mean scores 2.19, 95% Confidence Interval 0.92, 3.39). We did not find any significant differences for job satisfaction and mental health. In conclusion, interventions like the Good School Toolkit that reduce physical violence by school staff against students can improve staff perceptions of the school climate, and could help to build more positive working and learning environments in Ugandan schools. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The STRIPES trial--support to rural India's public education system.

PubMed

Eble, Alex; Mann, Vera; Bhakta, Preetha; Lakshminarayana, Rashmi; Frost, Chris; Elbourne, Diana; Boone, Peter

2010-02-01

Performance of primary school students in India lags far below government expectations, and major disparity exists between rural and urban areas. The Naandi Foundation has designed and implemented a programme using community members to deliver after-school academic support for children in over 1,100 schools in five Indian states. Assessments to date suggest that it might have a substantial effect. This trial aims to evaluate the impact of this programme in villages of rural Andhra Pradesh and will compare test scores for children in three arms: a control and two intervention arms. In both intervention arms additional after-school instruction and learning materials will be offered to all eligible children and in one arm girls will also receive an additional 'kit' with a uniform and clothes. The trial is a cluster-randomised controlled trial conducted in conjunction with the CHAMPION trial. In the CHAMPION trial 464 villages were randomised so that half receive health interventions aiming to reduce neonatal mortality. STRIPES will be introduced in those CHAMPION villages which have a public primary school attended by at least 15 students at the time of a baseline test in 2008. 214 villages of the 464 were found to fulfil above criteria, 107 belonging to the control and 107 to the intervention arm of the CHAMPION trial. These latter 107 villages will serve as control villages in the STRIPES trial. A further randomisation will be carried out within the 107 STRIPES intervention villages allocating half to receive an additional kit for girls on the top of the instruction and learning materials. The primary outcome of the trial is a composite maths and language test score. The study is designed to measure (i) whether the educational intervention affects the exam score of children compared to the control arm, (ii) if the exam scores of girls who receive the additional kit are different from those of girls living in the other STRIPES intervention arm. One of the goals of the STRIPES trial is to provide benefit to the controls of the CHAMPION trial. We will also conduct a cost-benefit analysis in which we calculate the programme cost for 0.1 standard deviation improvement for both intervention arms. Current controlled trials ISRCTN69951502.

Bristol Girls Dance Project Feasibility Trial: outcome and process evaluation results

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Many adolescent girls do not engage in sufficient physical activity (PA). This study examined the feasibility of conducting a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate an after-school dance program to increase PA among 11–12 year old girls in Bristol, UK. Methods Three-arm, cluster RCT. Three secondary schools were assigned to intervention arm. Intervention participants received a 9-week dance program with 2, 90-minute dance classes per week. Participants at 2 control schools received incentives for data collection. Participants at 2 additional control schools received incentives and a delayed dance workshop. Accelerometer data were collected at baseline (time 0), during the last week of the dance program (time 1) and 20 weeks after the start of the study (time 2). Weekly attendance, enjoyment and perceived exertion were assessed in intervention participants. Post-study qualitative work was conducted with intervention participants and personnel. Results 40.1% of girls provided consent to be in the study. The mean number of girls attending at least one dance session per week ranged from 15.4 to 25.9. There was greater number of participants for whom accelerometer data were collected in control arms. The mean attendance was 13.3 sessions (maximum = 18). Perceived exertion ratings indicated that the girls did not find the sessions challenging. The dance teachers reported that the program content would benefit from revisions including less creative task time, a broader range of dance genres and improved behavioral management policies. At time 2, the 95% confidence intervals suggest between 5 and 12 minutes more weekday MVPA in the intervention group compared with the control incentives only group, and between 6 minutes fewer and 1 minute more compared with the control incentives plus workshop group. Between 14 and 24 schools would be required to detect a difference of 10 minutes in mean weekday MVPA between intervention and control groups. Conclusions It is possible to recruit 11–12 year old girls to participate in an after-school dance study. An after-school dance intervention has potential to positively affect the PA levels of 11–12 year old girls but an adequately powered RCT is required to test this intervention approach. PMID:22747608

Are Substance Use Prevention Programs More Effective in Schools Making Adequate Yearly Progress? A Study of Project ALERT

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Heddy Kovach; Ringwalt, Chris L.; Shamblen, Stephen R.; Hanley, Sean M.; Flewelling, Robert L.

2011-01-01

This exploratory study sought to determine if a popular school-based drug prevention program might be effective in schools that are making adequate yearly progress (AYP). Thirty-four schools with grades 6 through 8 in 11 states were randomly assigned either to receive Project ALERT (n = 17) or to a control group (n = 17); of these, 10 intervention…

Partially Nested Randomized Controlled Trials in Education Research: A Guide to Design and Analysis. NCER 2014-2000

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lohr, Sharon; Schochet, Peter Z.; Sanders, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

Suppose an education researcher wants to test the impact of a high school drop-out prevention intervention in which at-risk students attend classes to receive intensive summer school instruction. The district will allow the researcher to randomly assign students to the treatment classes or to the control group. Half of the students (the treatment…

Randomized Controlled Evaluation of the "Too Good for Drugs" Prevention Program: Impact on Adolescents at Different Risk Levels for Drug Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Bruce W.; Bacon, Tina P.; Ferron, John M.

2013-01-01

Sixth graders participating in the "Too Good for Drugs" (TGFD) prevention program in comparison to 6th graders not participating show different results by student risk level. Sixth graders from 20 middle schools were randomly assigned to receive the intervention and those from 20 paired middle schools assigned to serve as controls (N =…

Direct versus Indirect and Individual versus Group Modes of Language Therapy for Children with Primary Language Impairment: Principal Outcomes from a Randomized Controlled Trial and Economic Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyle, James M.; McCartney, Elspeth; O'Hare, Anne; Forbes, John

2009-01-01

Background: Many school-age children with language impairments are enrolled in mainstream schools and receive indirect language therapy, but there have been, to the authors' knowledge, no previous controlled studies comparing the outcomes and costs of direct and indirect intervention delivered by qualified therapists and therapy assistants, and…

Influence of school support on early marriage experiences and health services utilization among young orphaned women in Zimbabwe

PubMed Central

Luseno, Winnie K.; Zhang, Lei; Iritani, Bonita J.; Hartman, Shane; Rusakaniko, Simbarashe; Hallfors, Denise Dion

2017-01-01

School support programs reduce school dropout, early marriage and early pregnancy for a majority of young orphaned women. We used a mixed methods approach to examine why these programs are less effective for a significant minority by exploring their influence on marriage and health services utilization. Participants were from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing school support as HIV prevention. Half as many intervention as control participants had been married; married intervention participants had one more year of education compared to married control participants. Receiving school support did not appear to improve health-related factors. Pregnancy was among the most common reasons for marriage across both groups. The greatest benefit of school support appears to be in delaying marriage and pregnancy while increasing educational attainment. PMID:27211856

ESMPE: A combined strategy for school tuberculosis prevention and control proposed by Dalian, China.

PubMed

Wang, Xichen; Jiang, Hongbo; Wang, Xuemei; Liu, Hongyu; Zhou, Ling; Lu, Xiwei

2017-01-01

Although China has paid more attention on the prevention and control of tuberculosis (TB) in schools, several unsolved questions in this field still threaten the progress of TB control. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a systematic and practical strategy for Chinese school TB prevention and control system. In this study, we aimed to assess the feasibility of a combined strategy named ESMPE (examination, screening, monitoring, prevention and education) that adhere to the basic principles of Chinese schools TB control strategy. The ESMPE strategy included five sections, namely TB screening during physical examination for the school freshmen entrances, screening of close contacts, monitoring of high-risk schools, preventive treatment and TB education. The effectiveness of ESMPE strategy was evaluated from 2011 to 2016. The original data were provided by the Dalian Tuberculosis Hospital. Descriptive analysis and nonparametric tests were used for comparing statistical differences of results between different years. The detection rate of active pulmonary TB in school freshmen was decreased from 2011 to 2016 (χ2 = 41.941, P = 6.0551E-8). 97.22% (17,043/17,530) of close contacts experienced close contacts screening, and the secondary attack rate (SAR) of TB in schools fell by 146.35/105 from 2011 to 2012, and finally reduced to 85.57/105 in 2016. There was a significant correlation between SAR of student TB and the rate of screened close contacts (r = -0.924, P = 0.009). TB incidence of five monitored schools had a substantial decline after receiving monitoring, and this declining trend continued in 2016. Due to the TB education and advanced screening methods, the mean of diagnostic delay time in students with TB was shortened (15.71 days), while still fewer latent TB infection students received preventive treatment (30.38%). The ESMPE strategy has shown a favorable effect on TB prevention and control in Dalian schools. More systematic evidence is needed on the effect of this strategy in reducing the incidence of TB in schools from other settings prior to its further scaling-up in China.

School Breakfast Receipt and Obesity among American Fifth- and Eighth-Graders.

PubMed

Sudharsanan, Nikkil; Romano, Sebastian; Cunningham, Solveig A

2016-04-01

School breakfast consumption can improve children's nutrition, but the implications of breakfast at school for children's weight remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether receiving breakfast at school is related to changes in children's weight between the fifth and eighth grades, and whether the relationship between school breakfasts and obesity varies for children of different socioeconomic backgrounds. This was a longitudinal study of children observed in the fifth and eighth grades. Data are from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99, a nationally representative prospective cohort of children in the United States. The analytic sample consisted of 6,495 children interviewed in the fifth and eighth grades. Standard thresholds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were used to classify children as not obese or obese based on direct-measured height and weight. Difference-in-difference propensity score matching and fixed-effect logistic regression models were used to estimate the relationship between receipt of school breakfast and change in obesity between the fifth and eighth grades, adjusting for child, household, and school characteristics. School breakfast receipt was not associated with a change in obesity status between the fifth and eighth grades for children overall (odds ratio=1.31; P=0.129). In the propensity score model, receiving school breakfasts more than doubled the odds of becoming obese (odds ratio=2.31; P=0.0108) for children from families below the federal poverty line compared with children of similar socioeconomic backgrounds who did not regularly receive school breakfasts. School breakfast receipt was not independently related to obesity for most children. Receiving school breakfasts in the fifth grade may be associated with weight gain between the fifth and eighth grades for children from families below the federal poverty line compared with children of similar socioeconomic status who did not receive breakfasts. Copyright © 2016 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of Case-Based Learning Instruction on Epistemological Beliefs and Attitudes Toward Chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Çam, Aylin; Geban, Ömer

2011-02-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of case-based learning instruction over traditionally designed chemistry instruction on eleventh grade students' epistemological beliefs and their attitudes toward chemistry as a school subject. The subjects of this study consisted of 63 eleventh grade students from two intact classes of an urban high school instructed with same teacher. Each teaching method was randomly assigned to one class. The experimental group received case-based learning and the control group received traditional instruction. At the experimental group, life cases were presented with small group format; at the control group, lecturing and discussion was carried out. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the experimental and control group with respect to their epistemological beliefs and attitudes toward chemistry as a school subject in favor of case-based learning method group. Thus, case base learning is helpful for development of students' epistemological beliefs and attitudes toward chemistry.

The Effects of School Gardens on Children's Science Knowledge: A randomized controlled trial of low-income elementary schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wells, Nancy M.; Myers, Beth M.; Todd, Lauren E.; Barale, Karen; Gaolach, Brad; Ferenz, Gretchen; Aitken, Martha; Henderson, Charles R., , Jr.; Tse, Caroline; Pattison, Karen Ostlie; Taylor, Cayla; Connerly, Laura; Carson, Janet B.; Gensemer, Alexandra Z.; Franz, Nancy K.; Falk, Elizabeth

2015-11-01

This randomized controlled trial or 'true experiment' examines the effects of a school garden intervention on the science knowledge of elementary school children. Schools were randomly assigned to a group that received the garden intervention (n = 25) or to a waitlist control group that received the garden intervention at the end of the study (n = 24). The garden intervention consisted of both raised-bed garden kits and a series of 19 lessons. Schools, located in the US states of Arkansas, Iowa, Washington, and New York, were all low-income as defined by having 50% or more children qualifying for the federal school lunch program. Participants were students in second, fourth, and fifth grade (ages 6-12) at baseline (n = 3,061). Science knowledge was measured using a 7-item questionnaire focused on nutritional science and plant science. The survey was administered at baseline (Fall 2011) and at three time points during the intervention (Spring 2012, Fall 2012, and Spring 2013). Garden intervention fidelity (GIF) captured the robustness or fidelity of the intervention delivered in each classroom based on both lessons delivered and garden activities. Analyses were conducted using general linear mixed models. Survey data indicated that among children in the garden intervention, science knowledge increased from baseline to follow-up more than among control group children. However, science knowledge scores were uniformly poor and gains were very modest. GIF, which takes into account the robustness of the intervention, revealed a dose-response relation with science knowledge: more robust or substantial intervention implementations corresponded to stronger treatment effects.

Enhancing Cognitive and Social–Emotional Development Through a Simple-to-Administer Mindfulness-Based School Program for Elementary School Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Schonert-Reichl, Kimberly A.; Oberle, Eva; Lawlor, Molly Stewart; Abbott, David; Thomson, Kimberly; Oberlander, Tim F.; Diamond, Adele

2015-01-01

The authors hypothesized that a social and emotional learning (SEL) program involving mindfulness and caring for others, designed for elementary school students, would enhance cognitive control, reduce stress, promote well-being and prosociality, and produce positive school outcomes. To test this hypothesis, 4 classes of combined 4th and 5th graders (N = 99) were randomly assigned to receive the SEL with mindfulness program versus a regular social responsibility program. Measures assessed executive functions (EFs), stress physiology via salivary cortisol, well-being (self-reports), prosociality and peer acceptance (peer reports), and math grades. Relative to children in the social responsibility program, children who received the SEL program with mindfulness (a) improved more in their cognitive control and stress physiology; (b) reported greater empathy, perspective-taking, emotional control, optimism, school self-concept, and mindfulness, (c) showed greater decreases in self-reported symptoms of depression and peer-rated aggression, (d) were rated by peers as more prosocial, and (e) increased in peer acceptance (or sociometric popularity). The results of this investigation suggest the promise of this SEL intervention and address a lacuna in the scientific literature—identifying strategies not only to ameliorate children's problems but also to cultivate their well-being and thriving. Directions for future research are discussed. PMID:25546595

Effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention to enhance implementation of a healthy canteen policy in Australian primary schools: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Nathan, Nicole; Yoong, Sze Lin; Sutherland, Rachel; Reilly, Kathryn; Delaney, Tessa; Janssen, Lisa; Robertson, Katie; Reynolds, Renee; Chai, Li Kheng; Lecathelinais, Christophe; Wiggers, John; Wolfenden, Luke

2016-10-07

The implementation of school nutrition policies, which govern the provision of food in schools, is recommended as a public health strategy to support the development of healthy dietary behaviours in school-aged children. Despite this, research internationally and in Australia indicates that few schools implement such policies. This study aims to examine whether a theoretically designed, multi-strategy intervention was effective in increasing the implementation of a healthy canteen policy in Australian primary schools. A parallel group randomised controlled trial was conducted with all government and Catholic primary schools within one region in New South Wales, Australia who had an operational canteen that provided food to primary school aged children (5-12 years) and were not currently receiving an intervention to change their canteen practices. Schools randomised to the intervention arm received a 9-month multicomponent intervention including ongoing support, provision of resources, performance monitoring and feedback, executive support and recognition. The primary outcomes were the proportion of the schools with a canteen menu that: i) did not include 'red' or 'banned' items according to the healthy canteen policy; and ii) had more than 50 % 'green' items. The primary outcome was assessed via menu audit at baseline and follow up by dietitians blinded to group allocation. Fifty-three eligible schools were randomised to either the intervention or control group (28 intervention; 25 control). Analyses with 51 schools who returned school menus found that intervention schools were significantly more likely relative to control schools to have a menu without 'red' or 'banned' items (RR = 5.78 (1.45-23.05); p = 0.002) and have at least 50 % of menu items classified as green (RR = 2.03 (1.01-4.08); p = 0.03). This study found that a multi-component intervention was effective in improving primary schools' compliance with a healthy canteen policy. Given the lack of evidence regarding how best to support schools with implementing evidence-based policies to improve child diet, this trial for the first time provides high quality evidence to practitioners and policy makers seeking to improve nutrition policy implementation in schools. This trial was prospectively registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ( ACTRN12614001148662 ) 30th October 2014.

The Effectiveness of a Web-Based Resource in Improving Post-Concussion Management in High Schools

PubMed Central

Glang, Ann E.; Koester, Michael C.; Chesnutt, James C.; Gioia, Gerard A.; McAvoy, Karen; Marshall, Sondra; Gau, Jeff M.

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND Because many sports concussions happen during school-sponsored sports events, most state concussion laws specifically hold schools accountable for coach training and effective concussion management practices. Brain 101: The Concussion Playbook is a web-based intervention that includes training in sports concussion for each member of the school community, presents guidelines on creating a concussion management team, and includes strategies for supporting students in the classroom. METHODS The group randomized controlled trial examined the efficacy of Brain 101 in managing sports concussion. Participating high schools (N=25) were randomly assigned to the Brain 101 intervention or control. Fall athletes and their parents completed online training, and Brain 101 school administrators were directed to create concussion management policy and procedures. RESULTS Student athletes and parents at Brain 101 schools significantly outperformed those at control schools on sports concussion knowledge, knowledge application, and behavioral intention to implement effective concussion management practices. Students who had concussions in Brain 101 schools received more varied academic accommodations than students in control schools. CONCLUSIONS Brain 101 can help schools create a comprehensive school-wide concussion management program. It requires minimal expenditures and offers engaging and effective education for teachers, coaches, parents, and students. PMID:25438964

Peer-assisted learning to train high-school students to perform basic life-support.

PubMed

Choi, Hyung Soo; Lee, Dong Hoon; Kim, Chan Woong; Kim, Sung Eun; Oh, Je Hyeok

2015-01-01

The inclusion of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in formal education has been a useful approach to providing basic life support (BLS) services. However, because not all students have been able to learn directly from certified instructors, we studied the educational efficacy of the use of peer-assisted learning (PAL) to train high-school students to perform BLS services. This study consisted of 187 high-school students: 68 participants served as a control group and received a 1-hour BLS training from a school nurse, and 119 were included in a PAL group and received a 1-hour CPR training from a PAL leader. Participants' BLS training was preceded by the completion of questionnaires regarding their background. Three months after the training, the participants were asked to respond to questionnaires about their willingness to perform CPR on bystander CPR and their retention of knowledge of BLS. We found no statistically significant difference between the control and PAL groups in their willingness to perform CPR on bystanders (control: 55.2%, PAL: 64.7%, P=0.202). The PAL group was not significantly different from the control group (control: 60.78±39.77, PAL: 61.76±17.80, P=0.848) in retention of knowledge about BLS services. In educating high school students about BLS, there was no significant difference between PAL and traditional education in increasing the willingness to provide CPR to bystanders or the ability to retain knowledge about BLS.

The Development of a Comprehensive ADHD Program for Elementary School Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Echoles, Angie Lee

2013-01-01

On average, teachers will teach at least one student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in any given school year without receiving any instructions at all on ADHD. ADHD affects 3% to 7% of school-age students and one in every twenty children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2010). It is classified as one of the…

Evaluating a Safe Space Training for School Counselors and Trainees Using a Randomized Control Group Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrd, Rebekah; Hays, Danica G.

2014-01-01

School counselors need to advocate and act as an ally for all students. Safe Space, a training designed to facilitate competency for working with and serving LGBTQ youth (i.e., LGBTQ competency), has received increased attention in the field of school counseling. However, limited empirical support exists for training interventions such as Safe…

Sun protection training based on a theater play for preschoolers: an effective method for imparting knowledge on sun protection?

PubMed

Seidel, Nadja; Stoelzel, Friederike; Garzarolli, Marlene; Herrmann, Sandra; Breitbart, Eckhard Wilhelm; Berth, Hendrik; Baumann, Michael; Ehninger, Gerhard

2013-09-01

Sun protection in childhood is important to reduce the risk of developing skin cancer later in life. The "Periods-of-Life-Program" for primary prevention of skin cancer introduces a combination of individual and environmental interventions for the preschool period. Within this pilot study, an intervention group received cognitive-behavioral and environmental interventions. A control group had solely received the environmental intervention, and a wait-control group received no intervention. Nursery school children (n = 80, 3 to 6 years of age) of four nursery schools were randomly assigned to these groups on school level. The ability of the cognitive-behavioral intervention (a theater play) to enhance sun protection knowledge was examined. The theater play improved knowledge over all age groups (p < .05 η(2) = .06). Age-specific analyses showed better results for children aged 5 to 6 (p < .05 η(2) = .20) compared to children aged 3 to 4 years (p = .17 η(2) = .04). In combining cognitive-behavioral and environmental interventions, the "Periods-of-Life-Program" is a promising strategy for primary prevention of skin cancer.

A universal harm-minimisation approach to preventing psychostimulant and cannabis use in adolescents: a cluster randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Psychostimulants and cannabis are two of the three most commonly used illicit drugs by young Australians. As such, it is important to deliver prevention for these substances to prevent their misuse and to reduce associated harms. The present study aims to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of the universal computer-based Climate Schools: Psychostimulant and Cannabis Module. Methods A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted with 1734 Year 10 students (mean age = 15.44 years; SD = 0.41) from 21 secondary schools in Australia. Schools were randomised to receive either the six lesson computer-based Climate Schools program or their usual health classes, including drug education, over the year. Results The Climate Schools program was shown to increase knowledge of cannabis and psychostimulants and decrease pro-drug attitudes. In the short-term the program was effective in subduing the uptake and plateauing the frequency of ecstasy use, however there were no changes in meth/amphetamine use. In addition, females who received the program used cannabis significantly less frequently than students who received drug education as usual. Finally, the Climate Schools program was related to decreasing students’ intentions to use meth/amphetamine and ecstasy in the future, however these effects did not last over time. Conclusions These findings provide support for the use of a harm-minimisation approach and computer technology as an innovative platform for the delivery of prevention education for illicit drugs in schools. The current study indicated that teachers and students enjoyed the program and that it is feasible to extend the successful Climate Schools model to the prevention of other drugs, namely cannabis and psychostimulants. Trial registration Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000492752. PMID:24943829

A universal harm-minimisation approach to preventing psychostimulant and cannabis use in adolescents: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Vogl, Laura Elise; Newton, Nicola Clare; Champion, Katrina Elizabeth; Teesson, Maree

2014-06-18

Psychostimulants and cannabis are two of the three most commonly used illicit drugs by young Australians. As such, it is important to deliver prevention for these substances to prevent their misuse and to reduce associated harms. The present study aims to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of the universal computer-based Climate Schools: Psychostimulant and Cannabis Module. A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted with 1734 Year 10 students (mean age = 15.44 years; SD = 0.41) from 21 secondary schools in Australia. Schools were randomised to receive either the six lesson computer-based Climate Schools program or their usual health classes, including drug education, over the year. The Climate Schools program was shown to increase knowledge of cannabis and psychostimulants and decrease pro-drug attitudes. In the short-term the program was effective in subduing the uptake and plateauing the frequency of ecstasy use, however there were no changes in meth/amphetamine use. In addition, females who received the program used cannabis significantly less frequently than students who received drug education as usual. Finally, the Climate Schools program was related to decreasing students' intentions to use meth/amphetamine and ecstasy in the future, however these effects did not last over time. These findings provide support for the use of a harm-minimisation approach and computer technology as an innovative platform for the delivery of prevention education for illicit drugs in schools. The current study indicated that teachers and students enjoyed the program and that it is feasible to extend the successful Climate Schools model to the prevention of other drugs, namely cannabis and psychostimulants. Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000492752.

Creating SunSmart Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giles-Corti, B.; English, D. R.; Costa, C.; Milne, E.; Cross, D.; Johnston, R.

2004-01-01

Kidskin was a sun-protection intervention study involving 1776 children attending 33 primary schools in Perth, Western Australia. There were three study groups: a control group, a moderate intervention group and a high intervention group. In addition to receiving a specially designed curricular intervention (1995-1998), the moderate and high…

Impact of Long-Term Treatment with Ivermectin on the Prevalence and Intensity of Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections

PubMed Central

Moncayo, Ana Lucia; Vaca, Maritza; Amorim, Leila; Rodriguez, Alejandro; Erazo, Silvia; Oviedo, Gisela; Quinzo, Isabel; Padilla, Margarita; Chico, Martha; Lovato, Raquel; Gomez, Eduardo; Barreto, Mauricio L.; Cooper, Philip J.

2008-01-01

Background Control of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections relies on the periodic and long-term administration of anthelmintic drugs to high-risk groups, particularly school-age children living in endemic areas. There is limited data on the effectiveness of long-term periodic anthelmintic treatment on the prevalence of STHs, particularly from operational programmes. The current study investigated the impact of 15 to 17 years of treatment with the broad-spectrum anthelmintic ivermectin, used for the control of onchocerciasis, on STH prevalence and intensity in school-age and pre-school children. Methods and Findings A cross-sectional study was conducted in communities that had received annual or twice-annual ivermectin treatments and geographically adjacent communities that had not received treatment in two districts of Esmeraldas Province in Ecuador. Stool samples were collected from school-age children and examined for STH infection using the Kato-Katz and formol-ether concentration methods. Samples were collected also from pre-school children and examined by the formol-ether concentration method. Data on risk factors for STH infection were collected by parental questionnaire. We sampled a total of 3,705 school-age children (6–16 years) from 31 treated and 27 non-treated communities, and 1,701 pre-school children aged 0–5 years from 18 treated and 18 non-treated communities. Among school-age children, ivermectin treatment had significant effects on the prevalence (adjusted OR =  0.06, 95% CI 0.03–0.14) and intensity of Trichuris trichiura infection (adjusted RR = 0.28, 95% CI 0.11–0.70), but appeared to have no impact on Ascaris lumbricoides or hookworm infection. Reduced prevalence and intensities of T. trichiura infection were observed among children not eligible to receive ivermectina, providing some evidence of reduced transmission of T. trichiura infection in communities receiving mass ivermectin treatments. Conclusion Annual and twice-annual treatments with ivermectin over a period of up to 17 years may have had a significant impact on T. trichiura infection. The present data indicate that the long-term control of onchocerciasis with ivermectin may provide additional health benefits by reducing infections with trichuriasis. The addition of a second anthelmintic drug such as albendazole may be useful for a long-term effect on A. lumbricoides infection. PMID:18820741

Primary Grade Teachers' Knowledge and Perceptions of Head Lice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirchofer, Gregg M.; Price, James H.; Telljohann, Susan K.

2001-01-01

Surveyed primary school teachers regarding knowledge of head lice, self-efficacy in handling head lice, and preferred information sources. Teachers needed more knowledge about head lice. About half had high efficacy expectations regarding their ability to control the spread of lice. Most reported receiving information from school nurses. Knowledge…

Improvement of Rural Children's Asthma Self-Management by Lay Health Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horner, Sharon D.; Fouladi, Rachel T.

2008-01-01

Background: The purpose of the present analysis is to examine changes in rural children's asthma self-management after they received lay health educator (LHE)-delivered classes. Methods: Elementary schools were randomly assigned to the treatment or attention-control condition and their participating students received either asthma education or…

Impact of Free Glasses and a Teacher Incentive on Children's Use of Eyeglasses: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Yi, Hongmei; Zhang, Haiqing; Ma, Xiaochen; Zhang, Linxiu; Wang, Xiuqin; Jin, Ling; Naidoo, Kovin; Minto, Hasan; Zou, Haidong; Lu, Lina; Rozelle, Scott; Congdon, Nathan

2015-11-01

To study the effect of free glasses combined with teacher incentives on in-school glasses wear among Chinese urban migrant children. Cluster-randomized controlled trial. Children with visual acuity (VA) ≤6/12 in either eye owing to refractive error in 94 randomly chosen primary schools underwent randomization by school to receive free glasses, education on their use, and a teacher incentive (Intervention), or glasses prescriptions only (Control). Intervention group teachers received a tablet computer if ≥80% of children given glasses wore them during unannounced visits 6 weeks and 6 months (main outcome) after intervention. Among 4376 children, 728 (16.7%, mean age 10.9 years, 51.0% boys) met enrollment criteria and were randomly allocated, 358 (49.2%, 47 schools) to Intervention and 370 (50.8%, 47 schools) to Control. Among these, 693 children (95.2%) completed the study and underwent analysis. Spectacle wear was significantly higher at 6 months among Intervention children (Observed [main outcome]: 68.3% vs 23.9%, adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 11.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.91-22.5, P < .001; Self-reported: 90.6% vs 32.1%, OR = 43.7, 95% CI = 21.7-88.5, P < .001). Other predictors of observed wear at 6 months included baseline spectacle wear (P < .001), uncorrected VA <6/18 (P = .01), and parental spectacle wear (P = .02). The 6-month observed wear rate was only 41% among similar-aged children provided free glasses in our previous trial without teacher incentives. Free spectacles and teacher incentives maintain classroom wear in the large majority of children needing glasses over a school year. Low wear among Control children demonstrates the need for interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of school personnel regarding influenza, vaccinations, and school outbreaks.

PubMed

Ha, Chrysanthy; Rios, Lenoa M; Pannaraj, Pia S

2013-08-01

School personnel are important for communicating with parents about school vaccination programs and recognizing influenza outbreaks. This study examined knowledge, attitudes, and practices of school personnel regarding seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza, vaccinations, and school outbreak investigations. Data were analyzed from survey interviews of 58 elementary and middle school personnel in 2010. Principals, assistant principals, and nurses have higher knowledge than front office clerks regarding seasonal (odds ratio [OR]: 2.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15-5.42) and 2009 H1N1 influenza (OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.19-3.71). During 2009-2010, 63.8 and 19.0% of school personnel received seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine, respectively. Personnel were more likely to be vaccinated against seasonal influenza if they believed the vaccine was safe (OR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.21-4.19). Of those unvaccinated against 2009 H1N1, 48.9% also cited safety concerns. While every principal, assistant principal, and nurse received both infectious diseases and outbreak trainings, only 42.5 and 27.5% of clerks received these trainings, respectively (p < .001), and 30% of clerks believed outbreak recognition was not their responsibility. The level of knowledge regarding influenza illness, vaccination, and outbreaks among subjects was low overall. Education of school personnel may improve school vaccination programs and control of influenza outbreaks. © 2013, American School Health Association.

Predicting Positive Education Outcomes for Emerging Adults in Mental Health Systems of Care.

PubMed

Brennan, Eileen M; Nygren, Peggy; Stephens, Robert L; Croskey, Adrienne

2016-10-01

Emerging adults who receive services based on positive youth development models have shown an ability to shape their own life course to achieve positive goals. This paper reports secondary data analysis from the Longitudinal Child and Family Outcome Study including 248 culturally diverse youth ages 17 through 22 receiving mental health services in systems of care. After 12 months of services, school performance was positively related to youth ratings of school functioning and service participation and satisfaction. Regression analysis revealed ratings of young peoples' perceptions of school functioning, and their experience in services added to the significant prediction of satisfactory school performance, even controlling for sex and attendance. Finally, in addition to expected predictors, participation in planning their own services significantly predicted enrollment in higher education for those who finished high school. Findings suggest that programs and practices based on positive youth development approaches can improve educational outcomes for emerging adults.

The effect of a training programme on school nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and depression recognition skills: The QUEST cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Haddad, Mark; Pinfold, Vanessa; Ford, Tamsin; Walsh, Brendan; Tylee, Andre

2018-07-01

Mental health problems in children and young people are a vital public health issue. Only 25% of British school children with diagnosed mental health problems have specialist mental health services contact; front-line staff such as school nurses play a vital role in identifying and managing these problems, and accessing additional services for children, but there appears limited specific training and support for this aspect of their role. To evaluate the effectiveness of a bespoke short training programme, which incorporated interactive and didactic teaching with printed and electronic resources. Hypothesized outcomes were improvements in school nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and recognition skills for depression. A cluster-randomised controlled trial. 146 school nurses from 13 Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in London were randomly allocated to receive the training programme. School nurses from 7 PCTs (n = 81) were randomly allocated to receive the training intervention and from 6 PCTs (n = 65) for waiting list control. Depression detection was measured by response to vignettes, attitudes measured with the Depression Attitude Questionnaire, and knowledge by the QUEST knowledge measure. These outcomes were measured at baseline and (following training) 3 months and nine months later, after which nurses in the control group received the training programme. At 3 months, 115 nurses completed outcome measures. Training was associated with significant improvements in the specificity of depression judgements (52.0% for the intervention group and 47.2% for the control group, P = 0.039), and there was a non-significant increase in sensitivity (64.5% compared to 61.5% P = 0.25). Nurses' knowledge about depression improved (standardised mean difference = 0.97 [95% CI 0.58 to 1.35], P < 0.001); and confidence about their professional role in relation to depression increased. There was also a significant change in optimism about depression outcomes, but no change in tendency to defer depression management to specialists. At 9-month follow-up, improved specificity in depression identification and improved knowledge were maintained. This school nurse development programme, designed to convey best practice for the identification and care of depression, delivered significant improvements in some aspects of depression recognition and understanding, and was associated with increased confidence in working with young people experiencing mental health problems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of provider incentives for anaemia reduction in rural China: a cluster randomised trial

PubMed Central

Luo, Renfu; Zhang, Linxiu; Sylvia, Sean; Shi, Yaojiang; Foo, Patricia; Zhao, Qiran; Martorell, Reynaldo; Medina, Alexis; Rozelle, Scott

2012-01-01

Objectives To test the impact of provider performance pay for anaemia reduction in rural China. Design A cluster randomised trial of information, subsidies, and incentives for school principals to reduce anaemia among their students. Enumerators and study participants were not informed of study arm assignment. Setting 72 randomly selected rural primary schools across northwest China. Participants 3553 fourth and fifth grade students aged 9-11 years. All fourth and fifth grade students in sample schools participated in the study. Interventions Sample schools were randomly assigned to a control group, with no intervention, or one of three treatment arms: (a) an information arm, in which principals received information about anaemia; (b) a subsidy arm, in which principals received information and unconditional subsidies; and (c) an incentive arm, in which principals received information, subsidies, and financial incentives for reducing anaemia among students. Twenty seven schools were assigned to the control arm (1816 students at baseline, 1623 at end point), 15 were assigned to the information arm (659 students at baseline, 596 at end point), 15 to the subsidy arm (726 students at baseline, 667 at end point), and 15 to the incentive arm (743 students at baseline, 667 at end point). Main outcome measures Student haemoglobin concentrations. Results Mean student haemoglobin concentration rose by 1.5 g/L (95% CI –1.1 to 4.1) in information schools, 0.8 g/L (–1.8 to 3.3) in subsidy schools, and 2.4 g/L (0 to 4.9) in incentive schools compared with the control group. This increase in haemoglobin corresponded to a reduction in prevalence of anaemia (Hb <115 g/L) of 24% in incentive schools. Interactions with pre-existing incentives for principals to achieve good academic performance led to substantially larger gains in the information and incentive arms: when combined with incentives for good academic performance, associated effects on student haemoglobin concentration were 9.8 g/L (4.1 to 15.5) larger in information schools and 8.6 g/L (2.1 to 15.1) larger in incentive schools. Conclusions Financial incentives for health improvement were modestly effective. Understanding interactions with other motives and pre-existing incentives is critical. Trial registration number ISRCTN76158086. PMID:22842354

School-based intervention to improve the mental health of low-income, secondary school students in Santiago, Chile (YPSA): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Araya, Ricardo; Montgomery, Alan A; Fritsch, Rosemarie; Gunnell, David; Stallard, Paul; Noble, Sian; Martinez, Vania; Barroilhet, Sergio; Vohringer, Paul; Guajardo, Viviana; Cova, Felix; Gaete, Jorge; Gomez, Alejandro; Rojas, Graciela

2011-02-19

Depression is common and can have devastating effects on the life of adolescents. Psychological interventions are the first-line for treating or preventing depression among adolescents. This proposal aims to evaluate a school-based, universal psychological intervention to reduce depressive symptoms among student's aged 13-14 attending municipal state secondary schools in Santiago, Chile. This is a cluster randomised controlled trial with schools as the main clusters. We compared this intervention with a control group in a study involving 22 schools, 66 classes and approximately 2,600 students. Students in the active schools attended 11 weekly and 3 booster sessions of an intervention based on cognitive-behavioural models. The control schools received their usual but enhanced counselling sessions currently included in their curriculum. Mean depression scores and indicators of levels of functioning were assessed at 3 and 12 months after the completion of the intervention in order to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Direct and indirect costs were measured in both groups to assess the cost-effectiveness of this intervention. As far as we are aware this is the first cluster randomised controlled trial of a school intervention for depression among adolescents outside the Western world. ISRCTN19466209.

Cognitive Effects of Chess Instruction on Students at Risk for Academic Failure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Saahoon; Bart, William M.

2007-01-01

Cognitive effects of chess instruction on students at risk for academic failure was examined. Thirty-eight students, from three elementary schools, participated in this study. The experimental group received a ninety-minute chess lesson once per week over a three-month period; and the control group students regularly attended school activities…

Cost Control. Michigan School Food Service Training Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michigan State Univ., East Lansing. Cooperative Extension Service.

Cost control is the subject of this eight-lesson, three-test food service training manual. Lesson 1 deals with financial accountability and includes 17 handouts, ranging from sample balance to quarterly report sheets. Lesson 2 focuses on budgeting principles, and lesson 3 on labor controls. Professional purchasing, receiving, and inventorying…

The effectiveness of a web-based resource in improving postconcussion management in high schools.

PubMed

Glang, Ann E; Koester, Michael C; Chesnutt, James C; Gioia, Gerard A; McAvoy, Karen; Marshall, Sondra; Gau, Jeff M

2015-01-01

Because many sports concussions happen during school-sponsored sports events, most state concussion laws specifically hold schools accountable for coach training and effective concussion management practices. Brain 101: The Concussion Playbook is a Web-based intervention that includes training in sports concussion for each member of the school community, presents guidelines on creating a concussion management team, and includes strategies for supporting students in the classroom. The group randomized controlled trial examined the efficacy of Brain 101 in managing sports concussion. Participating high schools (N = 25) were randomly assigned to the Brain 101 intervention or control. Fall athletes and their parents completed online training, and Brain 101 school administrators were directed to create concussion management policy and procedures. Student athletes and parents at Brain 101 schools significantly outperformed those at control schools on sports concussion knowledge, knowledge application, and behavioral intention to implement effective concussion management practices. Students who had concussions in Brain 101 schools received more varied academic accommodations than students in control schools. Brain 101 can help schools create a comprehensive schoolwide concussion management program. It requires minimal expenditures and offers engaging and effective education for teachers, coaches, parents, and students. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study protocol: can a school gardening intervention improve children's diets?

PubMed

Christian, Meaghan S; El Evans, Charlotte; Conner, Mark; Ransley, Joan K; Cade, Janet E

2012-04-26

The current academic literature suggests there is a potential for using gardening as a tool to improve children's fruit and vegetable intake. This study is two parallel randomised controlled trials (RCT) devised to evaluate the school gardening programme of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Campaign for School Gardening, to determine if it has an effect on children's fruit and vegetable intake. Trial One will consist of 26 schools; these schools will be randomised into two groups, one to receive the intensive intervention as "Partner Schools" and the other to receive the less intensive intervention as "Associate Schools". Trial Two will consist of 32 schools; these schools will be randomised into either the less intensive intervention "Associate Schools" or a comparison group with delayed intervention. Baseline data collection will be collected using a 24-hour food diary (CADET) to collect data on dietary intake and a questionnaire exploring children's knowledge and attitudes towards fruit and vegetables. A process measures questionnaire will be used to assess each school's gardening activities. The results from these trials will provide information on the impact of the RHS Campaign for School Gardening on children's fruit and vegetable intake. The evaluation will provide valuable information for designing future research in primary school children's diets and school based interventions. ISRCTN11396528.

Promoting Fitness and Safety in Elementary Students: A Randomized Control Study of the Michigan Model for Health.

PubMed

O'Neill, James M; Clark, Jeffrey K; Jones, James A

2016-07-01

In elementary grades, comprehensive health education curricula have demonstrated effectiveness in addressing singular health issues. The Michigan Model for Health (MMH) was implemented and evaluated to determine its impact on nutrition, physical fitness, and safety knowledge and skills. Schools (N = 52) were randomly assigned to intervention and control conditions. Participants received MMH with 24 lessons in grade 4 and 28 more lessons in grade 5 including material focusing on nutrition, physical fitness, and safety attitudes and skills. The 40-minute lessons were taught by the classroom teacher who received curriculum training and provided feedback on implementation fidelity. Self-report survey data were collected from the fourth-grade students (N = 1983) prior to the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 6 weeks after the intervention, with the same data collection schedule repeated in fifth grade. Analysis of the scales was conducted using a mixed-model approach. Students who received the curriculum had better nutrition, physical activity, and safety skills than the control-group students. Intervention students also reported higher consumption of fruits; however, no difference was reported for other types of food consumption. The effectiveness of the MMH in promoting fitness and safety supports the call for integrated strategies that begin in elementary grades, target multiple risk behaviors, and result in practical and financial benefits to schools. © 2016, American School Health Association.

The Effects of Music Therapy on the Physiological Response of Asthmatic Children Receiving Inhalation Therapy.

PubMed

Roslita, Riau; Nurhaeni, Nani; Wanda, Dessie

The clinical manifestation of asthma in children can interfere with their daily activities. Music therapy may become one of the alternative approaches to making children feel comfortable during inhalation therapy. The aim of the study was to identify the effects of music therapy on the physiological response of asthmatic preschool and school-age children receiving inhalation therapy. This study used a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group with a pre-test-post-test design. The 44 respondents consisted of preschool and school-age children assigned to intervention and control groups. The results showed a significant difference in average oxygen saturation, heart rate, and respiratory rate between the control and intervention groups before and after intervention (p < α; α = .05). Music therapy can be used as a nursing intervention to improve the physiological response of children with breathing problems.

Academic Performance of Subsequent Schools and Impacts of Early Interventions: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Head Start Settings

PubMed Central

Zhai, Fuhua; Raver, C. Cybele; Jones, Stephanie M.

2012-01-01

The role of subsequent school contexts in the long-term effects of early childhood interventions has received increasing attention, but has been understudied in the literature. Using data from the Chicago School Readiness Project (CSRP), a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted in Head Start programs, we investigate whether the intervention had differential effects on academic and behavioral outcomes in kindergarten if children attended high- or low-performing schools subsequent to the preschool intervention year. To address the issue of selection bias, we adopt an innovative method, principal score matching, and control for a set of child, mother, and classroom covariates. We find that exposure to the CSRP intervention in the Head Start year had significant effects on academic and behavioral outcomes in kindergarten for children who subsequently attended high-performing schools, but no significant effects on children attending low-performing schools. Policy implications of the findings are discussed. PMID:22773872

Assessing the impact of a school-based latrine cleaning and handwashing program on pupil absence in Nyanza Province, Kenya: a cluster-randomized trial.

PubMed

Caruso, Bethany A; Freeman, Matthew C; Garn, Joshua V; Dreibelbis, Robert; Saboori, Shadi; Muga, Richard; Rheingans, Richard

2014-10-01

Improving school water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) conditions reduces pupil absence and illness. However, these benefits may depend on the conditions of the latrines and availability of consumables. We sought to determine whether a low-cost, policy-relevant, environmental-level latrine cleaning intervention could improve latrine cleanliness, increase its use and reduce absenteeism. In a three-arm, cluster-randomized trial we assessed absence via periodical roll-call among 17 564 pupils in 60 schools that had previously received WASH improvements as part of the SWASH+ project. Latrine conditions and use were also assessed using structured observation. Latrine cleanliness increased significantly during the post-intervention period among schools receiving the latrine cleaning package compared to controls, as did handwashing with soap. We found no difference in latrine use and absence across arms. The additive impact of cleaning may not have been strong enough to impact absence above and beyond reductions attributable to the original WASH infrastructure improvements and basic hygiene education the schools previously received. Improving latrine conditions is important for the dignity and well-being of pupils, and investments and strategies are necessary to ensure that school toilets are clean and pupil-friendly. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Impact of a community based fire prevention intervention on fire safety knowledge and behavior in elementary school children

PubMed Central

Hwang, V; Duchossois, G P; Garcia‐Espana, J F; Durbin, D R

2006-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of a community based fire prevention intervention directed only to parents on the fire safety knowledge and behavior in elementary school children. This was a prospective, quasi‐randomized controlled study in which third and fourth grade students from two elementary schools in an urban, poor, minority community completed knowledge/behavior surveys at baseline and following completion of the intervention. The intervention group received an in‐home visit from fire department personnel who installed free lithium smoke detectors and provided a fire escape plan. After accounting for a small difference in baseline summary scores of knowledge and behavior between the control and intervention groups, this study found a modest improvement in fire safety behavior among children whose families received a fire prevention intervention reflecting a change in household fire safety practices. However, there was no significant change in fire safety knowledge. PMID:17018679

The effect of online collaborative learning on middle school student science literacy and sense of community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wendt, Jillian Leigh

This study examines the effects of online collaborative learning on middle school students' science literacy and sense of community. A quantitative, quasi-experimental pretest/posttest control group design was used. Following IRB approval and district superintendent approval, students at a public middle school in central Virginia completed a pretest consisting of the Misconceptions-Oriented Standards-Based Assessment Resources for Teachers (MOSART) Physical Science assessment and the Classroom Community Scale. Students in the control group received in-class assignments that were completed collaboratively in a face-to-face manner. Students in the experimental group received in-class assignments that were completed online collaboratively through the Edmodo educational platform. Both groups were members of intact, traditional face-to-face classrooms. The students were then post tested. Results pertaining to the MOSART assessment were statistically analyzed through ANCOVA analysis while results pertaining to the Classroom Community Scale were analyzed through MANOVA analysis. Results are reported and suggestions for future research are provided.

A school-based, peer leadership physical activity intervention for 6th graders: feasibility and results of a pilot study.

PubMed

Barr-Anderson, Daheia J; Laska, Melissa N; Veblen-Mortenson, Sara; Farbakhsh, Kian; Dudovitz, Bonnie; Story, Mary

2012-05-01

The aim of this study was to promote physical activity in 6th graders by developing and testing the feasibility of an enhanced Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) program comprised of a peer leadership component and innovative exercise resource toolkit including DVDs. A racially/ethnically diverse sample of students received the standard PALA program (2 control schools, n = 61) or enhanced PALA+Peers program (2 intervention schools, n = 87) during 2006-2007 academic year. Compared with the control condition, the intervention was successful in increasing moderate physical activity in all students (P = .02) and moderate and hard physical activity among girls (P = .03 and P = .04, respectively). Teachers and students reported a high level of satisfaction and receptivity with the intervention. All teachers thought the DVDs were well-received, and 87% of students reported that they would recommend the enhanced program to peers. Coupling peer leadership and DVDs that promote physical activity may be an effective way to increase youth physical activity.

Trends in Traumatic Brain Injury Research in School Psychology Journals 1985-2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Shannon M.; Canto, Angela I.

2015-01-01

Every year, approximately 2.4 million people experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and nearly half a million children receive emergency medical attention from hospital personnel due to a TBI in the United States (Centers for Disease Control, 2010; Coronado et al., 2014). It is imperative for key stakeholders, including school psychologists,…

Correlates of Conduct Problems and Depression Comorbidity in Elementary School Boys and Girls Receiving Special Educational Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poirier, Martine; Déry, Michèle; Toupin, Jean; Verlaan, Pierrette; Lemelin, Jean-Pascal; Jagiellowicz, Jadzia

2015-01-01

There is limited empirical research on the correlates of conduct problems (CP) and depression comorbidity during childhood. This study investigated 479 elementary school children (48.2% girls). It compared children with comorbidity to children with CP only, depression only, and control children on individual, academic, social, and family…

A Randomized Trial of an Elementary School Mathematics Software Intervention: Spatial-Temporal Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutherford, Teomara; Farkas, George; Duncan, Greg; Burchinal, Margaret; Kibrick, Melissa; Graham, Jeneen; Richland, Lindsey; Tran, Natalie; Schneider, Stephanie; Duran, Lauren; Martinez, Michael E.

2014-01-01

Fifty-two low performing schools were randomly assigned to receive Spatial-Temporal (ST) Math, a supplemental mathematics software and instructional program, in second/third or fourth/fifth grades or to a business-as-usual control. Analyses reveal a negligible effect of ST Math on mathematics scores, which did not differ significantly across…

Development and Testing of an Antitobacco School-Based Curriculum for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berman, Barbara A.; Guthmann, Debra S.; Crespi, Catherine M.; Liu, Weiqing

2011-01-01

A tobacco use prevention curriculum tailored for deaf/hard of hearing youth was tested using a quasi-experimental design. Two schools for the deaf received the curriculum; two served as noncurriculum controls. Surveys assessed changes in tobacco use, tobacco education exposure, and tobacco-related attitudes and knowledge among students in grades…

The Effectiveness of Computer-Based EFL Instruction among Primary School Students in Israel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shamir, Haya; Johnson, Erin Phinney

2012-01-01

This paper presents an effectiveness study of a computer-based English reading program, the Waterford Early Reading Program (WERP), among first and second grade students in Israel. Students who used the program were compared to a control group only receiving English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction as part of the school curriculum. First…

Predicting School Readiness from Neurodevelopmental Assessments at Age 2 Years after Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Infants Born Preterm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrianakos-Hoobler, Athena I.; Msall, Michael E.; Huo, Dezheng; Marks, Jeremy D.; Plesha-Troyke, Susan; Schreiber, Michael D.

2010-01-01

Aim: To determine whether neurodevelopmental outcomes at the age of 2 years accurately predict school readiness in children who survived respiratory distress syndrome after preterm birth. Method: Our cohort included 121 preterm infants who received surfactant and ventilation and were enrolled in a randomized controlled study of inhaled nitric…

Modifying Pro-Drug Risk Factors in Adolescents: Results from Project ALERT

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghosh-Dastidar, Bonnie; Longshore, Douglas L.; Ellickson, Phyllis L.; McCaffrey, Daniel F.

2004-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a revised state-of-the-art drug prevention program, Project ALERT, on risk factors for drug use in mostly rural midwestern schools and communities. Fifty-five middle schools from South Dakota were randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions. Treatment-group students received 11…

Effectiveness of school- and family-based interventions to prevent gaming addiction among grades 4–5 students in Bangkok, Thailand

PubMed Central

Apisitwasana, Nipaporn; Perngparn, Usaneya; Cottler, Linda B

2018-01-01

Purpose This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Participatory Learning School and Family Based Intervention Program for Preventing Game Addiction by Developing Self-Regulation of gaming addiction among students of grades 4 and 5 in Bangkok. Methods A quasi-experimental study was implemented among students of grades 4 and 5 at primary schools in Bangkok selected through multistage random sampling. Two comparable schools were randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. Then, 310 students in the randomly selected classrooms were allocated to each group. The intervention group received the self-regulation program with school and family involvement to prevent gaming addiction. Master teachers attended in-house training on prevention of gaming addiction in children. Parents of these children received a gaming addiction prevention manual and guidelines. The program lasted 8 weeks. The control group received no intervention. Knowledge and Attitude About Gaming Questionnaire, Game Addiction Screening Test (GAST), and Game Addiction Protection Scale were utilized to assess subjects at baseline, immediately after, and 3 months post-intervention. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and independent t-test were used to describe characteristics of the participants, and repeated measures ANOVA was analyzed to test the effectiveness of the intervention. Results The findings revealed that there were significant differences in knowledge, attitude, self-regulation, and gaming addiction behaviors (p < 0.05) immediately and 3 months post-intervention. Positive effects of the intervention included increase in knowledge, attitude, and self-regulation, whereas the GAST score was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) immediately and 3 months after the program. Conclusion The program based on self-regulation and school and family participation is effective for preventing gaming addiction in students of grades 4 and 5 in Bangkok, Thailand. PMID:29695939

Effectiveness of school- and family-based interventions to prevent gaming addiction among grades 4-5 students in Bangkok, Thailand.

PubMed

Apisitwasana, Nipaporn; Perngparn, Usaneya; Cottler, Linda B

2018-01-01

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Participatory Learning School and Family Based Intervention Program for Preventing Game Addiction by Developing Self-Regulation of gaming addiction among students of grades 4 and 5 in Bangkok. A quasi-experimental study was implemented among students of grades 4 and 5 at primary schools in Bangkok selected through multistage random sampling. Two comparable schools were randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. Then, 310 students in the randomly selected classrooms were allocated to each group. The intervention group received the self-regulation program with school and family involvement to prevent gaming addiction. Master teachers attended in-house training on prevention of gaming addiction in children. Parents of these children received a gaming addiction prevention manual and guidelines. The program lasted 8 weeks. The control group received no intervention. Knowledge and Attitude About Gaming Questionnaire, Game Addiction Screening Test (GAST), and Game Addiction Protection Scale were utilized to assess subjects at baseline, immediately after, and 3 months post-intervention. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and independent t -test were used to describe characteristics of the participants, and repeated measures ANOVA was analyzed to test the effectiveness of the intervention. The findings revealed that there were significant differences in knowledge, attitude, self-regulation, and gaming addiction behaviors ( p < 0.05) immediately and 3 months post-intervention. Positive effects of the intervention included increase in knowledge, attitude, and self-regulation, whereas the GAST score was significantly decreased ( p < 0.05) immediately and 3 months after the program. The program based on self-regulation and school and family participation is effective for preventing gaming addiction in students of grades 4 and 5 in Bangkok, Thailand.

"This is what you need to be learning": an analysis of messages received by first-year mathematics students during their transition to university

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kouvela, Eirini; Hernandez-Martinez, Paul; Croft, Tony

2018-06-01

This paper explores the messages that first-year mathematics students receive in the context of their academic studies during their transition from school to university mathematics. Through observations of lectures and discussions with first-year mathematics undergraduates in an English university, we identified and analysed the messages that two of their lecturers transmitted to them during this transitional phase. The results suggest that strongly framed messages are more easily perceived by students and affect them during their transition. Additionally, messages that have been received in the school context continue to have control over students' thinking and on many occasions can impede adjustment to the new setting.

Physical activity and academic achievement across the curriculum: Results from a 3-year cluster-randomized trial.

PubMed

Donnelly, Joseph E; Hillman, Charles H; Greene, Jerry L; Hansen, David M; Gibson, Cheryl A; Sullivan, Debra K; Poggio, John; Mayo, Matthew S; Lambourne, Kate; Szabo-Reed, Amanda N; Herrmann, Stephen D; Honas, Jeffery J; Scudder, Mark R; Betts, Jessica L; Henley, Katherine; Hunt, Suzanne L; Washburn, Richard A

2017-06-01

We compared changes in academic achievement across 3years between children in elementary schools receiving the Academic Achievement and Physical Activity Across the Curriculum intervention (A+PAAC), in which classroom teachers were trained to deliver academic lessons using moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared to a non-intervention control. Elementary schools in eastern Kansas (n=17) were cluster randomized to A+PAAC (N=9, target ≥100min/week) or control (N=8). Academic achievement (math, reading, spelling) was assessed using the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Third Edition (WIAT-III) in a sample of children (A+PAAC=316, Control=268) in grades 2 and 3 at baseline (Fall 2011) and repeated each spring across 3years. On average 55min/week of A+PACC lessons were delivered each week across the intervention. Baseline WIAT-III scores (math, reading, spelling) were significantly higher in students in A+PAAC compared with control schools and improved in both groups across 3years. However, linear mixed modeling, accounting for baseline between group differences in WIAT-III scores, ethnicity, family income, and cardiovascular fitness, found no significant impact of A+PAAC on any of the academic achievement outcomes as determined by non-significant group by time interactions. A+PAAC neither diminished or improved academic achievement across 3-years in elementary school children compared with controls. Our target of 100min/week of active lessons was not achieved; however, students attending A+PAAC schools received an additional 55min/week of MVPA which may be associated with both physical and mental health benefits, without a reduction in time devoted to academic instruction. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Meat supplementation improves growth, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes in Kenyan children.

PubMed

Neumann, Charlotte G; Murphy, Suzanne P; Gewa, Connie; Grillenberger, Monika; Bwibo, Nimrod O

2007-04-01

A randomized, controlled school feeding study was conducted in rural Embu District, Kenya to test for a causal link between animal-source food intake and changes in micronutrient nutrition and growth, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes. Twelve primary schools were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups. Children in Standard I classes received the local plant-based dish githeri as a midmorning school snack supplemented with meat, milk, or fat added to equalize energy content in all feedings. The Control children received no feedings but participated in data collection. Main outcome measures assessed at baseline and longitudinally were 24-h food intake recall, anthropometry, cognitive function, physical activity, and behaviors during school free play. For cognitive function, the Meat group showed the steepest rate of increase on Raven's Progressive Matrices scores and in zone-wide school end-term total and arithmetic test scores. The Plain githeri and Meat groups performed better over time than the Milk and Control groups (P < 0.02-0.03) on arithmetic tests. The Meat group showed the greatest increase in percentage time in high levels of physical activity and in initiative and leadership behaviors compared with all other groups. For growth, in the Milk group only younger and stunted children showed a greater rate of gain in height. The Meat group showed near doubling of upper midarm muscle area, and the Milk group a smaller degree of increase. This is the first randomized, controlled feeding study to examine the effect of meat- vs. milk- vs. plant-based snacks on functional outcomes in children.

Impact of a malaria intervention package in schools on Plasmodium infection, anaemia and cognitive function in schoolchildren in Mali: a pragmatic cluster-randomised trial

PubMed Central

Rouhani, Saba; Diarra, Seybou; Saye, Renion; Bamadio, Modibo; Jones, Rebecca; Traore, Diahara; Traore, Klenon; Jukes, Matthew CH; Thuilliez, Josselin; Brooker, Simon; Roschnik, Natalie; Sacko, Moussa

2017-01-01

Background School-aged children are rarely targeted by malaria control programmes, yet the prevalence of Plasmodium infection in primary school children often exceeds that seen in younger children and could affect haemoglobin concentration and school performance. Methods A cluster-randomised trial was carried out in 80 primary schools in southern Mali to evaluate the impact of a school-based malaria intervention package. Intervention schools received two interventions sequentially: (1) teacher-led participatory malaria prevention education, combined with distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), followed 7 months later at the end of the transmission season by (2) mass delivery of artesunate and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine administered by teachers, termed intermittent parasite clearance in schools (IPCs). Control schools received LLINs as part of the national universal net distribution programme. The impact of the interventions on malaria and anaemia was evaluated over 20 months using cross-sectional surveys in a random subset of 38 schools(all classes), with a range of cognitive measures (sustained attention, visual search, numeracy, vocabulary and writing) assessed in a longitudinal cohort of children aged 9–12 years in all 80 schools. Results Delivery of a single round of IPCs was associated with dramatic reductions in malaria parasitaemia (OR 0.005, 95% CI 0.002 to 0.011, p<0.001) and gametocyte carriage (OR 0.02, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.17, p<0.001) in intervention compared with control schools. This effect was sustained for 6 months until the beginning of the next transmission season. IPCs was also associated with a significant decrease in anaemia (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.78, p=0.001), and increase in sustained attention (difference +0.23, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.36, p<0.001). There was no evidence of impact on other cognitive measures. Conclusion The combination of malaria prevention education, LLINs and IPCs can reduce anaemia and improve sustained attention of school children in areas of highly seasonal transmission. These findings highlight the impact of asymptomatic malaria infection on cognitive performance in schoolchildren and the benefit of IPCs in reducing this burden. Additionally, malaria control in schools can help diminish the infectious reservoir that sustains Plasmodium transmission. PMID:29081992

Sitting and standing postures are corrected by adjustable furniture with lowered muscle tension in high-school students.

PubMed

Koskelo, R; Vuorikari, K; Hänninen, O

2007-10-01

This study compared the effect of 24 months of adjustable school desks and chairs usage (the intervention) and traditional non-adjustable usage (the control condition) on sitting and standing postures, muscle strength, classroom muscle tension, pain and learning in 15 (8 female and 7 male) high-school students and 15 anthropometrically and gender matched control students from neighbouring schools. It was assessed whether any responses took place after growth cessation. In comparison with controls, the intervention group of students' sitting postures standing kyphosis, scoliosis and lordosis became significantly better, both before and after growth cessation. Trunk muscle strength increased in the intervention students whose muscle tension during classes fell significantly in the trapezius and lumbar muscles, whereas in control students' lumbar tension increased. Headache and low-back pain correlated with neck-shoulder pain and trapezius muscle tension. Intervention students reported that they experienced benefits from the adjustable tables and chairs. They also received significantly better overall marks than the controls at the end of high school. It is concluded that the adjustable school desks and chairs promoted better sitting and standing postures, increased muscle strength, alleviated pain and appeared to be associated with better overall academic marks.

Effectiveness of proactive quitline counselling for smoking parents recruited through primary schools: results of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Schuck, Kathrin; Bricker, Jonathan B; Otten, Roy; Kleinjan, Marloes; Brandon, Thomas H; Engels, Rutger C M E

2014-05-01

To test the effectiveness of tailored quitline (telephone) counselling among smoking parents recruited into cessation support through their children's primary schools. Two-arm randomized controlled trial with 3- and 12-month follow-up. Proactive telephone counselling was administered by the Dutch national quitline. Smoking parents were recruited through their children's primary schools and received either intensive quitline support in combination with tailored supplementary materials (n = 256) or a standard self-help brochure (n = 256). The primary outcome was 7-day point-prevalence abstinence at 12-month follow-up. Also measured were baseline characteristics, use of and adherence to nicotine replacement therapy and pharmacotherapy, smoking characteristics and implementation of a home smoking ban. Parents who received quitline counselling were more likely to report 7-day point-prevalence abstinence at 12-month assessment [34.0 versus 18.0%, odds ratio (OR) = 2.35, confidence interval (CI) = 1.56-3.54] than those who received a standard self-help brochure. Parents who received quitline counselling were more likely to use nicotine replacement therapy (P < 0.001) than those who received a standard self-help brochure. Among parents who did not achieve abstinence, those who received quitline counselling smoked fewer cigarettes at 3-month (P < 0.001) and 12-month assessment (P < 0.001), were more likely to make a quit attempt (P < 0.001), to achieve 24 hours' abstinence (P < 0.001) and to implement a complete home smoking ban (P < 0.01). Intensive quitline support tailored to smoking parents is an effective method for helping parents quit smoking and promoting parenting practices that protect their children from adverse effects of smoking. © 2014 Society for the Study of Addiction.

School-based intervention to improve the mental health of low-income, secondary school students in Santiago, Chile (YPSA): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Depression is common and can have devastating effects on the life of adolescents. Psychological interventions are the first-line for treating or preventing depression among adolescents. This proposal aims to evaluate a school-based, universal psychological intervention to reduce depressive symptoms among student's aged 13-14 attending municipal state secondary schools in Santiago, Chile. Study design This is a cluster randomised controlled trial with schools as the main clusters. We compared this intervention with a control group in a study involving 22 schools, 66 classes and approximately 2,600 students. Students in the active schools attended 11 weekly and 3 booster sessions of an intervention based on cognitive-behavioural models. The control schools received their usual but enhanced counselling sessions currently included in their curriculum. Mean depression scores and indicators of levels of functioning were assessed at 3 and 12 months after the completion of the intervention in order to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Direct and indirect costs were measured in both groups to assess the cost-effectiveness of this intervention. Discussion As far as we are aware this is the first cluster randomised controlled trial of a school intervention for depression among adolescents outside the Western world. Trial Registration ISRCTN19466209 PMID:21333015

Explaining the Positive Relationship between Fourth-Grade Children’s Body Mass Index and Energy Intake at School-Provided Meals (Breakfast and Lunch)

PubMed Central

Baxter, Suzanne Domel; Royer, Julie A.; Hitchcock, David B.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND A positive relationship exists between children’s body mass index (BMI) and energy intake at school-provided meals. To help explain this relationship, we investigated 7 outcome variables concerning aspects of school-provided meals—energy content of items selected, number of meal components selected, number of meal components eaten, amounts eaten of standardized school-meal portions, energy intake from flavored milk, energy intake received in trades, and energy content given in trades. METHODS We observed children in grade 4 (N=465) eating school-provided breakfast and lunch on one to 4 days per child. We measured children’s weight and height. For daily values at school meals, a generalized linear model was fit with BMI (dependent variable) and the 7 outcome variables, sex, and age (independent variables). RESULTS BMI was positively related to amounts eaten of standardized school-meal portions (p < .0001) and increased 8.45 kg/m2 per serving, controlling for other variables in the model. BMI was positively related to energy intake from flavored milk (p = .0041) and increased 0.347 kg/m2 for every 100-kcal consumed. BMI was negatively related to energy intake received in trades (p = .0003) and decreased 0.468 kg/m2 for every 100-kcal received. BMI was not significantly related to 4 outcome variables. CONCLUSIONS Knowing that relationships between BMI and actual consumption, not selection, at school-provided meals explained the (previously found) positive relationship between BMI and energy intake at school-provided meals is helpful for school-based obesity interventions. PMID:23517000

A randomised controlled trial of an intervention to increase the implementation of a healthy canteen policy in Australian primary schools: study protocol.

PubMed

Wolfenden, Luke; Nathan, Nicole; Williams, Christopher M; Delaney, Tessa; Reilly, Kathryn L; Freund, Megan; Gillham, Karen; Sutherland, Rachel; Bell, Andrew C; Campbell, Libby; Yoong, Serene; Wyse, Rebecca; Janssen, Lisa M; Preece, Sarah; Asmar, Melanie; Wiggers, John

2014-10-11

The implementation of healthy school canteen policies has been recommended as a strategy to help prevent unhealthy eating and excessive weight gain. Internationally, research suggests that schools often fail to implement practices consistent with healthy school canteen policies. Without a population wide implementation, the potential benefits of these policies will not be realised. The aim of this trial is to assess the effectiveness of an implementation intervention in increasing school canteen practices consistent with a healthy canteen policy of the New South Wales (NSW), Australia, government known as the 'Fresh Tastes @ School NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy'. The parallel randomised trial will be conducted in 70 primary schools located in the Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia. Schools will be eligible to participate if they are not currently meeting key components of the healthy canteen policy. Schools will be randomly allocated after baseline data collection in a 1:1 ratio to either an intervention or control group using a computerised random number function in Microsoft Excel. Thirty-five schools will be selected to receive a multi-component intervention including implementation support from research staff, staff training, resources, recognition and incentives, consensus and leadership strategies, follow-up support and implementation feedback. The 35 schools allocated to the control group will not receive any intervention support as part of the research trial. The primary outcome measures will be i) the proportion of schools with a canteen menu that does not contain foods or beverages restricted from regular sale ('red' and 'banned' items) and ii) the proportion of schools where healthy canteen items ('green' items) represent the majority (>50%) of products listed on the menu. Outcome data will be collected via a comprehensive menu audit, conducted by dietitians blind to group allocation. Intervention effectiveness will be assessed using logistic regression models adjusting for baseline values. The proposed trial will represent a novel contribution to the literature, being the first randomised trial internationally to examine the effectiveness of an intervention to facilitate implementation of a healthy canteen policy. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000311752.

World Health Organization "School Mental Health Manual"-based training for school teachers in Urban Lahore, Pakistan: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Imran, Nazish; Rahman, Atif; Chaudhry, Nakhshab; Asif, Aftab

2018-05-24

The teacher's role in school mental health initiatives cannot be overemphasized. Despite global evidence of educational interventions in improving teachers' knowledge and attitudes regarding mental health, this area remains under researched in Pakistan. This paper presents a study protocol of a pilot randomized controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of a teacher training intervention for improving mental health literacy and self-efficacy among school teachers in urban Lahore, Pakistan. The randomized controlled trial will follow the CONSORT guidelines. Participants will be allocated to the Intervention group (receiving the World Health Organization, Eastern Mediterranean Region (WHO-EMRO) School Mental Health Manual-based intervention in three 6-h, face-to-face sessions) or a waitlist control group (not receiving training during the study period). Participants will be teachers of private schools with similar broad demographic characteristics in an inner city area of Lahore. The primary outcome measures for the trial is teachers' mental health literacy. It will be assessed by using the previously applied (during WHO training of Master Trainers) self-administered questionnaire in both groups pre and post training and at 3 months' follow-up. Secondary outcomes include: for teachers: Teachers' self-efficacy (assessed by the Teachers' Sense of Self Efficacy Scale (TSES) short form.); for students (11-16 years): socio-emotional skills and psychological problems measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (assessed at baseline and 3 months post intervention); for schools: the WHO School Psychosocial Profile Questionnaire (baseline and 3 months post intervention). Given the high prevalence of child mental health problems, stigma and lack of services, it is important to consider alternate avenues for promoting positive mental health among youth. This pilot study should establish the effectiveness of the WHO-EMRO School Mental Health Manual-based Intervention improving teacher's mental health literacy and helping them to learn practical steps that can be implemented at low cost in school settings. It will also provide information regarding intervention implementation and sustainability. ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT02937714 . Registered on 18 October 2016.

A Trial of the Efficacy and Cost of Water Delivery Systems in San Francisco Bay Area Middle Schools, 2013.

PubMed

Patel, Anisha I; Grummon, Anna H; Hampton, Karla E; Oliva, Ariana; McCulloch, Charles E; Brindis, Claire D

2016-07-07

US legislation requires that schools offer free drinking water where meals are served. However, little information is available about what types of water delivery systems schools should install to meet such requirements. The study objective was to examine the efficacy and cost of 2 water delivery systems (water dispensers and bottleless water coolers) in increasing students' lunchtime intake of water in low-income middle schools. In 2013, twelve middle schools in the San Francisco Bay Area participated in a cluster randomized controlled trial in which they received 6 weeks of promotional activities, received provision of cups, and were assigned to 1 of 2 cafeteria water delivery systems: water dispensers or bottleless water coolers (or schools served as a control). Student surveys (n = 595) and observations examined the interventions' effect on students' beverage intake and staff surveys and public data assessed intervention cost. Analysis occurred from 2013 through 2015. Mixed-effects logistic regression, accounting for clustering and adjustment for student sociodemographic characteristics, demonstrated a significant increase in the odds of students drinking water in schools with promotion plus water dispensers and cups (adjusted odds ratio = 3.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-6.7; P = .004) compared with schools with traditional drinking fountains and no cups or promotion. The cost of dispenser and bottleless water cooler programs was similar ($0.04 per student per day). Instead of relying on traditional drinking fountains, schools should consider installing water sources, such as plastic dispensers with cups, as a low-cost, effective means for increasing students' water intake.

Increasing children's lunchtime consumption of fruit and vegetables: an evaluation of the Food Dudes programme.

PubMed

Upton, Dominic; Upton, Penney; Taylor, Charlotte

2013-06-01

Although previous research has shown that the Food Dudes programme increases children's fruit and vegetable consumption at school, there has been limited evaluation of the extent to which changes are maintained in the long term. Furthermore, despite knowledge that the nutritional content of home-supplied meals is lower than that of school-supplied meals, little consideration has been given to the programme's impact on meals provided from home. The present study therefore assessed the long-term effectiveness of the Food Dudes programme for both school- and home-supplied lunches. Two cohorts of children participated, one receiving the Food Dudes intervention and a matched control group who did not receive any intervention. Consumption of fruit and vegetables was assessed pre-intervention, then at 3 and 12 months post-intervention. Consumption was measured across five consecutive days in each school using weighed intake (school-provided meals) and digital photography (home-provided meals). Fifteen primary schools, six intervention (n 1282) and seven control schools (n 1151). Participants were children aged 4-11 years. A significant increase in the consumption of fruit and vegetables was found at 3 months for children in the intervention schools, but only for those eating school-supplied lunches. However, increases were not maintained at 12 months. The Food Dudes programme has a limited effect in producing even short-term changes in children's fruit and vegetable consumption at lunchtime. Further development work is required to ensure the short- and long-term effectiveness of interventions promoting fruit and vegetable consumption in children such as the Food Dudes programme.

Applying a Family-Level Economic Strengthening Intervention to Improve Education and Health-Related Outcomes of School-Going AIDS-Orphaned Children: Lessons from a Randomized Experiment in Southern Uganda.

PubMed

Ssewamala, Fred M; Karimli, Leyla; Torsten, Neilands; Wang, Julia Shu-Huah; Han, Chang-Keun; Ilic, Vilma; Nabunya, Proscovia

2016-01-01

Children comprise the largest proportion of the population in sub-Saharan Africa. Of these, millions are orphaned. Orphanhood increases the likelihood of growing up in poverty, dropping out of school, and becoming infected with HIV. Therefore, programs aimed at securing a healthy developmental trajectory for these orphaned children are desperately needed. We conducted a two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a family-level economic strengthening intervention with regard to school attendance, school grades, and self-esteem in AIDS-orphaned adolescents aged 12-16 years from 10 public rural primary schools in southern Uganda. Children were randomly assigned to receive usual care (counseling, school uniforms, school lunch, notebooks, and textbooks), "bolstered" with mentorship from a near-peer (control condition, n = 167), or to receive bolstered usual care plus a family-level economic strengthening intervention in the form of a matched Child Savings Account (Suubi-Maka treatment arm, n = 179). The two groups did not differ at baseline, but 24 months later, children in the Suubi-Maka treatment arm reported significantly better educational outcomes, lower levels of hopelessness, and higher levels of self-concept compared to participants in the control condition. Our study contributes to the ongoing debate on how to address the developmental impacts of the increasing numbers of orphaned and vulnerable children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, especially those affected by HIV/AIDS. Our findings indicate that innovative family-level economic strengthening programs, over and above bolstered usual care that includes psychosocial interventions for young people, may have positive developmental impacts related to education, health, and psychosocial functioning.

Applying a Family-Level Economic Strengthening Intervention to Improve Education and Health-Related Outcomes of School-going AIDS-Orphaned Children: Lessons from a Randomized Experiment in Southern Uganda

PubMed Central

Ssewamala, Fred M.; Leyla, Karimli; Neilands, Torsten; Julia Shu-Huah, Wang; Chang-Keun, Han; Vilma, Ilic; Proscovia, Nabunya

2015-01-01

Children comprise the largest proportion of the population in sub-Saharan Africa. Of these, millions are orphaned. Orphanhood increases the likelihood of growing up in poverty, dropping out of school, and becoming infected with HIV. Therefore, programs aimed at securing a healthy developmental trajectory for these orphaned children are desperately needed. We conducted a two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a family-level economic strengthening intervention with regard to school-attendance, school grades, and self-esteem in AIDS-orphaned adolescents aged 12–16 years from 10 public rural primary schools in southern Uganda. Children were randomly assigned to receive usual care (counseling, school uniforms, school lunch, notebooks and textbooks), “bolstered” with mentorship from a near-peer (control condition, n=167), or to receive bolstered usual care plus a family-level economic strengthening intervention in the form of a matched Child Savings Account (Suubi-Maka treatment arm, n = 179). The two groups did not differ at baseline, but 24-months later, children in the Suubi-Maka treatment arm reported significantly better educational outcomes, lower levels of hopelessness, and higher levels of self-concept compared to participants in the control condition. Our study contributes to the ongoing debate on how to address the developmental impacts of the increasing numbers of orphaned, and vulnerable children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, especially those affected by HIV/AIDS. Our findings indicate that innovative family-level economic strengthening programs, over and above bolstered usual care that includes psychosocial interventions for young people, may have positive developmental impacts related to education, health, and psychosocial functioning. PMID:26228480

Effectiveness of a standardized back school program for patients with chronic low back pain after implementation in routine rehabilitation care.

PubMed

Meng, Karin; Peters, Stefan; Faller, Hermann

2017-06-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a standardized, patient-oriented, biopsychosocial back school after implementation in inpatient orthopedic rehabilitation. A multi-center, quasi-experimental controlled study of patients with low back pain (n=535) was conducted. Patients in the control group received the traditional back school before implementation of the new program (usual care); patients in the intervention group received the new standardized back school after implementation into routine care. Patients' illness knowledge and conduct of back exercises (primary outcomes) and secondary self-management outcomes and treatment satisfaction were obtained at admission, discharge, and 6 and 12 months after rehabilitation. We found a significant small between-group intervention effect on patients' illness knowledge in medium- to long term (6 months: η 2 =0.015; 12 months: η 2 =0.013). There were trends for effects on conduct of back exercises among men (6 and 12 months: η 2 =0.008 both). Furthermore, significant small effects were observed for treatment satisfaction at discharge and physical activity after 6 months. The standardized back school seems to be more effective in certain outcomes than a usual care program despite heterogeneous program implementation. Further dissemination within orthopedic rehabilitation may be encouraged to foster self-management outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wireless Time Tracking Improves Productivity at CSU Long Beach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charmack, Scott; Walsh, Randy

2002-01-01

Describes California State University Long Beach's implementation of new maintenance management software, which integrated maintenance, inventory control, and key control and allows technicians to enter and receive information through handheld wireless devices for more accurate time accounting. The school estimates a 10 percent increase in…

Impacts of an Enhanced Family Health and Sexuality Module of the HealthTeacher Middle School Curriculum: A Cluster Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Scott, Mindy E.; Cook, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

Objectives. To evaluate the impacts of an enhanced version of the Family Life and Sexuality Module of the HealthTeacher middle school curriculum. Methods. We conducted a cluster randomized trial of Chicago, Illinois, middle schools. We randomly assigned schools to a treatment group that received the intervention during the 2010–2011 school year or a control group that did not. The primary analysis sample included 595 students (7 schools) in the treatment group and 594 students (7 schools) in the control group. Results. Students in the treatment schools reported greater exposure to information on reproductive health topics such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs; 78% vs 60%; P < .01), abstinence (64% vs 37%; P < .01), and birth control (45% vs 29%; P < .01). They also reported higher average scores on an index of knowledge of contraceptive methods and STI transmission (0.5 vs 0.3; P = .02). We found no statistically significant differences in rates of sexual intercourse (12% vs 12%; P = .99), oral sex (12% vs 9%; P = .18), or other intermediate outcomes. Conclusions. The program had modest effects when tested among Chicago middle school students. PMID:27689479

Depression knowledge in high school students: effectiveness of the adolescent depression awareness program.

PubMed

Ruble, Anne E; Leon, Phillip J; Gilley-Hensley, Laura; Hess, Sally G; Swartz, Karen L

2013-09-25

Major depression is a common disorder among teenagers and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15-24 year olds. Early identification and treatment is essential to prevent suicide. Depression education is a potential intervention for improving knowledge about depression and help-seeking behavior. The Adolescent Depression Awareness Program (ADAP) is a school-based depression education intervention with a core message that depression is a treatable medical illness. 710 high school students from six schools in Tulsa, OK participated in the study comparing changes in knowledge about depression and attitudes toward treatment-seeking between students receiving the intervention and those who did not. Changes in depression knowledge and attitude toward help-seeking were measured using the ADAP Depression Knowledge Questionnaire (ADKQ). There was a significant positive change in ADKQ score for students receiving the intervention but not in the control group. The intervention group also demonstrated a significant difference in willingness to "tell someone" if concerned about depression in a peer, which was not present in the control group. The students were not randomized to the intervention and control groups. The ADKQ evaluates attitudes about help-seeking but not behavior. A school-based educational intervention improved knowledge about depression and attitudes toward help-seeking in adolescents. Future studies should investigate if such change in knowledge results in help-seeking behaviors. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and testing of an antitobacco school-based curriculum for deaf and hard of hearing youth.

PubMed

Berman, Barbara A; Guthmann, Debra S; Crespi, Catherine M; Liu, Weiqing

2011-01-01

A tobacco use prevention curriculum tailored for deaf/hard of hearing youth was tested using a quasi-experimental design. Two schools for the deaf received the curriculum; two served as noncurriculum controls. Surveys assessed changes in tobacco use, tobacco education exposure, and tobacco-related attitudes and knowledge among students in grades 7-12 over 3 school years (n = 511-616). Current (past month) smoking decreased significantly at one intervention school (23% to 8%,p = .007), and current smokeless tobacco use at the other (7.5% to 2.5%, p = .03). Tobacco education exposure and antitobacco attitudes and knowledge increased significantly at one or both intervention schools. At one control school, reported tobacco education exposure decreased (p < .001) and antitobacco attitudes increased (p = .01). The results indicate that the curriculum increased perceived tobacco education exposure and significantly affected tobacco-related practices, attitudes, and knowledge.

Who Has the Advantage? Race and Sex Differences in Returns to Social Capital at Home and at School.

PubMed

Dufur, Mikaela J; Parcel, Toby L; Hoffmann, John P; Braudt, David B

2016-09-01

A growing body of literature suggests that social capital is a valuable resource for children and youth, and that returns to that capital can increase academic success. However, relatively little is known about whether youth from different backgrounds build social capital in the same way and whether they receive the same returns to that capital. We examine the creation of and returns to social capital in family and school settings on academic achievement, measured as standardized test scores, for white boys, black boys, white girls, and black girls who were seniors in high school in the United States. Our findings suggest that while youth in different groups build social capital in largely the same way, differences exist by race and sex as to how family social capital affects academic achievement. Girls obtain greater returns to family social capital than do boys, but no group receives significant returns to school social capital after controlling for individual- and school-level characteristics.

Who Has the Advantage? Race and Sex Differences in Returns to Social Capital at Home and at School*

PubMed Central

Dufur, Mikaela J.; Parcel, Toby L.; Hoffmann, John P.; Braudt, David B.

2016-01-01

A growing body of literature suggests that social capital is a valuable resource for children and youth, and that returns to that capital can increase academic success. However, relatively little is known about whether youth from different backgrounds build social capital in the same way and whether they receive the same returns to that capital. We examine the creation of and returns to social capital in family and school settings on academic achievement, measured as standardized test scores, for white boys, black boys, white girls, and black girls who were seniors in high school in the United States. Our findings suggest that while youth in different groups build social capital in largely the same way, differences exist by race and sex as to how family social capital affects academic achievement. Girls obtain greater returns to family social capital than do boys, but no group receives significant returns to school social capital after controlling for individual- and school-level characteristics. PMID:27594731

[Mental health promotion in school with school coaches: evaluation of a pilot project].

PubMed

Corrieri, Sandro; Conrad, Ines; Riedel-Heller, Steffi G

2015-03-01

How did the work of four school coaches in five Saxonian schools influence children's and adolescents' psychosocial development? At three points in time, students at intervention (N = 292) and control schools (N = 300) were evaluated concerning their social distance towards mentally ill people and their help-seeking behavior in case of crisis. The survey also included teachers (N = 323) and parents (N = 370). Data analysis was done descriptively and with random effects models. The social distance of the intervention schools declined significantly compared to the control schools. Having heard or read about mental illnesses, or personally knowing somebody affected by mental illness, led to less social distance and more empathy. Information increased the confidence to receive help from a professional consultant. Friends and family were the main reference groups. The school coaches were accepted as confidential persons and helped with school and private issues. The school coaches' work showed positive influence on all members of the school system. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

The Effects of Cooperative Learning on Student Achievement and Motivation in a High School Geometry Class.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nichols, Joe D.; Hall, Neff

In this study, the effects of a form of cooperative group instruction (Student Teams Achievement Divisions) on student motivation and achievement in a high school geometry class were examined. Ninety (mostly 10th-grade) students were randomly assigned to either a control group receiving traditional instruction or one of two treatment groups…

AN EVALUATION OF HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS PROGRAMMED TEXTS WHEN USED WITH DEAF STUDENTS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BORNSTEIN, HARRY

A COMPARISON WAS MADE OF THE RATE AND LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT OF 150 DEAF STUDENTS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF PROGRAMED TEXTS AS AGAINST THE USUAL LECTURE METHODS IN HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS. EACH OF FOUR MATHEMATICS TEACHERS HAD TWO COMPARABLE CLASSES. THE CONTROL GROUP RECEIVED INFORMATION BY SIMULTANEOUS LECTURE AND THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS USED THE…

Connectedness and Self-Regulation as Constructs of the Student Success Skills Program in Inner-City African American Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lemberger, Matthew E.; Clemens, Elysia V.

2012-01-01

The authors evaluated a small-group counseling intervention, Student Success Skills, provided to 53 inner-city, 4th- and 5th-grade African American students. Compared with the control group, students who received the treatment reported significant changes in metacognitive skill and feelings of connectedness to school. Furthermore, treatment-group…

Practising Democracy: Business Community Representatives in the Control of English and Welsh Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thody, Angela

The 1986 Education Act required that business community members in England and Wales be appointed to the governing boards of local public schools. Since the passage of the law, the idea of sponsored governors has developed. Sponsored governors receive financial supported from their companies to serve on the boards. A survey of employees of three…

Preparing World-Class Teachers: Essential Reforms of Teacher Preparation and Credentialing in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freedberg, Louis; Rice, Stephanie

2014-01-01

Despite the fundamentally important role of teachers in our public school system, how they are prepared is receiving far less attention than other current reforms, such as the Common Core State Standards, the Local Control Funding Formula, and new ways to assess and hold schools accountable for student performance. It has been more than 15 years…

Brief Intervention for Drug Abusing Adolescents in a School Setting: Outcomes and Mediating Factors

PubMed Central

Winters, Ken C.; Fahnhorst, Tamara; Botzet, Andria; Lee, Susanne; Lalone, Britani

2011-01-01

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the use of two brief intervention conditions for adolescents (aged 12–18 years) who have been identified in a school setting as abusing alcohol and other drugs. Adolescents and their parent (N = 315) were randomly assigned to receive either a 2-session adolescent only (BI-A), 2-session adolescent and additional parent session (BI-AP), or assessment only control condition (CON). Interventions were manually guided and delivered in a school setting by trained counselors. Adolescents and parents were assessed at intake and at 6 months following the completion of the intervention. Analyses of relative (change from intake to 6-months) and absolute (status at 6-months) outcome variables indicated that for the most part, adolescents in the BI-A and BI-AP conditions showed significantly more reductions in drug use behaviors compared to the CON group. Also, youth receiving the BI-AP condition showed significantly better outcomes compared to the BI-A group on several variables. Problem-solving skills and utilization of additional counseling services mediated outcome. The value of a school-based brief intervention for students is discussed. PMID:22000326

The NARCONON drug education curriculum for high school students: a non-randomized, controlled prevention trial.

PubMed

Lennox, Richard D; Cecchini, Marie A

2008-03-19

An estimated 13 million youths aged 12 to 17 become involved with alcohol, tobacco and other drugs annually. The number of 12- to 17-year olds abusing controlled prescription drugs increased an alarming 212 percent between 1992 and 2003. For many youths, substance abuse precedes academic and health problems including lower grades, higher truancy, drop out decisions, delayed or damaged physical, cognitive, and emotional development, or a variety of other costly consequences. For thirty years the Narconon program has worked with schools and community groups providing single educational modules aimed at supplementing existing classroom-based prevention activities. In 2004, Narconon International developed a multi-module, universal prevention curriculum for high school ages based on drug abuse etiology, program quality management data, prevention theory and best practices. We review the curriculum and its rationale and test its ability to change drug use behavior, perceptions of risk/benefits, and general knowledge. After informed parental consent, approximately 1000 Oklahoma and Hawai'i high school students completed a modified Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) Participant Outcome Measures for Discretionary Programs survey at three testing points: baseline, one month later, and six month follow-up. Schools assigned to experimental conditions scheduled the Narconon curriculum between the baseline and one-month follow-up test; schools in control conditions received drug education after the six-month follow-up. Student responses were analyzed controlling for baseline differences using analysis of covariance. At six month follow-up, youths who received the Narconon drug education curriculum showed reduced drug use compared with controls across all drug categories tested. The strongest effects were seen in all tobacco products and cigarette frequency followed by marijuana. There were also significant reductions measured for alcohol and amphetamines. The program also produced changes in knowledge, attitudes and perception of risk. The eight-module Narconon curriculum has thorough grounding in substance abuse etiology and prevention theory. Incorporating several historically successful prevention strategies this curriculum reduced drug use among youths.

Implementation of an educational intervention to improve hand washing in primary schools: process evaluation within a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Chittleborough, Catherine R; Nicholson, Alexandra L; Young, Elaine; Bell, Sarah; Campbell, Rona

2013-08-15

Process evaluations are useful for understanding how interventions are implemented in trial settings. This is important for interpreting main trial results and indicating how the intervention might function beyond the trial. The purpose of this study was to examine the reach, dose, fidelity, acceptability, and sustainability of the implementation of an educational hand washing intervention in primary schools, and to explore views regarding acceptability and sustainability of the intervention. Process evaluation within a cluster randomised controlled trial, including focus groups with pupils aged 6 to 11, semi-structured interviews with teachers and external staff who coordinated the intervention delivery, and school reports and direct observations of the intervention delivery. The educational package was delivered in 61.4% of schools (85.2% of intervention schools, 37.8% of control schools following completion of the trial). Teachers and pupils reacted positively to the intervention, although concerns were raised about the age-appropriateness of the resources. Teachers adapted the resources to suit their school setting and pupils. Staff coordinating the intervention delivery had limited capacity to follow up and respond to schools. The hand washing intervention was acceptable to schools, but its reach outside of a randomised trial, evidenced in the low proportion of schools in the control arm who received it after the trial had ended, suggests that the model of delivery may not be sustainable. ISRCTN: ISRCTN93576146.

Finnish parental involvement ethos, health support, health education knowledge and participation: results from a 2-year school health intervention.

PubMed

Sormunen, Marjorita; Tossavainen, Kerttu; Turunen, Hannele

2013-04-01

A 2-year, participatory action research school health study focused on developing components for home-school partnerships to support children's health learning process. Two intervention schools implemented strengthened health and collaboration-orientated activities; two control schools followed the national core curriculum without extracurricular activities. The parents of fourth-grade pupils (10-11 years at baseline) completed questionnaires before intervention in spring 2008 (N = 348) and after intervention in spring 2010 (N = 358). A two-way analysis of variance was conducted to determine whether time (2008/2010) and group (intervention/control) influenced parents' perceptions and experiences of parental involvement, health education and health support received from the school. Compared with controls, the intervention schools' parents experienced greater involvement ethos (Cohen's d = 0.57, P < 0.001), increased knowledge of health education (Cohen's d = 0.60, P = 0.02) and health support (Cohen's d = 0.35, P = 0.02). Health education participation among parents increased only partially during the intervention (Cohen's d = -0.12, P = 0.193). School health interventions based on schools' needs may have the potential to influence positively the relationship between home and school and increase the visibility of health education. The study was undertaken within the Schools for Health in Europe program.

[Effectiveness of a home visit program for adolescent mothers and their children].

PubMed

Aracena, Marcela; Leiva, Loreto; Undurraga, Consuelo; Krause, Mariane; Pérez, Carola; Cuadra, Victoria; Campos, María Silvia; Bedregal, Paula

2011-01-01

Home visiting is effective for the promotion and prevention of mother-child health in other countries, especially in vulnerable populations such as pregnant teenagers. To evaluate the association between receiving a home visiting program during pregnancy and child development during the first year of life, maternal mental health, perception of social support and school attendance. Cross sectional assessment of 132 teenage mother-sibling pairs. Of these, 87 received home visits and 45 were randomly assigned to a control group. The assessed variables were maternal mental health, perception of social support, life satisfaction, incorporation of mothers to school after delivery, child development and frequency of child abuse and neglect. Mothers that received home visits had a better mental health and went back to school in a higher proportion. No significant differences between groups were observed on perception of social support or child development. These results suggest the effectiveness of domiciliary visits performed by non-professionals, to improve mental health and social integration of teenage mothers.

Explaining the positive relationship between fourth-grade children's body mass index and energy intake at school-provided meals (breakfast and lunch).

PubMed

Guinn, Caroline H; Baxter, Suzanne D; Royer, Julie A; Hitchcock, David B

2013-05-01

A 2010 publication showed a positive relationship between children's body mass index (BMI) and energy intake at school-provided meals (as assessed by direct meal observations). To help explain that relationship, we investigated 7 outcome variables concerning aspects of school-provided meals: energy content of items selected, number of meal components selected, number of meal components eaten, amounts eaten of standardized school-meal portions, energy intake from flavored milk, energy intake received in trades, and energy content given in trades. Fourth-grade children (N = 465) from Columbia, SC, were observed eating school-provided breakfast and lunch on 1 to 4 days per child. Researchers measured children's weight and height. For daily values at school meals, a generalized linear model was fit with BMI (dependent variable) and the 7 outcome variables, sex, and age (independent variables). BMI was positively related to amounts eaten of standardized school-meal portions (p < .0001) and increased 8.45 kg/m(2) per serving, controlling for other variables in the model. BMI was positively related to energy intake from flavored milk (p = .0041) and increased 0.347 kg/m(2) for every 100 kcal consumed. BMI was negatively related to energy intake received in trades (p = .0003) and decreased 0.468 kg/m(2) for every 100 kcal received. BMI was not significantly related to 4 outcome variables. Knowing that relationships between BMI and actual consumption, not selection, at school-provided meals explained the (previously found) positive relationship between BMI and energy intake at school-provided meals is helpful for school-based obesity interventions. © 2013, American School Health Association.

Effects of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports on Child Behavior Problems

PubMed Central

Waasdorp, Tracy E.; Leaf, Philip J.

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE: School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is a universal prevention strategy currently implemented in >16 000 schools across the United States. SWPBIS intends to reduce students’ behavior problems by altering staff behaviors and developing systems and supports to meet children’s behavioral needs. The current study reports intervention effects on child behaviors and adjustment from an effectiveness trial of SWPBIS. METHODS: The sample of 12 344 elementary school children was 52.9% male, 45.1% African American, and 46.1% Caucasian. Approximately 49% received free or reduced-priced meals, and 12.9% received special education services at baseline. The trial used a group randomized controlled effectiveness design implemented in 37 elementary schools. Multilevel analyses were conducted on teachers’ ratings of children’s behavior problems, concentration problems, social-emotional functioning, prosocial behavior, office discipline referrals, and suspensions at 5 time points over the course of 4 school years. RESULTS: The multilevel results indicated significant effects of SWPBIS on children’s behavior problems, concentration problems, social-emotional functioning, and prosocial behavior. Children in SWPBIS schools also were 33% less likely to receive an office discipline referral than those in the comparison schools. The effects tended to be strongest among children who were first exposed to SWPBIS in kindergarten. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide support for the hypothesized reduction in behavior problems and improvements in prosocial behavior and effective emotion regulation after training in SWPBIS. The SWPBIS framework appears to be a promising approach for reducing problems and promoting adjustment among elementary school children. PMID:23071207

34 CFR 303.23 - Local educational agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... legally constituted within a State for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a... institution or agency having administrative control and direction of a public elementary school or secondary... population that is smaller than the student population of the LEA receiving assistance under the Act with the...

Improving adolescent mental health and resilience through a resilience-based intervention in schools: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Dray, Julia; Bowman, Jenny; Freund, Megan; Campbell, Elizabeth; Wolfenden, Luke; Hodder, Rebecca K; Wiggers, John

2014-07-18

Research investigating the effectiveness of universal interventions to reduce the risk of mental health problems remains limited. Schools are a promising setting within which adolescents can receive interventions aimed at promoting their mental health. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a resilience-based prevention-focused intervention in reducing the risk of mental health problems among adolescents attending secondary school in socio-economically disadvantaged areas. A cluster randomised control trial will be conducted, with schools as the unit of randomisation. Initially, 32 secondary schools will be randomly allocated to a control or intervention group (12 control and 20 intervention). An intervention focused on improving student internal and external resilience factors will be implemented in intervention schools. A survey of students in Grade 7 in both intervention and control schools will be conducted (baseline) and repeated three years later when the students are in Grade 10. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire will be used to measure the risk of mental health problems. At follow-up, the risk of mental health problems will be compared between Grade 10 students in intervention and control schools to determine intervention effectiveness. The study presents an opportunity to determine the effectiveness of a comprehensive resilience-based intervention in reducing the risk of mental health problems in adolescents attending secondary schools. The outcomes of the trial are of importance to youth, schools, mental health clinicians and policymakers. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000606987, registered 14 June 2011.

Improving adolescent mental health and resilience through a resilience-based intervention in schools: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Research investigating the effectiveness of universal interventions to reduce the risk of mental health problems remains limited. Schools are a promising setting within which adolescents can receive interventions aimed at promoting their mental health. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a resilience-based prevention-focused intervention in reducing the risk of mental health problems among adolescents attending secondary school in socio-economically disadvantaged areas. Methods/design A cluster randomised control trial will be conducted, with schools as the unit of randomisation. Initially, 32 secondary schools will be randomly allocated to a control or intervention group (12 control and 20 intervention). An intervention focused on improving student internal and external resilience factors will be implemented in intervention schools. A survey of students in Grade 7 in both intervention and control schools will be conducted (baseline) and repeated three years later when the students are in Grade 10. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire will be used to measure the risk of mental health problems. At follow-up, the risk of mental health problems will be compared between Grade 10 students in intervention and control schools to determine intervention effectiveness. Discussion The study presents an opportunity to determine the effectiveness of a comprehensive resilience-based intervention in reducing the risk of mental health problems in adolescents attending secondary schools. The outcomes of the trial are of importance to youth, schools, mental health clinicians and policymakers. Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000606987, registered 14 June 2011. PMID:25037455

Body Image in Primary Schools: A pilot evaluation of a primary school intervention program designed by teachers to improve children's body satisfaction.

PubMed

Halliwell, Emma; Yager, Zali; Paraskeva, Nicole; Diedrichs, Phillippa C; Smith, Hilary; White, Paul

2016-12-01

Body Image in the Primary School (Hutchinson & Calland, 2011) is a body image curriculum that is widely available but has not yet been evaluated. This study evaluates a set of 6 of the 49 available lessons from this curriculum. Seventy-four girls and 70 boys aged 9-10 were recruited from four primary schools in the UK. Schools were randomly allocated into the intervention condition, where students received 6hours of body image lessons, or to lessons as normal. Body esteem was significantly higher among girls in the intervention group, compared to the control group, immediately post intervention, and at 3-month follow-up. Moreover, girls with lowest levels of body esteem at baseline reported the largest gains. Internalization was significantly lower among boys in the control group compared to the intervention group at 3-month follow-up. The pattern of results among the control group raises interesting issues for intervention evaluation. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

25 CFR 39.145 - Can a school receive both a small school adjustment and a small high school adjustment?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... small high school adjustment? 39.145 Section 39.145 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE... Adjustment § 39.145 Can a school receive both a small school adjustment and a small high school adjustment? A school that meets the criteria in § 39.140 can receive both a small school adjustment and a small high...

25 CFR 39.145 - Can a school receive both a small school adjustment and a small high school adjustment?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... small high school adjustment? 39.145 Section 39.145 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE... Adjustment § 39.145 Can a school receive both a small school adjustment and a small high school adjustment? A school that meets the criteria in § 39.140 can receive both a small school adjustment and a small high...

25 CFR 39.145 - Can a school receive both a small school adjustment and a small high school adjustment?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... small high school adjustment? 39.145 Section 39.145 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE... Adjustment § 39.145 Can a school receive both a small school adjustment and a small high school adjustment? A school that meets the criteria in § 39.140 can receive both a small school adjustment and a small high...

Impact of trained champions of comprehensive school physical activity programs on school physical activity offerings, youth physical activity and sedentary behaviors.

PubMed

Carson, Russell L; Castelli, Darla M; Pulling Kuhn, Ann C; Moore, Justin B; Beets, Michael W; Beighle, Aaron; Aija, Rahma; Calvert, Hannah G; Glowacki, Elizabeth M

2014-12-01

A quasi-experimental cluster-controlled design was used to test the impact of comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) professional development on changes in school physical activity (PA) offerings, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behaviors of 9-14 year-old children during school. Two groups of Louisiana elementary and middle school physical education teachers (N=129) attended a CSPAP summer workshop (95 in 2012=intervention, 34 in 2013=control) and were assessed on school PA offerings (teacher-reported; pre, mid, and post). During the 2012-2013 school year, intervention teachers received CSPAP support while implementing new school PA programs. MVPA and sedentary behaviors were assessed (accelerometry; baseline and post) on a sample of 231 intervention, 120 control students from 16 different schools. Multivariate analysis of covariance indicated that intervention teachers reported significantly more PA offerings during school (3.35 vs. 2.37) and that involve staff (1.43 vs. 0.90). Three-level, mixed model regressions (stratified by sex) indicated that students overall spent less time in MVPA and more time being sedentary during school, but the effects were significantly blunted among intervention students, especially boys. This study provides preliminary evidence for CSPAP professional development programs to influence school-level PA offerings and offset student-level declines in MVPA and increases in sedentary behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc.

School-based intervention for childhood disruptive behavior in disadvantaged settings: a randomized controlled trial with and without active teacher support.

PubMed

Liber, Juliette M; De Boo, Gerly M; Huizenga, Hilde; Prins, Pier J M

2013-12-01

In this randomized controlled trial, we investigated the effectiveness of a school-based targeted intervention program for disruptive behavior. A child-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program was introduced at schools in disadvantaged settings and with active teacher support (ATS) versus educational teacher support (ETS) (CBT + ATS vs. CBT + ETS). Screening (n = 1,929) and assessment (n = 224) led to the inclusion of 173 children ages 8-12 years from 17 elementary schools. Most of the children were boys (n = 136, 79%) of low or low-to-middle class socioeconomic status (87%); the sample was ethnically diverse (63% of non-Western origin). Children received CBT + ATS (n = 29) or CBT + ETS (n = 41) or were entered into a waitlist control condition (n = 103) to be treated afterward (CBT + ATS, n = 39, and CBT + ETS, n = 64). Effect sizes (ES), clinical significance (reliable change), and the results of multilevel modeling are reported. Ninety-seven percent of children completed treatment. Teachers and parents reported positive posttreatment effects (mean ES = .31) for CBT compared with the waitlist control condition on disruptive behavior. Multilevel modeling showed similar results. Clinical significance was modest. Changes had remained stable or had increased at 3-months follow-up (mean ES = .39). No consistent effect of teacher condition was found at posttreatment; however, at follow-up, children who received ETS fared significantly better. This study shows that a school-based CBT program is beneficial for difficult-to-reach children with disruptive behavior: The completion rate was remarkably high, ESs (mean ES = .31) matched those of previous studies with targeted intervention, and effects were maintained or had increased at follow-up.

Study protocol: effects of school gardens on children's physical activity.

PubMed

Wells, Nancy M; Myers, Beth M; Henderson, Charles R

2014-01-01

Childhood obesity is an epidemic. Strategies are needed to promote children's healthy habits related to diet and physical activity. School gardens have the potential to bolster children's physical activity and reduce time spent in sedentary activity; however little research has examined the effect of gardens on children's physical activity. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) examines the effect of school gardens on children's overall physical activity and sedentary behavior; and on children's physical activity during the school day. In addition, physical activity levels and postures are compared using direct observation, outdoors, in the garden and indoors, in the classroom. Twelve New York State schools are randomly assigned to receive the school garden intervention or to serve in the wait-list control group that receives gardens and lessons at the end of the study. The intervention consists of a raised bed garden; access to a curriculum focused on nutrition, horticulture, and plant science and including activities and snack suggestions; resources for the school including information about food safety in the garden and related topics; a garden implementation guide provided guidance regarding planning, planting and maintaining the garden throughout the year; gardening during the summer; engaging volunteers; building community capacity, and sustaining the program. Data are collected at baseline and 3 post-intervention follow-up waves at 6, 12, and 18 months. Physical activity (PA) "usually" and "yesterday" is measured using surveys at each wave. In addition, at-school PA is measured using accelerometry for 3 days at each wave. Direct observation (PARAGON) is used to compare PA during an indoor classroom lesson versus outdoor, garden-based lesson. Results of this study will provide insight regarding the potential for school gardens to increase children's physical activity and decrease sedentary behaviors. Clinicaltrial.gov # NCT02148315.

A Trial of the Efficacy and Cost of Water Delivery Systems in San Francisco Bay Area Middle Schools, 2013

PubMed Central

Grummon, Anna H.; Hampton, Karla E.; Oliva, Ariana; McCulloch, Charles E.; Brindis, Claire D.

2016-01-01

Introduction US legislation requires that schools offer free drinking water where meals are served. However, little information is available about what types of water delivery systems schools should install to meet such requirements. The study objective was to examine the efficacy and cost of 2 water delivery systems (water dispensers and bottleless water coolers) in increasing students’ lunchtime intake of water in low-income middle schools. Methods In 2013, twelve middle schools in the San Francisco Bay Area participated in a cluster randomized controlled trial in which they received 6 weeks of promotional activities, received provision of cups, and were assigned to 1 of 2 cafeteria water delivery systems: water dispensers or bottleless water coolers (or schools served as a control). Student surveys (n = 595) and observations examined the interventions’ effect on students’ beverage intake and staff surveys and public data assessed intervention cost. Results Analysis occurred from 2013 through 2015. Mixed-effects logistic regression, accounting for clustering and adjustment for student sociodemographic characteristics, demonstrated a significant increase in the odds of students drinking water in schools with promotion plus water dispensers and cups (adjusted odds ratio = 3.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.4–6.7; P = .004) compared with schools with traditional drinking fountains and no cups or promotion. The cost of dispenser and bottleless water cooler programs was similar ($0.04 per student per day). Conclusion Instead of relying on traditional drinking fountains, schools should consider installing water sources, such as plastic dispensers with cups, as a low-cost, effective means for increasing students’ water intake. PMID:27390074

The Effectiveness of a Computer-Assisted Instruction Package in Supplementing Teaching of Selected Concepts in High School Chemistry: Writing Formulas and Balancing Chemical Equations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wainwright, Camille L.

Four classes of high school chemistry students (N=108) were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups to investigate the effectiveness of a computer assisted instruction (CAI) package during a unit on writing/naming of chemical formulas and balancing equations. Students in the experimental group received drill, review, and reinforcement…

Early elementary school intervention to reduce conduct problems: a randomized trial with Hispanic and non-Hispanic children.

PubMed

Barrera, Manuel; Biglan, Anthony; Taylor, Ted K; Gunn, Barbara K; Smolkowski, Keith; Black, Carol; Ary, Dennis V; Fowler, Rollen C

2002-06-01

Children's aggressive behavior and reading difficulties during early elementary school years are risk factors for adolescent problem behaviors such as delinquency, academic failure, and substance use. This study determined if a comprehensive intervention that was designed to address both of these risk factors could affect teacher, parent, and observer measures of internalizing and externalizing problems. European American (n = 116) and Hispanic (n = 168) children from 3 communities who were selected for aggressiveness or reading difficulties were randomly assigned to an intervention or no-intervention control condition. Intervention families received parent training, and their children received social behavior interventions and supplementary reading instruction over a 2-year period. At the end of intervention, playground observations showed that treated children displayed less negative social behavior than controls. At the end of a 1-year follow-up, treated children showed less teacher-rated internalizing and less parent-rated coercive and antisocial behavior than controls. The study's limitations and implications for prevention are discussed.

Does the Structure of Dental Hygiene Instruction Impact Plaque Control in Primary School Students?

PubMed

Colaizzi, Lynda R; Tomar, Scott L; Urdegar, Steven M; Kass, Susan H

2015-06-01

A 6-month pilot study was conducted to test the assumption that an interactive, contextualized tooth brushing education program would impact the oral hygiene of low income students. The intervention consisted of an educational program focused on tooth brushing that included interactive sessions with dental professionals and teachers. School 1 students received instruction, toothbrushes, and encouragement to brush their teeth daily after lunch. School 2 students received instruction only. School 3 students only received toothbrushes to remove plaque. Children in all 3 schools were examined by trained dental hygiene students who used plaque disclosing liquid to score the amount of plaque. A predictive correlational design was used to determine the extent that different intervention types and/or demographic/hygiene practices predicted differences in post intervention plaque level, once baseline plaque level was taken into account. A total of 254 first and second grade students in 3 public elementary schools in Miami participated in the study. Overall, mean plaque scores were significantly lower at the 6 month follow-up. Between-group comparisons of the mean follow-up scores, adjusted for the effect of the baseline scores, revealed greater but non-significant plaque reduction at School 1 compared to the other schools, and the presence of significant age and ethnic effects. The most intensive intervention instruction accompanied by repeated practice may lead to improved oral hygiene when compared to instruction alone, when oral hygiene practices and demographic characteristics are taken into account. Design changes intended to increase statistical power may help to explicate these effects. Copyright © 2015 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

Efficacy and Safety of Drotaverine Hydrochloride in Children with Recurrent Abdominal Pain: A Randomized Placebo Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Narang, Manish; Shah, Dheeraj; Akhtar, Hina

2015-10-01

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Drotaverine hydrochroride in children with recurrent abdominal pain. Double blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial. Pediatric Gastroenterology clinic of a teaching hospital. 132 children (age 4-12 y) with recurrent abdominal pain (Apley Criteria) randomized to receivedrotaverine (n=66) or placebo (n=66) orally. Children between 4-6 years of age received 10 mL syrup orally (20 mg drotaverine hydrochloride or placebo) thrice daily for 4 weeks while children >6 years of age received one tablet orally (40 mg drotaverine hydrochloride or placebo) thrice daily for 4 weeks. Primary: Number of episodes of pain during 4 weeks of use of drug/placebo and number of pain-free days. Secondary: Number of school days missed during the study period, parental satisfaction (on a Likert scale), and occurrence of solicited adverse effects. Reduction in number of episodes of abdominal pain [mean (SD) number of episodes 10.3 (14) vs 21.6 (32.4); P=0.01] and lesser school absence [mean (SD) number of school days missed 0.25 (0.85) vs 0.71 (1.59); P=0.05] was noticed in children receiving drotaverine in comparison to those who received placebo. The number of pain-free days, were comparable in two groups [17.4 (8.2) vs 15.6 (8.7); P=0.23]. Significant improvement in parental satisfaction score was noticed on Likert scale by estimation of mood, activity, alertness, comfort and fluid intake. Frequency of adverse events during follow-up period was comparable between children receiving drotaverine or placebo (46.9% vs 46.7%; P=0.98). Drotaverine hydrochloride is an effective and safe pharmaceutical agent in the management of recurrent abdominal pain in children.

A school-based, peer leadership physical activity intervention for 6th graders

PubMed Central

Barr-Anderson, Daheia J.; Laska, Melissa N.; Veblen-Mortenson, Sara; Dudovitz, Bonnie; Farbarksh, Kian; Story, Mary

2012-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to promote physical activity in 6th graders by developing and testing the feasibility of an enhanced Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) program comprised of a peer leadership component and innovative exercise resource toolkit including DVDs. Method A racially/ethnically diverse sample of students received the standard PALA program (2 control schools, n=61) or enhanced PALA+Peers program (2 intervention schools, n=87) during 2006–2007 academic year. Results Compared to the control condition, the intervention was successful in increasing moderate physical activity in all students (p=0.02) and moderate and hard physical activity among girls (p=0.03 and p=0.04, respectively). Teachers and students reported a high level of satisfaction and receptivity with the intervention. All teachers thought the DVDs were well-received, and 87% of students reported that they would recommend the enhanced program to peers. Conclusion Coupling peer leadership and DVDs that promote physical activity may be an effective way to increase youth physical activity. PMID:21945980

Effects of an obesity management mentoring program for Korean children.

PubMed

Lee, Gyu-Young; Choi, Yun-Jung

2016-08-01

This research aimed to develop and test a mentored obesity management program guiding physical exercise, improving eating habits, and promoting self-esteem among elementary school learners. A nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. Thirty learners were recruited through convenience sampling from two elementary schools, then evenly assigned to the experimental and control groups. Six nursing students were mentored, receiving 16h of mentorship training. A 10-week mentored obesity management program promoting physical exercise and proper nutrition was developed and provided. The two groups' pretest and posttest body mass index and self-esteem differences were statistically significant. Most participants were satisfied with the program, endorsing its provision in the regular school curriculum. A mentored obesity management program for elementary school learners would effectively manage weight and improve self-esteem. Programs purportedly curtailing childhood obesity should be expanded, and school policies regulated to enable implementation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of a Behavioral Sleep Intervention on New School Entrants' Social Emotional Functioning and Sleep: A Translational Randomized Trial.

PubMed

Hiscock, Harriet; Quach, Jon; Paton, Kate; Peat, Rebecca; Gold, Lisa; Arnup, Sarah; Sia, Kah-Ling; Nicolaou, Elizabeth; Wake, Melissa

2018-05-14

Determine the effects and costs of a brief behavioral sleep intervention, previously shown to improve child social-emotional functioning, sleep, and parent mental health, in a translational trial. Three hundred thirty-four school entrant children from 47 primary schools in Melbourne, Australia, with parent-reported moderate to severe behavioral sleep problems. intervention group received sleep hygiene practices and standardized behavioral strategies delivered by trained school nurses in 2013 and 2014. Control group children could receive usual community care. Outcome measures: child social-emotional functioning (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 psychosocial health summary score-primary outcome), sleep problems (parent-reported severity, Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire), behavior, academic function, working memory, child and parent quality of life, and parent mental health. At six months post randomization, 145 (of 168) intervention and 155 (of 166) control families completed the primary outcome for which there was no difference. Intervention compared with control children had fewer sleep problems (35.2% vs. 52.7% respectively, OR 0.5; 95% CI 0.3 to 0.8, p = 0.002) and better sleep patterns (e.g., longer sleep duration). Their parents reported fewer symptoms of depression. All differences attenuated by 12 months. There was no difference in other outcomes at either time point. Intervention costs: $AUS 182/child. A brief behavioral sleep intervention, delivered by school nurses to children with behavioral sleep problems, does not improve social emotional functioning. Benefits to child sleep and parent mental health are evident at 6 but not 12 months. Approaches that increase intervention dosage may improve outcomes.

Violence in Brazilian schools: Analysis of the effect of the #Tamojunto prevention program for bullying and physical violence.

PubMed

Gusmões, Júlia D S P; Sañudo, Adriana; Valente, Juliana Y; Sanchez, Zila M

2018-02-01

A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 6637 7th- and 8th-grade students in 72 public schools in 6 Brazilian cities to evaluate the effects of the European drug prevention program Unplugged, called #Tamojunto in Brazil. This article evaluates the effects of #Tamojunto on the prevention of bullying and physical violence. Baseline data were collected from both intervention and control groups prior to program implementation. Follow-up data collection was performed 9 and 21 months later. Generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate changes in the reporting of receiving or practicing bullying and physical violence over time. The program was found to reduce the likelihood of receiving bullying, particularly in the stratum of girls aged 13-15 years at the 9-month follow-up time point. The effect was not sustained at 21 months. There was no significant effect for practicing bullying and for receiving or practicing physical violence. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implementation of an educational intervention to improve hand washing in primary schools: process evaluation within a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Process evaluations are useful for understanding how interventions are implemented in trial settings. This is important for interpreting main trial results and indicating how the intervention might function beyond the trial. The purpose of this study was to examine the reach, dose, fidelity, acceptability, and sustainability of the implementation of an educational hand washing intervention in primary schools, and to explore views regarding acceptability and sustainability of the intervention. Methods Process evaluation within a cluster randomised controlled trial, including focus groups with pupils aged 6 to 11, semi-structured interviews with teachers and external staff who coordinated the intervention delivery, and school reports and direct observations of the intervention delivery. Results The educational package was delivered in 61.4% of schools (85.2% of intervention schools, 37.8% of control schools following completion of the trial). Teachers and pupils reacted positively to the intervention, although concerns were raised about the age-appropriateness of the resources. Teachers adapted the resources to suit their school setting and pupils. Staff coordinating the intervention delivery had limited capacity to follow up and respond to schools. Conclusions The hand washing intervention was acceptable to schools, but its reach outside of a randomised trial, evidenced in the low proportion of schools in the control arm who received it after the trial had ended, suggests that the model of delivery may not be sustainable. Trial registration ISRCTN: ISRCTN93576146 PMID:23947388

Assessment of community-level effects of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in schoolchildren in Jinja, Uganda (START-IPT trial): a cluster-randomised trial.

PubMed

Staedke, Sarah G; Maiteki-Sebuguzi, Catherine; Rehman, Andrea M; Kigozi, Simon P; Gonahasa, Samuel; Okiring, Jaffer; Lindsay, Steve W; Kamya, Moses R; Chandler, Clare I R; Dorsey, Grant; Drakeley, Chris

2018-06-01

Intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) is a well established malaria control intervention. Evidence that delivering IPT to schoolchildren could provide community-level benefits is limited. We did a cluster-randomised controlled trial to assess the effect of IPT of primary schoolchildren with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) on indicators of malaria transmission in the community, in Jinja, Uganda. We included 84 clusters, each comprising one primary school and the 100 closest available households. The clusters were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive IPT with DP or standard care (control) by restricted randomisation to ensure balance by geography and school type. Children in intervention schools received IPT monthly for up to six rounds (June to December, 2014). We did cross-sectional community surveys in randomly selected households at baseline and in January to April, 2015, during which we measured participants' temperatures and obtained finger-prick blood smears for measurement of parasite prevalence by microscopy. We also did entomological surveys 1 night per month in households from 20 randomly selected IPT and 20 control clusters. The primary trial outcome was parasite prevalence in the final community survey. The primary entomological survey outcome was the annual entomological inoculation rate (aEIR) from July, 2014, to April, 2015. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02009215. Among 23 280 students registered in the 42 intervention schools, 10 079 (43%) aged 5-20 years were enrolled and received at least one dose of DP. 9286 (92%) of 10 079 received at least one full course of DP (three doses). Community-level parasite prevalence was lower in the intervention clusters than in the control clusters (19% vs 23%, adjusted risk ratio 0·85, 95% CI 0·73-1·00, p=0·05). The aEIR was lower in the intervention group than in the control group, but not significantly so (10·1 vs 15·2 infective bites per person, adjusted incidence rate ratio 0·80, 95% CI 0·36-1·80, p=0·59). IPT of schoolchildren with DP might have a positive effect on community-level malaria indicators and be operationally feasible. Studies with greater IPT coverage are needed. UK Medical Research Council, UK Department for International Development, and Wellcome Trust. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Educational achievement in Swiss childhood cancer survivors compared with the general population.

PubMed

Kuehni, Claudia E; Strippoli, Marie-Pierre F; Rueegg, Corina S; Rebholz, Cornelia E; Bergstraesser, Eva; Grotzer, Michael; von der Weid, Nicolas X; Michel, Gisela

2012-03-01

The objective of this study was to describe educational achievements of childhood cancer survivors in Switzerland compared with the general population. In particular, the authors investigated educational problems during childhood, final educational achievement in adulthood, and its predictors. Childhood cancer survivors who were aged <16 years at diagnosis from 1976 to 2003 who had survived for ≥5 years and were currently ages 20 to 40 years received a postal questionnaire during 2007 to 2009. Controls were respondents of the Swiss Health Survey ages 20 to 40 years. Educational achievement included compulsory schooling, vocational training, upper secondary schooling, and university degree. The analysis was weighted to optimize comparability of the populations. The authors analyzed the association between demographic and clinical predictors and educational achievement using multivariable logistic regression. Subgroup analyses focused on survivors aged ≥27 years. One-third of survivors encountered educational problems during schooling (30% repeated 1 year, and 35% received supportive tutoring). In the total sample, more survivors than controls achieved compulsory schooling only (8.7% vs 5.2%) and fewer acquired a university degree (7.3% vs 11%), but more survivors than controls achieved an upper secondary education (36.1 vs 24.1%). In those aged ≥27 years, differences in compulsory schooling and university education largely disappeared. In survivors and controls, sex, nationality, language region, and migration background were strong predictors of achievement. Survivors of central nervous system tumors or those who had a relapse had poorer outcomes (P < .05). Childhood cancer survivors encountered problems during schooling and completed professional education with some delay. However, with the exception of patients who had central nervous system tumors and those who experienced a relapse, the final educational achievement in survivors of child cancer was comparable to that of the general population. Copyright © 2011 American Cancer Society.

A randomised controlled trial of clinics in secondary schools for adolescents with asthma.

PubMed Central

Salisbury, Chris; Francis, Caia; Rogers, Chris; Parry, Kate; Thomas, Huw; Chadwick, Stephanie; Turton, Pat

2002-01-01

AIM: To compare a nurse-led clinic in schools versus care in general practice for adolescents with asthma. DESIGN OF STUDY: Randomised controlled trial in four schools; parallel observational study in two schools. SETTING: Six comprehensive schools. METHOD: In the randomised trial, pupils were invited to attend asthma review at a nurse-led clinic either in school, or in general practice. The parallel observational study compared pupils invited to practice care within and outside the randomised trial. Primary outcome measures were attendance for asthma review, symptom control, and quality of life. Secondary outcomes were knowledge, attitudes, inhaler technique, use of steroids, school absence, peak flow rate, preference for future care, health service utilisation, and costs. RESULTS: School clinic pupils were more likely to attend an asthma review than those randomised to practice care (90.8% versus 51.0% overall [P < 0.001, not consistent across schools]). No differences were observed in symptom control (P = 0.42) or quality of life (P = 0.63). Pupils attending school clinics had greater knowledge of asthma (difference = +0.38, 95% CI = 0.19 to 0.56), more positive attitudes (difference = +0.21, 95% CI = 0.05 to 0.36), and better inhaler technique (P < 0.001, not consistent across all schools). No differences were observed in school absence or peak flow rate. A majority (63%) of those who had received care at school preferred this model in future. Median costs of providing care at school and at the practice were 32.10 Pounds and 19.80 Pounds, respectively. No differences were observed between the groups in the observational comparison on any outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The schools asthma clinic increased uptake of asthma reviews. There were improvements in various process measures, but not in clinical outcomes. PMID:12528584

Study protocol for a self-controlled cluster randomised trial of the Alert Program to improve self-regulation and executive function in Australian Aboriginal children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

PubMed Central

Fitzpatrick, James P; Mazzucchelli, Trevor G; Symons, Martyn; Carmichael Olson, Heather; Jirikowic, Tracy; Cross, Donna; Wright, Edie; Adams, Emma; Carter, Maureen; Bruce, Kaashifah; Latimer, Jane

2018-01-01

Introduction While research highlights the benefits of early diagnosis and intervention for children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), there are limited data documenting effective interventions for Australian children living in remote communities. Methods and analysis This self-controlled cluster randomised trial is evaluating the effectiveness of an 8-week Alert Program school curriculum for improving self-regulation and executive function in children living in remote Australian Aboriginal communities. Children in grades 1–6 attending any of the eight participating schools across the Fitzroy Valley in remote North-West Australia (N ≈ 363) were invited to participate. Each school was assigned to one of four clusters with clusters randomly assigned to receive the intervention at one of four time points. Clusters two, three and four had extended control conditions where students received regular schooling before later receiving the intervention. Trained classroom teachers delivered the Alert Program to students in discrete, weekly, 1-hour lessons. Student outcomes were assessed at three time points. For the intervention condition, data collection occurred 2 weeks immediately before and after the intervention, with a follow-up 8 weeks later. For control conditions in clusters two to four, the control data collection matched that of the data collection for the intervention condition in the preceding cluster. The primary outcome is change in self-regulation. FASD diagnoses will be determined via medical record review after the completion of data collection. The results will be analysed using generalised linear mixed modelling and reported in accordance with Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Western Australia (WA) (RA/4/1/7234), WA Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee (601) and WA Country Health Service (2015:04). The Kimberley Aboriginal Health Planning Forum Research Sub-Committee and WA Department of Education also provided approval. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, the media and at forums. Trial registration number ACTRN12615000733572; Pre-results. PMID:29581212

Low-Cost, Scalable Classroom-Based Approach to Promoting Physical Activity in Preschool Children

PubMed Central

McCrady-Spitzer, Shelly K; Sagdalen, Vanessa; Manohar, Chinmay U; Levine, James A

2017-01-01

Background This study examined the impact of short activity breaks in preschool children. The hypotheses were that preschool children receiving three five-minute activity breaks per day would increase (a) school time physical activity and (b) education scores compared to a control group not receiving the intervention. Methods For 8 weeks, the Intervention Group (n = 13) incorporated three 5-minute activity breaks into their classroom time while the Control Group (n = 12) did not incorporate the activity breaks. Physical activity was measured using a triaxial accelerometer. Education was assessed using standardized methods. Findings After 8 weeks, the preschool children in the Intervention Group increased their school time physical activity from 11,641 ± (SD) 1,368 Acceleration Units (AU)/ hour to 16,058 ± 2,253 AU/hour (P < 0.001). The children in the control group did not increase their physical activity (11,379 ± 2,427 cf 11,624 ± 2,441; ns). Students in the Intervention Group improved their education scores more than students in the control group (18 ± 12 cf 8 ± 7 points, P = 0.01); Letter Recognition improved in particular (9 ± 6 cf 2 ± 4 points, P = 0.001). Conclusions The incorporation of three 5-minute activity breaks was associated with increased school time physical activity and improved learning. PMID:28936491

Menstrual cups and sanitary pads to reduce school attrition, and sexually transmitted and reproductive tract infections: a cluster randomised controlled feasibility study in rural Western Kenya.

PubMed

Phillips-Howard, Penelope A; Nyothach, Elizabeth; Ter Kuile, Feiko O; Omoto, Jackton; Wang, Duolao; Zeh, Clement; Onyango, Clayton; Mason, Linda; Alexander, Kelly T; Odhiambo, Frank O; Eleveld, Alie; Mohammed, Aisha; van Eijk, Anna M; Edwards, Rhiannon Tudor; Vulule, John; Faragher, Brian; Laserson, Kayla F

2016-11-23

Conduct a feasibility study on the effect of menstrual hygiene on schoolgirls' school and health (reproductive/sexual) outcomes. 3-arm single-site open cluster randomised controlled pilot study. 30 primary schools in rural western Kenya, within a Health and Demographic Surveillance System. Primary schoolgirls 14-16 years, experienced 3 menses, no precluding disability, and resident in the study area. 1 insertable menstrual cup, or monthly sanitary pads, against 'usual practice' control. All participants received puberty education preintervention, and hand wash soap during intervention. Schools received hand wash soap. Primary: school attrition (drop-out, absence); secondary: sexually transmitted infection (STI) (Trichomonas vaginalis, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoea), reproductive tract infection (RTI) (bacterial vaginosis, Candida albicans); safety: toxic shock syndrome, vaginal Staphylococcus aureus. Of 751 girls enrolled 644 were followed-up for a median of 10.9 months. Cups or pads did not reduce school dropout risk (control=8.0%, cups=11.2%, pads=10.2%). Self-reported absence was rarely reported and not assessable. Prevalence of STIs in the end-of-study survey among controls was 7.7% versus 4.2% in the cups arm (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) 0.48, 0.24 to 0.96, p=0.039), 4.5% with pads (aPR=0.62; 0.37 to 1.03, p=0.063), and 4.3% with cups and pads pooled (aPR=0.54, 0.34 to 0.87, p=0.012). RTI prevalence was 21.5%, 28.5% and 26.9% among cup, pad and control arms, 71% of which were bacterial vaginosis, with a prevalence of 14.6%, 19.8% and 20.5%, per arm, respectively. Bacterial vaginosis was less prevalent in the cups (12.9%) compared with pads (20.3%, aPR=0.65, 0.44 to 0.97, p=0.034) and control (19.2%, aPR=0.67, 0.43 to 1.04, p=0.075) arm girls enrolled for 9 months or longer. No adverse events were identified. Provision of menstrual cups and sanitary pads for ∼1 school-year was associated with a lower STI risk, and cups with a lower bacterial vaginosis risk, but there was no association with school dropout. A large-scale trial on menstrual cups is warranted. ISRCTN17486946; Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Menstrual cups and sanitary pads to reduce school attrition, and sexually transmitted and reproductive tract infections: a cluster randomised controlled feasibility study in rural Western Kenya

PubMed Central

Phillips-Howard, Penelope A; Nyothach, Elizabeth; ter Kuile, Feiko O; Omoto, Jackton; Wang, Duolao; Zeh, Clement; Onyango, Clayton; Mason, Linda; Alexander, Kelly T; Odhiambo, Frank O; Eleveld, Alie; Mohammed, Aisha; van Eijk, Anna M; Edwards, Rhiannon Tudor; Vulule, John; Faragher, Brian; Laserson, Kayla F

2016-01-01

Objectives Conduct a feasibility study on the effect of menstrual hygiene on schoolgirls' school and health (reproductive/sexual) outcomes. Design 3-arm single-site open cluster randomised controlled pilot study. Setting 30 primary schools in rural western Kenya, within a Health and Demographic Surveillance System. Participants Primary schoolgirls 14–16 years, experienced 3 menses, no precluding disability, and resident in the study area. Interventions 1 insertable menstrual cup, or monthly sanitary pads, against ‘usual practice’ control. All participants received puberty education preintervention, and hand wash soap during intervention. Schools received hand wash soap. Primary and secondary outcome measures Primary: school attrition (drop-out, absence); secondary: sexually transmitted infection (STI) (Trichomonas vaginalis, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoea), reproductive tract infection (RTI) (bacterial vaginosis, Candida albicans); safety: toxic shock syndrome, vaginal Staphylococcus aureus. Results Of 751 girls enrolled 644 were followed-up for a median of 10.9 months. Cups or pads did not reduce school dropout risk (control=8.0%, cups=11.2%, pads=10.2%). Self-reported absence was rarely reported and not assessable. Prevalence of STIs in the end-of-study survey among controls was 7.7% versus 4.2% in the cups arm (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) 0.48, 0.24 to 0.96, p=0.039), 4.5% with pads (aPR=0.62; 0.37 to 1.03, p=0.063), and 4.3% with cups and pads pooled (aPR=0.54, 0.34 to 0.87, p=0.012). RTI prevalence was 21.5%, 28.5% and 26.9% among cup, pad and control arms, 71% of which were bacterial vaginosis, with a prevalence of 14.6%, 19.8% and 20.5%, per arm, respectively. Bacterial vaginosis was less prevalent in the cups (12.9%) compared with pads (20.3%, aPR=0.65, 0.44 to 0.97, p=0.034) and control (19.2%, aPR=0.67, 0.43 to 1.04, p=0.075) arm girls enrolled for 9 months or longer. No adverse events were identified. Conclusions Provision of menstrual cups and sanitary pads for ∼1 school-year was associated with a lower STI risk, and cups with a lower bacterial vaginosis risk, but there was no association with school dropout. A large-scale trial on menstrual cups is warranted. Trial registration ISRCTN17486946; Results PMID:27881530

Use, acceptability and impact of booklets designed to support mental health self-management and help seeking in schools: results of a large randomised controlled trial in England.

PubMed

Sharpe, Helen; Patalay, Praveetha; Vostanis, Panos; Belsky, Jay; Humphrey, Neil; Wolpert, Miranda

2017-03-01

Mental health booklets may provide a low-cost means of promoting mental health self-management and help seeking in schools. The aim of the study was to assess the (a) use, (b) acceptability and (c) impact of booklets for students in primary (10-11 years) and secondary school (12-13 years) alone and in conjunction with funding for targeted mental health support. This was a 2 × 2 factorial cluster randomized controlled trial, in which 846 schools in England were randomly allocated to receive/not receive: (1) booklets for students containing information on mental health self-management and help seeking, and (2) funding for mental health support as part of a national mental health initiative. 14,690 students (8139 primary, 6551 secondary) provided self-report on mental health, quality of life (baseline and 1 year follow-up) and help seeking (follow-up). (a) Approximately, 40 % primary school students and 20 % secondary school students reported seeing the booklets. (b) Of these, 87 % of primary school students reported that the booklet was 'very helpful' or 'quite helpful', compared with 73 % in secondary school. (c) There was no detectable impact of booklets on mental health, quality of life or help seeking, either alone or in conjunction with additional funding through the national mental health initiative. Lack of discernable impact of booklets underscores the need for caution in adopting such an approach. However, it is feasible that the impact was obscured by low uptake or that booklets may be more effective when used in a targeted way.

Study protocol: can a school gardening intervention improve children’s diets?

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The current academic literature suggests there is a potential for using gardening as a tool to improve children’s fruit and vegetable intake. This study is two parallel randomised controlled trials (RCT) devised to evaluate the school gardening programme of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Campaign for School Gardening, to determine if it has an effect on children’s fruit and vegetable intake. Method/Design Trial One will consist of 26 schools; these schools will be randomised into two groups, one to receive the intensive intervention as “Partner Schools” and the other to receive the less intensive intervention as “Associate Schools”. Trial Two will consist of 32 schools; these schools will be randomised into either the less intensive intervention “Associate Schools” or a comparison group with delayed intervention. Baseline data collection will be collected using a 24-hour food diary (CADET) to collect data on dietary intake and a questionnaire exploring children’s knowledge and attitudes towards fruit and vegetables. A process measures questionnaire will be used to assess each school’s gardening activities. Discussion The results from these trials will provide information on the impact of the RHS Campaign for School Gardening on children’s fruit and vegetable intake. The evaluation will provide valuable information for designing future research in primary school children’s diets and school based interventions. Trial registration ISRCTN11396528 PMID:22537179

Development of a school-based program for adolescents at-risk for depression in India: results from a pilot study.

PubMed

Singhal, Meghna; Manjula, M; Vijay Sagar, K John

2014-08-01

A majority of adolescents in India, who are at risk for depression, do not receive treatment or receive it when the psychopathology has become entrenched and chronic. The present pilot study was an endeavor to assess the felt needs of adolescents vis-à-vis the difficulties and stressors experienced by them. For this purpose, 300 students across three schools were screened using standardized measures. Another objective of the study was to develop and test a school-based Coping Skills Program to address adolescents at-risk for depression. Schools were sequentially assigned to intervention or control conditions; students of index (n=13) and control (n=6) groups were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 months follow-up. At post-intervention for the index group, all outcomes measures except coping skills-including depressive symptoms, negative cognitions, academic stress, and social problem-solving-showed change in the expected direction, this difference assuming significance at follow-up. The program was rated positively by students using anonymous feedback and there was low to nil perceived stigmatization. Results are discussed in the context of need for such intervention programs in India, and future scope of research involving larger samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Primary Prevention of PTSD in Firefighters: Preliminary Results of an RCT with 12-Month Follow-Up.

PubMed

Skeffington, Petra M; Rees, Clare S; Mazzucchelli, Trevor G; Kane, Robert T

2016-01-01

To develop and evaluate an evidence-based and theory driven program for the primary prevention of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A pre-intervention / post-intervention / follow up control group design with clustered random allocation of participants to groups was used. The "control" group received "Training as Usual" (TAU). Participants were 45 career recruits within the recruit school at the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) in Western Australia. The intervention group received a four-hour resilience training intervention (Mental Agility and Psychological Strength training) as part of their recruit training school curriculum. Data was collected at baseline and at 6- and 12-months post intervention. We found no evidence that the intervention was effective in the primary prevention of mental health issues, nor did we find any significant impact of MAPS training on social support or coping strategies. A significant difference across conditions in trauma knowledge is indicative of some impact of the MAPS program. While the key hypotheses were not supported, this study is the first randomised control trial investigating the primary prevention of PTSD. Practical barriers around the implementation of this program, including constraints within the recruit school, may inform the design and implementation of similar programs in the future. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12615001362583.

Time Spent Outdoors at Midday and Children’s Body Mass Index

PubMed Central

Milne, Elizabeth; Simpson, Julie A.; Johnston, Robyn; Giles-Corti, Billie; English, Dallas R.

2007-01-01

Objectives. We investigated whether the Kidskin sun protection intervention increased children’s body mass index by reducing the time spent outdoors at midday. Methods. The Kidskin sun protection intervention involved 1614 Australian school children assigned to 1 of 3 groups: a control group, a moderate-intervention group, or a high-intervention group. Schools in the control group received the standard health curriculum and schools in the intervention groups received a multicomponent intervention. Outcomes included time spent outdoors and nevus development (a marker of melanoma risk). Height and weight were measured at 3 time points. Body mass index was transformed into age- and gender-specific z scores; z scores at each age were modeled simultaneously. Time spent outdoors at ages 10 and 12 years was analyzed using a linear mixed effects modeling. Results. The proportion of children who were overweight or obese increased with age. The moderate-intervention and control groups had a minimal increase in z score over time, and the z score for the high-intervention group decreased over time. There were no differences among groups with respect to total time outdoors at any age. Conclusions. It is possible to reduce the time children spend outdoors when ultraviolet radiation is high without producing an unfavorable effect on the children’s body mass index. PMID:17194858

Mindfulness-based prevention for eating disorders: A school-based cluster randomized controlled study.

PubMed

Atkinson, Melissa J; Wade, Tracey D

2015-11-01

Successful prevention of eating disorders represents an important goal due to damaging long-term impacts on health and well-being, modest treatment outcomes, and low treatment seeking among individuals at risk. Mindfulness-based approaches have received early support in the treatment of eating disorders, but have not been evaluated as a prevention strategy. This study aimed to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a novel mindfulness-based intervention for reducing the risk of eating disorders among adolescent females, under both optimal (trained facilitator) and task-shifted (non-expert facilitator) conditions. A school-based cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in which 19 classes of adolescent girls (N = 347) were allocated to a three-session mindfulness-based intervention, dissonance-based intervention, or classes as usual control. A subset of classes (N = 156) receiving expert facilitation were analyzed separately as a proxy for delivery under optimal conditions. Task-shifted facilitation showed no significant intervention effects across outcomes. Under optimal facilitation, students receiving mindfulness demonstrated significant reductions in weight and shape concern, dietary restraint, thin-ideal internalization, eating disorder symptoms, and psychosocial impairment relative to control by 6-month follow-up. Students receiving dissonance showed significant reductions in socio-cultural pressures. There were no statistically significant differences between the two interventions. Moderate intervention acceptability was reported by both students and teaching staff. Findings show promise for the application of mindfulness in the prevention of eating disorders; however, further work is required to increase both impact and acceptability, and to enable successful outcomes when delivered by less expert providers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Promoting mental health and preventing substance abuse and violence in elementary students: a randomized control study of the Michigan Model for Health.

PubMed

O'neill, James M; Clark, Jeffrey K; Jones, James A

2011-06-01

In elementary grades, comprehensive health education curricula mostly have demonstrated effectiveness in addressing singular health issues. The Michigan Model for Health (MMH) was implemented and evaluated to determine its impact on multiple health issues, including social and emotional skills, prosocial behavior, and drug use and aggression. Schools (N = 52) were randomly assigned to intervention and control conditions. Participants received 24 lessons in grade 4 (over 12 weeks) and 28 more lessons in grade 5 (over 14 weeks), including material focusing on social and emotional health, interpersonal communication, social pressure resistance skills, drug use prevention, and conflict resolution skills. The 40-minute lessons were taught by the classroom or health teacher who received curriculum training and provided feedback on implementation fidelity. Self-report survey data were collected from the fourth-grade students (n = 2512) prior to the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 6 weeks after the intervention, with the same data collection schedule repeated in fifth grade. Students who received the curriculum had better interpersonal communication skills, social and emotional skills, and drug refusal skills than the control group students. Intervention students also reported lower intentions to use alcohol and tobacco, less alcohol and tobacco use initiated during the study and in the past 30 days, and reduced levels of aggression. The effectiveness of the MMH in promoting mental health and preventing drug use and aggression supports the call for integrated strategies that begin in elementary grades, target multiple risk behaviors, and result in practical and financial benefits to schools. © 2011, American School Health Association.

Remedial after-school support classes offered in rural Gambia (The SCORE trial): study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Boone, Peter; Camara, Alpha; Eble, Alex; Elbourne, Diana; Fernandes, Samory; Frost, Chris; Jayanty, Chitra; Lenin, Maitri; Silva, Ana Filipa

2015-12-16

Low education levels are endemic in much of the developing world, particularly in rural areas where traditional government-provided public services often have difficulty reaching beneficiaries. Providing trained para-teachers to teach regular after-school remedial education classes has been shown to improve literacy and numeracy in children of primary school age residing in such areas in India. This trial investigates whether such an intervention can also be effective in a West African setting with similarly low learning levels and difficult geographic access. cluster-randomized controlled trial. Clusters: villages or groups of villages with 15-300 households and at least 15 eligible children in the Lower River and North Bank Regions of The Gambia. children born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2009 planning to enter the first grade, for the first time, in the 2015-2016 school year in eligible villages. We anticipate enrolling approximately 150 clusters of villages with approximately 6000 children as participants. a program providing remedial after-school lessons, focusing on literacy and numeracy, 5 to 6 days a week for 3 years to eligible children, based on the intervention evaluated in the Support To Rural India's Public Education System (STRIPES) trial (PLoS ONE 8(7):e65775). both the intervention and control groups will receive small bundles of useful materials during annual data collection as recompense for their time. If the education intervention is shown to be cost-effective at raising learning levels, it is expected that the control group villages will receive the intervention for several years after the trial results are available. the primary outcome of the trial is a composite mathematics and language test score. Secondary outcomes include school attendance, enrollment, performance on nationally administered exams, parents' spending on education, spillover learning to siblings and family members, and school-related time use of parents and children. Subgroup analyses of the primary outcome will also be carried out based on ethnic group, gender, distance from the main highway, parents' education level, and school type. The trial will run by independent research and implementation teams and supervised by a Trial Steering Committee. Along with the overall impact of the intervention, we will conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis. There are no major ethical issues for this study. Current controlled trials ISRCTN12500245 . 1 May 2015.

Wealth differentials in the impact of conditional and unconditional cash transfers on education: findings from a community-randomised controlled trial in Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Fenton, Rory; Nyamukapa, Constance; Gregson, Simon; Robertson, Laura; Mushati, Phyllis; Thomas, Ranjeeta; Eaton, Jeffrey W

2016-12-01

We investigated (1) how household wealth affected the relationship between conditional cash transfers (CCT) and unconditional cash transfers (UCT) and school attendance, (2) whether CCT and UCT affected educational outcomes (repeating a year of school), (3) if baseline school attendance and transfer conditions affected how much of the transfers participants spent on education and (4) if CCT or UCT reduced child labour in recipient households. Data were analysed from a cluster-randomized controlled trial of CCT and UCT in 4043 households from 2009 to 2010. Recipient households received $18 dollars per month plus $4 per child. CCT were conditioned on above 80% school attendance, a full vaccination record and a birth certificate. In the poorest quintile, the odds ratio of above 80% school attendance at follow-up for those with below 80% school attendance at baseline was 1.06 (p = .67) for UCT vs. CCT. UCT recipients reported spending slightly more (46.1% (45.4-46.7)) of the transfer on school expenses than did CCT recipients (44.8% (44.1-45.5)). Amongst those with baseline school attendance of below 80%, there was no statistically significant difference between CCT and UCT participants in the proportion of the transfer spent on school expenses (p = .63). Amongst those with above 80% baseline school attendance, CCT participants spent 3.5% less (p = .001) on school expenses than UCT participants. UCT participants were no less likely than those in the control group to repeat a grade of school. CCT participants had .69 (.60-.79) lower odds vs. control of repeating the previous school grade. Children in CCT recipient households spent an average of .31 fewer hours in paid work than those in the control group (p < .001) and children in the UCT arm spent an average of .15 fewer hours in paid work each week than those in the control arm (p = .06).

The impact of education on the probability of receiving periodontal treatment. Causal effects measured by using the introduction of a school reform in Norway.

PubMed

Grytten, Jostein; Skau, Irene

2017-09-01

The aim of the present study was to estimate the causal effect of education on the probability of receiving periodontal treatment in the adult Norwegian population. In Norway, a substantial part of the cost of periodontal treatment is subsidized by the National Insurance Scheme. In that case, one might expect that the influence of individual resources, such as education, on receiving treatment would be reduced or eliminated. Causal effects were estimated by using data on a school reform in Norway. During the period 1960-1972, all municipalities in Norway were required to increase the number of compulsory years of schooling from seven to nine years. The education reform was used to create exogenous variation in the education variable. The education data were combined with large sets of data from the Norwegian Health Economics Administration and Statistics Norway. Since municipalities implemented the reform at different times, we have both cross-sectional and time-series variation in the reform instrument. Thus we were able to estimate the effect of education on the probability of receiving periodontal treatment by controlling for municipality fixed effects and trend variables. The probability of receiving periodontal treatment increased by 1.4-1.8 percentage points per additional year of schooling. This is a reasonably strong effect, which indicates that policies to increase the level of education in the population can be an effective tool to improve oral health, including periodontal health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reducing Physical Violence Toward Primary School Students With Disabilities.

PubMed

Devries, Karen; Kuper, Hannah; Knight, Louise; Allen, Elizabeth; Kyegombe, Nambusi; Banks, Lena Morgon; Kelly, Susan; Naker, Dipak

2018-03-01

We tested whether the Good School Toolkit reduces physical violence from peers and school staff toward students with and without disabilities in Ugandan primary schools. We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial, with data collected via cross-sectional surveys in 2012 and 2014. Forty-two primary schools in Luwero District, Uganda, were randomly assigned to receive the Good School Toolkit for 18 months, or to a waitlisted control group. The primary outcome was past week physical violence from school staff, measured by primary 5, 6, and 7 students' (aged 11-14 years) self-reports using the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Child Abuse Screening Tool-Child Institutional. Disability was assessed through the six Short Set Washington Group questions on functioning. Analyses were by intention to treat. At endline, 53% of control group students with no functional difficulties reported violence from peers or school staff, versus 84% of students with a disability. Prevalence of past week physical violence from school staff was lower in intervention schools than in the control schools after the intervention, in students with no functional difficulties (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = .41, 95% confidence interval [CI .26-.65]), students with some functional difficulties (aOR = .36, 95% CI .21-.63), and students with disabilities (aOR = .29, 95% CI .14-.59). The intervention also reduced violence from peers in young adolescents, with no evidence of a difference in effect by disability status. The Good School Toolkit is an effective intervention to reduce violence perpetrated by peers and school staff against young adolescents with disabilities in Ugandan primary schools. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of a randomized controlled trial to assess the six-months effects of a school based smoking prevention program in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Mohammed, Mutaz; Eggers, Sander Matthijs; Alotaiby, Fahad F; de Vries, Nanne; de Vries, Hein

2016-09-01

To examine the efficacy of a smoking prevention program which aimed to address smoking related cognitions and smoking behavior among Saudi adolescents age 13 to 15. A randomized controlled trial was used. Respondents in the experimental group (N=698) received five in-school sessions, while those in the control group (N=683) received no smoking prevention information (usual curriculum). Post-intervention data was collected six months after baseline. Logistic regression analysis was applied to assess effects on smoking initiation, and linear regression analysis was applied to assess changes in beliefs and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to assess intervention effects. All analyses were adjusted for the nested structure of students within schools. At post-intervention respondents from the experimental group reported in comparison with those from the control group a significantly more negative attitude towards smoking, stronger social norms against smoking, higher self-efficacy towards non-smoking, more action planning to remain a non-smoker, and lower intentions to smoke in the future. Smoking initiation was 3.2% in the experimental group and 8.8% in the control group (p<0.01). The prevention program reinforced non-smoking cognitions and non-smoking behavior. Therefore it is recommended to implement the program at a national level in Saudi-Arabia. Future studies are recommended to assess long term program effects and the conditions favoring national implementation of the program. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the Florida coordinated school health program pilot schools project.

PubMed

Weiler, Robert M; Pigg, R Morgan; McDermott, Robert J

2003-01-01

The Florida Department of Education, with CDC funding, designed the Florida Coordinated School Health Program Pilot Schools Project (PSP) to encourage innovative approaches to promote coordinated school health programs (CSHP) in Florida schools. Each of eight pilot schools received $15,000 in project funding, three years of technical assistance including on-site and off-site assistance, a project office resource center, mailings of resource materials, needs assessment and evaluation assistance, and three PSP Summer Institutes. Project evaluators created a context evaluation, approaching each school independently as a "case study" to measure the school's progress in meeting goals established at baseline. Data were collected using the How Healthy is Your School? needs assessment instrument, a School Health Portfolio constructed by each school team, a Pilot Schools Project Team Member Survey instrument, midcourse team interviews, final team interviews, and performance indicator data obtained from pilot and control schools. The PSP posed two fundamental questions: "Can financial resources, professional training, and technical assistance enable individual schools to create and sustain a coordinated school health program?" and "What outcomes reasonably can one expect from a coordinated school health program, assuming programs receive adequate support over time?" First, activities at the eight schools confirmed that a coordinated school health programs can be established and sustained. Program strength and sustainability depend on long-term resources, qualified personnel, and administrative support. Second, though coordinated school health programs may improve school performance indicators, the PSP yielded insufficient evidence to support that belief. Future projects should include robust measurement and evaluation designs, thereby producing conclusive evidence about the influence of a coordinated school health program on such outcomes.

25 CFR 39.116 - How does a school determine who receives gifted and talented services?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How does a school determine who receives gifted and... EDUCATION THE INDIAN SCHOOL EQUALIZATION PROGRAM Indian School Equalization Formula Gifted and Talented Programs § 39.116 How does a school determine who receives gifted and talented services? (a) To determine...

Effectiveness of a Brief Home Parenting Intervention for Reducing Early Sexual Risks Among Latino Adolescents: Salud y Éxito.

PubMed

O'Donnell, Lydia; Fuxman, Shai

2017-11-01

Teen pregnancy rates and related risks remain elevated among Latino teens. We tested the impact on youth sexual behaviors of a brief, culturally targeted, bilingual media intervention designed for parents of young adolescents. Salud y éxito (Health & Success) uses dramatic audio stories to model positive parenting practices. After completing classroom surveys, 27 urban schools in the Northeast and Southwest serving low-income Latino communities were randomized so that all families of seventh grade students were sent either: (1) booklets on healthy eating and exercise; (2) Salud-50, where families either received booklets or the intervention, or (3) Salud-100, where all families received the intervention. Postintervention follow-up surveys were conducted at 3- and 12-months. Multilevel analyses tested intervention effects, controlling for sociodemographics. Compared with controls, at 12-months postintervention (8th grade spring), youth in Salud-100 report lower sexual risks (touching, AOR 1.46, CI 1.19-0.84, p < .001; lifetime sex (AOR 0.74, CI 0.61-0.90, p < .01); and sex intentions (AOR 0.78, CI 0.63-0.96, p < .05). Consistent with a dose-response, Salud-50 results are between those from Salud-100 and control schools. Salud y éxito is an effective parenting intervention that can augment school-based health and sexuality education and help Latino parents support their children during early adolescence. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Applying the Transtheoretical Model to evaluate the effect of a call-recall program in enhancing Pap smear practice: a cluster randomized trial.

PubMed

Abdullah, Fauziah; Su, Tin Tin

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a call-recall approach in enhancing Pap smear practice by changes of motivation stage among non-compliant women. A cluster randomized controlled trial with parallel and un-blinded design was conducted between January and November 2010 in 40 public secondary schools in Malaysia among 403 female teachers who never or infrequently attended for a Pap test. A cluster randomization was applied in assigning schools to both groups. An intervention group received an invitation and reminder (call-recall program) for a Pap test (20 schools with 201 participants), while the control group received usual care from the existing cervical screening program (20 schools with 202 participants). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the effect of the intervention program on the action stage (Pap smear uptake) at 24 weeks. In both groups, pre-contemplation stage was found as the highest proportion of changes in stages. At 24 weeks, an intervention group showed two times more in the action stage than control group (adjusted odds ratio 2.44, 95% CI 1.29-4.62). The positive effect of a call-recall approach in motivating women to change the behavior of screening practice should be appreciated by policy makers and health care providers in developing countries as an intervention to enhance Pap smear uptake. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 32190 - Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Interest Projects (SIPs): SIP 10...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-07

... Approaches To Preventing Teen Pregnancy Among Underserved Populations and SIP 10-035, Impact of High School... received in response to ``SIP 10-033, Innovative Approaches to Preventing Teen Pregnancy among Underserved...

Effects of video-game ownership on young boys' academic and behavioral functioning: a randomized, controlled study.

PubMed

Weis, Robert; Cerankosky, Brittany C

2010-04-01

Young boys who did not own video games were promised a video-game system and child-appropriate games in exchange for participating in an "ongoing study of child development." After baseline assessment of boys' academic achievement and parent- and teacher-reported behavior, boys were randomly assigned to receive the video-game system immediately or to receive the video-game system after follow-up assessment, 4 months later. Boys who received the system immediately spent more time playing video games and less time engaged in after-school academic activities than comparison children. Boys who received the system immediately also had lower reading and writing scores and greater teacher-reported academic problems at follow-up than comparison children. Amount of video-game play mediated the relationship between video-game ownership and academic outcomes. Results provide experimental evidence that video games may displace after-school activities that have educational value and may interfere with the development of reading and writing skills in some children.

Massage and Storytelling Reduce Aggression and Improve Academic Performance in Children Attending Elementary School.

PubMed

Gonçalves, Lia Lopes; Voos, Mariana Callil; de Almeida, Maria Helena Morgani; Caromano, Fátima Aparecida

2017-01-01

Aggressive behaviors must be addressed in elementary schools. Massage and storytelling can be strategies to deal with aggression because both involve experience exchange and social interaction. Both can decrease stress and anxiety and increase self-esteem. To evaluate the effect of two interventions (massage and storytelling) on aggressive behaviors and academic performance of elementary school children. Three groups ( n = 35 children in each group) of the second grade participated (aged 6.5-8.1 years). One group received ten extra classes of massage (MG), another group received extra classes of storytelling (SG), and the control group received extra classes of random subjects (CG). Extra classes lasted for 50 minutes, once a week. Aggressive behaviors were recorded on diaries, by the teachers and the coordinator. The frequency of aggressive behaviors and the academic performance of MG, SG, and CG were observed for six months and the groups were compared. ANOVAs evidenced that MG and SG, but not CG, showed a reduction in aggressive behaviors registered by the teachers and coordinator, after the intervention. Academic performance of MG and SC improved after the intervention ( p < 0.05).

The Good Schools Toolkit to prevent violence against children in Ugandan primary schools: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Devries, Karen M; Allen, Elizabeth; Child, Jennifer C; Walakira, Eddy; Parkes, Jenny; Elbourne, Diana; Watts, Charlotte; Naker, Dipak

2013-07-24

We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of the Good School Toolkit, developed by Raising Voices, in preventing violence against children attending school and in improving child mental health and educational outcomes. We are conducting a two-arm cluster randomised controlled trial with parallel assignment in Luwero District, Uganda. We will also conduct a qualitative study, a process evaluation and an economic evaluation. A total of 42 schools, representative of Luwero District, Uganda, were allocated to receive the Toolkit plus implementation support, or were allocated to a wait-list control condition. Our main analysis will involve a cross-sectional comparison of the prevalence of past-week violence from school staff as reported by children in intervention and control primary schools at follow-up.At least 60 children per school and all school staff members will be interviewed at follow-up. Data collection involves a combination of mobile phone-based, interviewer-completed questionnaires and paper-and-pen educational tests. Survey instruments include the ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tools to assess experiences of violence; the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to measure symptoms of common childhood mental disorders; and word recognition, reading comprehension, spelling, arithmetic and sustained attention tests adapted from an intervention trial in Kenya. To our knowledge, this is the first study to rigorously investigate the effects of any intervention to prevent violence from school staff to children in primary school in a low-income setting. We hope the results will be informative across the African region and in other settings. clinicaltrials.gov NCT01678846.

A Study of the Impact of Transformative Professional Development on Hispanic Student Performance on State Mandated Assessments of Science in Elementary School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Carla C.; Fargo, Jamison D.

2014-11-01

This paper reports the findings of a study of the impact of the transformative professional development (TPD) model on student achievement on state-mandated assessments of science in elementary school. Two schools (one intervention and one control) participated in the case study where teachers from one school received the TPD intervention across a 2-year period while teachers at the other school received no program and continued business as usual. The TPD program includes a focus on the core conceptual framework for effective professional development (Desimone in Educ Res 38:181-199, 2009) as well as an emphasis on culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) and other effective science instructional strategies. Findings revealed that participation in TPD had a significant impact on student achievement for Burns Elementary with the percentage of proficient students growing from 25 % at baseline to 67 % at the end of the 2-year program, while the comparison school did not experience similar growth. Implications for future research and implementation of professional development programs to meet the needs of teachers in the realm of CRP in science are discussed.

Promotion and provision of drinking water in schools for overweight prevention: randomized, controlled cluster trial.

PubMed

Muckelbauer, Rebecca; Libuda, Lars; Clausen, Kerstin; Toschke, André Michael; Reinehr, Thomas; Kersting, Mathilde

2009-04-01

The study tested whether a combined environmental and educational intervention solely promoting water consumption was effective in preventing overweight among children in elementary school. The participants in this randomized, controlled cluster trial were second- and third-graders from 32 elementary schools in socially deprived areas of 2 German cities. Water fountains were installed and teachers presented 4 prepared classroom lessons in the intervention group schools (N = 17) to promote water consumption. Control group schools (N = 15) did not receive any intervention. The prevalence of overweight (defined according to the International Obesity Task Force criteria), BMI SD scores, and beverage consumption (in glasses per day; 1 glass was defined as 200 mL) self-reported in 24-hour recall questionnaires, were determined before (baseline) and after the intervention. In addition, the water flow of the fountains was measured during the intervention period of 1 school year (August 2006 to June 2007). Data on 2950 children (intervention group: N = 1641; control group: N = 1309; age, mean +/- SD: 8.3 +/- 0.7 years) were analyzed. After the intervention, the risk of overweight was reduced by 31% in the intervention group, compared with the control group, with adjustment for baseline prevalence of overweight and clustering according to school. Changes in BMI SD scores did not differ between the intervention group and the control group. Water consumption after the intervention was 1.1 glasses per day greater in the intervention group. No intervention effect on juice and soft drink consumption was found. Daily water flow of the fountains indicated lasting use during the entire intervention period, but to varying extent. Our environmental and educational, school-based intervention proved to be effective in the prevention of overweight among children in elementary school, even in a population from socially deprived areas.

A quasi-experimental evaluation of parents as sexual health educators resulting in delayed sexual initiation and increased access to condoms.

PubMed

Campero, Lourdes; Walker, Dilys; Atienzo, Erika E; Gutierrez, Juan Pablo

2011-04-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention for parents of first year high school students in the State of Morelos, Mexico, whose aim was to impact adolescents' sexual behavior, knowledge and access to contraception. Quasi-experimental prospective study with eleven control and eleven intervention schools using self-administered questionnaires for parents and adolescents pre- and post-intervention. Parent-child dyads in the control and intervention schools were matched according to parents' propensity score; the average treatment effect (ATE) was estimated for adolescent's outcome variables. At follow-up, we found significant differences for adolescents in the intervention schools: 6.8% delayed initiation of sexual intercourse, 14.4% had correct knowledge about emergency contraception (EC), and 164% reported having received condoms from their parents, when comparing with students in control schools. Our results suggest that parent-focused interventions could be an innovative and effective strategy to promote adolescents sexual health. Copyright © 2010 The Association for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protective effect of inactivated hepatitis A vaccine against the outbreak of hepatitis A in an open rural community

PubMed Central

Shen, Yue-Gen; Gu, Xie-Jun; Zhou, Jian-Hong

2008-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the protective effect of inactivated hepatitis A vaccine (Healive®) against hepatitis A outbreak in an emergency vaccination campaign. METHODS: During an outbreak of hepatitis A in Honghe Town, Xiuzhou District, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, two nonrandomized controlled trials were conducted in September 2006. The first trial was to vaccinate 108 anti-HAV negative individuals with close contacts of the patients from September with 1 dose of an inactivated hepatitis A vaccine, Healive®. The control group comprised of 115 individuals with close contacts of the patients before September. The second trial was to vaccinate 3365 primary and secondary school students who volunteered to receive a dose of Healive® and 2572 students who did not receive Healive® serving as its controls. An epidemiological survey was conducted to evaluate the protective efficacy of the vaccine. RESULTS: A total of 136 hepatitis A cases were reported during an outbreak that started in June, peaked in August and September, and ended after December of 2006. After a massive vaccination of school children in September, the number of cases declined significantly. No hepatitis A was detected in the 108 vaccinated individuals with close contacts of patients, whereas 4 cases of hepatitis A were found in the controls. The infection rate of hepatitis A was not significantly different in the individuals with close contacts of patients whether or not they received the vaccine (P = 0.122). No hepatitis A was detected in the 3365 students who received the vaccine, four cases of hepatitis A were found in the controls. The infection rate of students with or without vaccination was significantly different in the students who received the vaccine (0/3365 vs 4/2572, P = 0.035). The protective efficacy of the vaccine was 100%. CONCLUSION: Inactivated hepatitis A vaccine demonstrates a good protective effect against an outbreak of hepatitis A. PMID:18461664

[Effect of school-based peer leader centered smoking prevention program].

PubMed

Shin, Sung Rae; Oh, Pok Ja; Youn, Hye Kyung; Shin, Sun Hwa

2014-12-01

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a school-based peer leader centered smoking prevention program. Non-equivalent control group with a pre/post-test design was used. Students (n=174) in two boys' junior high schools located in D city, Korea participated with 85 being selected for the experimental group and 89 for the control group. Five sessions were given to the experimental group and a 50 minute lecture to the control group. Knowledge, attitude, non-smoking intention, and non-smoking efficacy were measured for the both experimental and control group at two weeks before the program and one month after the program was completed. Data were analyzed using χ²-test, Fisher's exact test, independent t-test and paired t-test with the SPSS 21.0 program. The experimental group showed higher overall knowledge, negative attitude toward smoking, and higher non-smoking intention and efficacy. After receiving the school based peer leader centered smoking prevention program scores for attitude toward smoking and non-smoking efficacy increased in the experimental group were higher than in the control group. The school-based peer leader centered smoking prevention program needs longitudinal evaluation, but from this study, there is an indication that this program can be used with junior high school students and effectively change students' attitude toward smoking and promote non-smoking efficacy.

The impact of playworks on boys' and girls' physical activity during recess.

PubMed

Bleeker, Martha; Beyler, Nicholas; James-Burdumy, Susanne; Fortson, Jane

2015-03-01

School-based programs, such as Playworks, that guide students in organized activities during recess and make improvements to the recess play yard may lead to significant increases in physical activity-especially for girls. This study builds on past research by investigating the impact of Playworks separately for girls and boys. Twenty-nine schools were randomly assigned to receive Playworks for 1 school year or serve as a control group. Postintervention physical activity data were collected via accelerometers and recess observations. Impacts were estimated separately for girls and boys using regression models. Girls in Playworks schools had significantly higher accelerometer intensity counts and spent more time in vigorous physical activity than girls in control schools. No significant differences based on accelerometer data were found for boys. A significant impact was also found on the types of activities in which girls engaged during recess; girls in the treatment group were less likely than those in the control group to be sedentary and more likely to engage in jumping, tag, and playground games. The current findings suggest that Playworks had a significant impact on some measures of girls' physical activity, but no significant impact on measures of boys' physical activity. © 2015, American School Health Association.

Community perceptions on the community-directed treatment and school-based approaches for the control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis among school-age children in Lushoto District, Tanzania.

PubMed

Massa, K; Magnussen, P; Sheshe, A; Ntakamulenga, R; Ndawi, B; Olsen, A

2009-01-01

The success of the Community-Directed Treatment (ComDT) approach in the control of onchocerciasis and filariasis has caught the attention of other disease control programmes. In this study the ComDT approach was implemented and compared with the school-based approach for control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis among school-age children in Lushoto District, Tanzania. This was a qualitative study, consisting of in-depth interviews with village leaders, community drug distributors (CDDs) and schoolteachers, as well as focus group discussions with separate groups of mothers and fathers to assess the perceptions and experiences of the villagers on the implementation of the two approaches. It was found that the villagers accepted the ComDT approach and took the responsibility of selecting the CDDs, organizing and implementing their own method of distributing drugs to the school-age children in their villages. The ComDT approach was well received and was successfully implemented in the villages. Although the villagers pointed out the limitation in reaching the non-enrolled children in the school-based approach, they also expressed satisfaction with this approach. This study suggests that the ComDT approach is well accepted and can be implemented effectively to ensure better coverage of especially non-enrolled school-age children.

The effects of modeling instruction on high school physics academic achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, Tiffanie L.

The purpose of this study was to explore whether Modeling Instruction, compared to traditional lecturing, is an effective instructional method to promote academic achievement in selected high school physics classes at a rural middle Tennessee high school. This study used an ex post facto , quasi-experimental research methodology. The independent variables in this study were the instructional methods of teaching. The treatment variable was Modeling Instruction and the control variable was traditional lecture instruction. The Treatment Group consisted of participants in Physical World Concepts who received Modeling Instruction. The Control Group consisted of participants in Physical Science who received traditional lecture instruction. The dependent variable was gains scores on the Force Concepts Inventory (FCI). The participants for this study were 133 students each in both the Treatment and Control Groups (n = 266), who attended a public, high school in rural middle Tennessee. The participants were administered the Force Concepts Inventory (FCI) prior to being taught the mechanics of physics. The FCI data were entered into the computer-based Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS). Two independent samples t-tests were conducted to answer the research questions. There was a statistically significant difference between the treatment and control groups concerning the instructional method. Modeling Instructional methods were found to be effective in increasing the academic achievement of students in high school physics. There was no statistically significant difference between FCI gains scores for gender. Gender was found to have no effect on the academic achievement of students in high school physics classes. However, even though there was not a statistically significant difference, female students' gains scores were higher than male students' gains scores when Modeling Instructional methods of teaching were used. Based on these findings, it is recommended that high school science teachers should use Modeling Instructional methods of teaching daily in their classrooms. A recommendation for further research is to expand the Modeling Instructional methods of teaching into different content areas, (i.e., reading and language arts) to explore academic achievement gains.

The KiVa antibullying program in primary schools in Chile, with and without the digital game component: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Gaete, Jorge; Valenzuela, Daniela; Rojas-Barahona, Cristian; Valenzuela, Eduardo; Araya, Ricardo; Salmivalli, Christina

2017-02-20

Bullying is a major problem worldwide and Chile is no exception. Bullying is defined as a systematic aggressive behavior against a victim who cannot defend him or herself. Victims suffer social isolation and psychological maladjustment, while bullies have a higher risk for conduct problems and substance use disorders. These problems appear to last over time. The KiVa antibullying program has been evaluated in Finland and other European countries, showing preventive effects on victimization and self-reported bullying. The aims of this study are (1) to develop a culturally appropriate version of the KiVa material and (2) to test the effectiveness of the KiVa program, with and without the online game, on reducing experiences of victimization and bullying behavior among vulnerable primary schools in Santiago (Chile), using a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) design with three arms: (1) full KiVa program group, (2) partial KiVa (without online game) program group and (3) control group. This is a three-arm, single-blind, cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a target enrolment of 1495 4th and 5th graders attending 13 vulnerable schools per arm. Students in the full and partial KiVa groups will receive universal actions: ten 2-h lessons delivered by trained teachers during 1 year; they will be exposed to posters encouraging them to support victims and behave constructively when witnessing bullying; and a person designated by the school authorities will be present in all school breaks and lunchtimes using a visible KiVa vest to remind everybody that they are in a KiVa school. KiVa schools also will have indicated actions, which consist of a set of discussion groups with the victims and with the bullies, with proper follow-up. Only full KiVa schools will also receive an online game which has the aim to raise awareness of the role of the group in bullying, increase empathy and promote strategies to support victimized peers. Self-reported victimization, bullying others and peer-reported bullying actions, psychological and academic functioning, and sense of school membership will be measured at baseline and 12 months after randomization. This is the first cluster RCT of the KiVa antibullying program in Latin America. ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT02898324 . Registered on 8 September 2016.

School gardens: an experiential learning approach for a nutrition education program to increase fruit and vegetable knowledge, preference, and consumption among second-grade students.

PubMed

Parmer, Sondra M; Salisbury-Glennon, Jill; Shannon, David; Struempler, Barbara

2009-01-01

To examine the effects of a school garden on children's fruit and vegetable knowledge, preference, and consumption. Self-report questionnaires, interview-style taste and rate items, lunchroom observations. An elementary school. Second-grade students (n = 115). Participants were assigned to one of 3 groups: (1) nutrition education and gardening (NE+G) treatment group, (2) nutrition education only (NE) treatment group, or (3) control group (CG). Both treatment groups received classroom instruction, and the NE+G group also received a school gardening experience. Fruit and vegetable knowledge, preference, and consumption. Analyses of variance (alpha = .05). Participants in the NE+G and NE treatment groups exhibited significantly greater improvements in nutrition knowledge and taste ratings than did participants in the CG. Moreover, the NE+G group was more likely to choose and consume vegetables in a lunchroom setting at post-assessment than either the NE or CG groups. School gardens as a component of nutrition education can increase fruit and vegetable knowledge and cause behavior change among children. These findings suggest that school administrators, classroom teachers, and nutrition educators should implement school gardens as a way to positively influence dietary habits at an early age.

Multi-micronutrient-fortified biscuits decreased the prevalence of anaemia and improved iron status, whereas weekly iron supplementation only improved iron status in Vietnamese school children.

PubMed

Hieu, Nguyen Trung; Sandalinas, Fanny; de Sesmaisons, Agnès; Laillou, Arnaud; Tam, Nguyen Phuong; Khan, Nguyen Cong; Bruyeron, Olivier; Wieringa, Frank Tammo; Berger, Jacques

2012-10-28

In Vietnam, nutrition interventions do not target school children despite a high prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies. The present randomised, placebo-controlled study evaluated the impact of providing school children (n 403) with daily multiple micronutrient-fortified biscuits (FB) or a weekly Fe supplement (SUP) on anaemia and Fe deficiency. Micronutrient status was assessed by concentrations of Hb, and plasma ferritin (PF), transferrin receptor (TfR), Zn and retinol. After 6 months of intervention, children receiving FB or SUP had a significantly better Fe status when compared with the control children (C), indicated by higher PF (FB: geometric mean 36·9 (95% CI 28·0, 55·4) μg/l; SUP: geometric mean 46·0 (95% CI 33·0, 71·7) μg/l; C: geometric mean 34·4 (95% CI 15·2, 51·2) μg/l; P < 0·001) and lower TfR concentrations (FB: geometric mean 5·7 (95% CI 4·8, 6·52) mg/l; SUP: geometric mean 5·5 (95% CI 4·9, 6·2) mg/l; C: geometric mean 5·9 (95% CI 5·1, 7·1) mg/l; P = 0·007). Consequently, body Fe was higher in children receiving FB (mean 5·6 (sd 2·2) mg/kg body weight) and SUP (mean 6·1 (sd 2·5) mg/kg body weight) compared with the C group (mean 4·2 (sd 3·3) mg/kg body weight, P < 0·001). However, anaemia prevalence was significantly lower only in the FB group (1·0%) compared with the C group (10·4%, P = 0·006), with the SUP group being intermediate (7·4%). Children receiving FB had better weight-for-height Z-scores after the intervention than children receiving the SUP (P = 0·009). Vitamin A deficiency at baseline modified the intervention effect, with higher Hb concentrations in vitamin A-deficient children receiving FB but not in those receiving the SUP. This indicates that vitamin A deficiency is implicated in the high prevalence of anaemia in Vietnamese school children, and that interventions should take other deficiencies besides Fe into account to improve Hb concentrations. Provision of biscuits fortified with multiple micronutrients is effective in reducing anaemia prevalence in school children.

The researchers have left the building: what contributes to sustaining school-based interventions following the conclusion of formal research support?

PubMed

Friend, Sarah; Flattum, Colleen F; Simpson, Danielle; Nederhoff, Dawn M; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2014-05-01

This study examined the sustainability of New Moves, a school-based program aimed at decreasing weight-related problems in adolescent girls. The National Cancer Institute recognizes New Moves as a research-tested intervention program that produced positive behavioral and psychosocial outcomes. Ten schools participated in the sustainability study. Teachers completed a survey and interview, and research staff observed 1 physical education (PE) class within 2 years of the study's completion. Qualitative data were grouped by themes. Frequencies were calculated using quantitative data. All schools continued all-girls PE classes using New Moves components following the study period. Fewer schools continued the nutrition and social support classroom modules and individual coaching sessions while no schools continued lunch get-togethers. Program components were sustained in both New Moves intervention schools and control schools. Programs are most likely to be sustained if they (1) fit into the current school structure, (2) receive buy-in by teachers, and (3) require minimal additional funds or staff time. Providing control schools with minimal training and intervention resources was sufficient to continue program components if staff perceived the program was important for students' health and compatible within the school's existing infrastructure. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Community interventions for preventing smoking in young people.

PubMed

Sowden, A; Arblaster, L

2000-01-01

Decisions to smoke are made within a broad social context. Community interventions use co-ordinated, widespread, multi-component programmes to try and influence behaviour. To determine the effectiveness of community interventions in preventing the uptake of smoking in young people. The Tobacco Addiction group specialised register, Medline and 21 other health, psychology and public policy electronic databases were searched, the bibliographies of identified studies were checked and contact was made with content area specialists. Randomised and non randomised controlled trials that assessed the effectiveness of multi-component community interventions compared to no intervention or to single component or school-based programmes only. Reported outcomes had to include smoking behaviour in young people under the age of 25 years. Information relating to the characteristics and the content of community interventions, participants, outcomes and methods of the study was extracted by one reviewer and checked by a second. Studies were combined using qualitative narrative synthesis. Thirteen studies were included in the review, 44 studies did not meet all of the inclusion criteria. All studies used a controlled trial design, with four using random allocation of schools or communities. Of nine studies which compared community interventions to no intervention controls, two, which were part of cardiovascular disease prevention programmes, reported lower smoking prevalence. Of three studies comparing community interventions to school-based programmes only, one found differences in reported smoking prevalence. One study reported a lower rate of increase in prevalence in a community receiving a multi-component intervention compared to a community exposed to a mass media campaign alone. One study reported a significant difference in smoking prevalence between a group receiving a media, school and homework intervention compared to a group receiving the media component only There is some limited support for the effectiveness of community interventions in helping prevent the uptake of smoking in young people.

Community interventions for preventing smoking in young people.

PubMed

Sowden, A; Arblaster, L; Stead, L

2003-01-01

Decisions to smoke are made within a broad social context. Community interventions use co-ordinated, widespread, multi-component programmes to try and influence behaviour. To determine the effectiveness of community interventions in preventing the uptake of smoking in young people. The Tobacco Addiction group specialised register, Medline and other health, psychology and public policy electronic databases were searched, the bibliographies of identified studies were checked and contact was made with content area specialists. Searches were updated in September 2002. Randomised and non randomised controlled trials that assessed the effectiveness of multi-component community interventions compared to no intervention or to single component or school-based programmes only. Reported outcomes had to include smoking behaviour in young people under the age of 25 years. Information relating to the characteristics and the content of community interventions, participants, outcomes and methods of the study was extracted by one reviewer and checked by a second. Studies were combined using qualitative narrative synthesis. Seventeen studies were included in the review, 46 studies did not meet all of the inclusion criteria. All studies used a controlled trial design, with six using random allocation of schools or communities. Of thirteen studies which compared community interventions to no intervention controls, two, which were part of cardiovascular disease prevention programmes, reported lower smoking prevalence. Of three studies comparing community interventions to school-based programmes only, one found differences in reported smoking prevalence. One study reported a lower rate of increase in prevalence in a community receiving a multi-component intervention compared to a community exposed to a mass media campaign alone. One study reported a significant difference in smoking prevalence between a group receiving a media, school and homework intervention compared to a group receiving the media component only. There is some limited support for the effectiveness of community interventions in helping prevent the uptake of smoking in young people.

Reduced school dropout rates among adolescent mothers receiving school-based prenatal care.

PubMed

Barnet, Beth; Arroyo, Carmen; Devoe, Margo; Duggan, Anne K

2004-03-01

Adolescent pregnancy is associated with increased school dropout rates. Dropping out amplifies the probability of persistent social and economic disadvantage. Whether school-based health centers might help reduce school absenteeism and dropout rates in this group has not been well studied. To examine the association of school-based prenatal services on school attendance and dropout rates. In this retrospective cohort study, using school rosters from an alternative school, we identified adolescents aged 18 years or younger who delivered a baby between July 1, 1995, and August 30, 1997, in Baltimore, Md. We linked school records spanning 3 years with medical records and birth certificates. School variables such as attendance and dropout rates were examined in relation to the teen's year of pregnancy and prenatal care setting (school-based vs non-school-based). Hierarchical logistic regression was used to examine effects of school-based prenatal care on dropout and promotion or graduation rates, with adjustment for baseline group differences. We identified 431 predominantly African American, low-income adolescents who attended the alternative school in their pregnancy school year. In the year prior to pregnancy, most performed poorly in school and had significant absenteeism. During their pregnancy school year, teens receiving school-based prenatal care were absent 12 fewer days, as compared with those receiving non-school-based care (P =.001), and their dropout rate was half that of those receiving non-school-based care (6% vs 15%; P =.02). Hierarchical logistic regression analyses, with adjustment for baseline prepregnancy differences, demonstrated that teens receiving school-based prenatal care were less likely to drop out of school during the pregnancy year (adjusted odds ratio, 0.39; 95% confidence interval, 0.15-0.99; P =.048). Absenteeism and dropout rates were reduced for pregnant adolescents receiving prenatal care at a school-based health center in an urban alternative school. Findings underscore the importance of funding and evaluating school-based health centers and other interventions that may ameliorate negative outcomes among childbearing adolescents.

Oral language supports early literacy: a pilot cluster randomized trial in disadvantaged schools.

PubMed

Snow, Pamela C; Eadie, Patricia A; Connell, Judy; Dalheim, Brenda; McCusker, Hugh J; Munro, John K

2014-10-01

This study examined the impact of teacher professional development aimed at improving the capacity of primary teachers in disadvantaged schools to strengthen children's expressive and receptive oral language skills and early literacy success in the first 2 years of school. Fourteen low-SES schools in Victoria, Australia were randomly allocated to a research (n = 8) or control arm (n = 6), resulting in an initial sample of 1254 students, (n = 602 in research arm and n = 652 in control arm). The intervention comprised 6 days of teacher and principal professional development (delivered by language and literacy experts), school-based continuing contact with the research team and completion by one staff member of each research school of a postgraduate unit on early language and literacy. Schools in the control arm received standard teaching according to state auspiced curriculum guidelines. Full data were available on 979 students at follow-up (time 2). Students in the research arm performed significantly better on Test of Language Development: Primary (Fourth Edition) sub-tests (p ≤ .002) and the Reading Progress Test (F = 10.4(1); p = .001) than students in the control arm at time 2. Narrative scores were not significantly different at time 2, although students in research schools showed greater gains. Findings provide "proof of concept" for this approach, and are discussed with respect to implications for teacher professional development and pre-service education concerning the psycholinguistic competencies that underpin the transition to literacy.

Yoga May Mitigate Decreases in High School Grades

PubMed Central

Butzer, Bethany; van Over, Max; Noggle Taylor, Jessica J.; Khalsa, Sat Bir S.

2015-01-01

This study involves an exploratory examination of the effects of a 12-week school-based yoga intervention on changes in grade point average (GPA) in 9th and 10th grade students. Participants included 95 high school students who had registered for physical education (PE) in spring 2010. PE class sections were group randomized to receive either a yoga intervention or a PE-as-usual control condition. The yoga intervention took place during the entire third quarter and half of the fourth quarter of the school year, and quarterly GPA was collected via school records at the end of the school year. Results revealed a significant interaction between group and quarter suggesting that GPA differed between the yoga and control groups over time. Post hoc tests revealed that while both groups exhibited a general decline in GPA over the school year, the control group exhibited a significantly greater decline in GPA from quarter 1 to quarter 3 than the yoga group. Both groups showed equivalent declines in GPA in quarter 4 after the yoga intervention had ended. The results suggest that yoga may have a protective effect on academic performance by preventing declines in GPA; however these preventive effects may not persist once yoga practice is discontinued. PMID:26347787

Effect of Economic Assets on Sexual Risk-Taking Intentions Among Orphaned Adolescents in Uganda

PubMed Central

Han, Chang-Keun; Neilands, Torsten B.; Ismayilova, Leyla; Sperber, Elizabeth

2010-01-01

Objectives. We examined the effect of economic assets on sexual risk-taking intentions among school-going AIDS-orphaned adolescents in rural Uganda. Methods. AIDS-orphaned adolescents from 15 comparable schools were randomly assigned to control (n = 133) or treatment (n = 127) conditions. Treatment participants received child savings accounts, workshops, and mentorship. This economic intervention was in addition to the traditional care and support services for school-going orphaned adolescents (counseling and school supplies) provided to both treatment and control groups. Adolescents in the treatment condition were compared with adolescents in the control condition at baseline and at 10 months after the intervention. Results. After control for sociodemographic factors, child-caregiver/parental communication, and peer pressure, adolescents in the economic intervention group reported a significant reduction in sexual risk-taking intentions compared with adolescents in the control condition. Conclusions. The findings indicate that in Uganda, a country devastated by poverty and disease (including HIV/AIDS), having access to economic assets plays an important role in influencing adolescents' sexual risk-taking intentions. These findings have implications for the care and support of orphaned adolescents, especially in poor African countries devastated by poverty and sexually transmitted diseases. PMID:20075323

A large outbreak of mumps in the postvaccine era.

PubMed

Wharton, M; Cochi, S L; Hutcheson, R H; Bistowish, J M; Schaffner, W

1988-12-01

During a county-wide mumps outbreak in Nashville, Tennessee, 332 cases of mumps were identified at a public high school (attack rate, 18.8%). A pep rally 17 d before the peak of the outbreak at a single public high school may have provided an opportunity for point-source exposure. A case-control study demonstrated that vaccine efficacy was 75% (we used provider-verified records and excluded students with a history of mumps disease). Although school records were nonuniform, mumps immunization status was correct, compared with provider-verified records, in at least 85% of both cases and controls. Parental reports were much less reliable. The cost of the outbreak was estimated at $154/case. Receiving mumps vaccine at a vaccine clinic held after the outbreak had peaked was associated with a decrease in risk of mumps disease. Thus, these clinics may have a role in the control of such outbreaks.

Pilot intervention to increase physical activity among sedentary urban middle school girls: a two-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design.

PubMed

Robbins, Lorraine B; Pfeiffer, Karin A; Maier, Kimberly S; Lo, Yun-Jia; Wesolek Ladrig, Stacey M

2012-08-01

The primary purpose of the study was to determine whether girls in one school receiving nurse counseling plus an after-school physical activity club showed greater improvement in physical activity, cardiovascular fitness, and body composition than girls assigned to an attention control condition in another school (N = 69). Linear regressions controlling for baseline measures showed no statistically significant group differences, but the directionality of differences was consistent with greater intervention group improvement for minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity/hour (t = 0.95, p = .35), cardiovascular fitness (t = 1.26, p = .22), body mass index (BMI; t = -1.47, p = .15), BMI z score (t = -1.19, p = .24), BMI percentile (t = -0.59, p = .56), percentage body fat (t = -0.86, p = .39), and waist circumference (t = -0.19, p = .85). Findings support testing with a larger sample.

Effect of a 9-wk. after-school multiskills club on fundamental movement skill proficiency in 8- to 9-yr.-old children: an exploratory trial.

PubMed

Foweather, Lawrence; McWhannell, Nicola; Henaghan, Jayne; Lees, Adrian; Stratton, Gareth; Batterham, Alan M

2008-06-01

This exploratory study examined the effects of a 9-wk. after-school multiskills club on fundamental movement skill proficiency in 8- to 9-yr.-old children. Two schools were randomly assigned to either a control (n = 15 children) or multiskill club (n = 19 children) condition. The multiskill club received 18 coaching sessions designed to improve fundamental movement skills. The control group followed normal routines. 7 skills were assessed using process-oriented measures with video analysis. Participation in the multiskill club yielded significant improvements in proficiency at posttest only in static balance, while potentially practically important improvements were observed in performance of the catch, throw, and kick skills. The after-school multiskill club offered a viable opportunity for movement skill acquisition, but any such programme would need to run for a longer duration to assess whether this type of activity could benefit all skills.

Pilot intervention to increase physical activity among sedentary urban middle school girls: a two-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design

PubMed Central

Robbins, Lorraine B.; Pfeiffer, Karin A.; Maier, Kimberly S.; Lo, Yun-Jia; Wesolek, Stacey M.

2012-01-01

The primary purpose of the study was to determine if girls in one school receiving nurse counseling plus an after-school Physical Activity Club showed greater improvement in physical activity, cardiovascular fitness, and body composition than girls assigned to an attention control condition in another school (N = 69). Linear regressions controlling for baseline measures showed no statistically significant group differences, but directionality of differences was consistent with greater intervention group improvement for minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity/hour (t = 0.95, p = .35), cardiovascular fitness (t = 1.26, p = .22), body mass index (BMI; t = −1.47, p = .15), BMI z-score (t = −1.19, p = .24), BMI percentile (t = −0.59, p = .56), percent body fat (t = −0.86, p = .39), and waist circumference (t = −0.19, p = .85). Findings support testing with a larger sample. PMID:22472632

Peer Influence on Academic Performance: A Social Network Analysis of Social-Emotional Intervention Effects.

PubMed

DeLay, Dawn; Zhang, Linlin; Hanish, Laura D; Miller, Cindy F; Fabes, Richard A; Martin, Carol Lynn; Kochel, Karen P; Updegraff, Kimberly A

2016-11-01

Longitudinal social network analysis (SNA) was used to examine how a social-emotional learning (SEL) intervention may be associated with peer socialization on academic performance. Fifth graders (N = 631; 48 % girls; 9 to 12 years) were recruited from six elementary schools. Intervention classrooms (14) received a relationship building intervention (RBI) and control classrooms (8) received elementary school as usual. At pre- and post-test, students nominated their friends, and teachers completed assessments of students' writing and math performance. The results of longitudinal SNA suggested that the RBI was associated with friend selection and peer influence within the classroom peer network. Friendship choices were significantly more diverse (i.e., less evidence of social segregation as a function of ethnicity and academic ability) in intervention compared to control classrooms, and peer influence on improved writing and math performance was observed in RBI but not control classrooms. The current findings provide initial evidence that SEL interventions may change social processes in a classroom peer network and may break down barriers of social segregation and improve academic performance.

Automatic gain control in the echolocation system of dolphins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Au, Whitlow W. L.; Benoit-Bird, Kelly J.

2003-06-01

In bats and technological sonars, the gain of the receiver is progressively increased with time after the transmission of a signal to compensate for acoustic propagation loss. The current understanding of dolphin echolocation indicates that automatic gain control is not a part of their sonar system. In order to test this understanding, we have performed field measurements of free-ranging echolocating dolphins. Here we show that dolphins do possess an automatic gain control mechanism, but that it is implemented in the transmission phase rather than the receiving phase of a sonar cycle. We find that the amplitude of the dolphins' echolocation signals are highly range dependent; this amplitude increases with increasing target range, R, in a 20log(R) fashion to compensate for propagation loss. If the echolocation target is a fish school with many sound scatterers, the echoes from the school will remain nearly constant with range as the dolphin closes in on it. This characteristic has the same effect as time-varying gain in bats and technological sonar when considered from a sonar system perspective.

Efficacy of an indicated intervention program for Indian adolescents with subclinical depression.

PubMed

Singhal, Meghna; Munivenkatappa, Manjula; Kommu, John Vijay Sagar; Philip, Mariamma

2018-03-01

Subclinical depressive symptoms in adolescents are associated with a host of impairments and constitute a risk factor for future depression. The aim of the present study was to study the efficacy of a school-based group coping skills program for Indian adolescents with subclinical depression. Adolescents (n = 120) across two schools comprised the intervention and control groups and were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 months no-contact follow-up. The intervention group adolescents received the 8-weekly Coping Skills program in same-gender groups of 4-8 adolescents each, and the control group adolescents received one interactive psycho-educatory session. The intervention group evidenced clinically significant reductions in depressive symptoms, negative cognitions, and academic stress, and increased social problem solving and coping skills, at both post-intervention and follow-up. With regard to moderators, initial levels of depressive symptoms and homework compliance were found to partially moderate the effect of intervention. No effects were found for parental depression, gender, and age. The present study calls for future development and implementation of programs to address subclinical psychopathology among adolescents in Indian schools. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The safety of H1N1 vaccine in children in Saudi Arabia: a cohort study using modern technology in a developing country.

PubMed

Aljadhey, Hisham; Alyabsi, Mesnad; Alrwisan, Adel; Alqahtani, Nasser; Almutairi, Reem; Al Tawil, Esraa; Adam, Mansour; Shakir, Saad; Aljeraisy, Majed; Al-Blowi, Ali; Alkhashan, Hesham; Albogami, Yasser; Murray, Michael D

2012-07-01

With its rapid introduction in 2009, concerns about the safety of the H1N1 vaccines have been raised. Data were especially limited on the pediatric safety of H1N1 vaccine in Saudi Arabia. The objectives of this study were to investigate the safety of the H1N1 vaccine (Pandemrix(®)) in children and examine the feasibility of obtaining information on possibly associated adverse reactions using mobile telephone contact with child caregivers. A cohort study was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Patients were included if they were aged between 6 and 18 years and had received one dose of the H1N1 vaccine. A control group involved children from the same school system who had not received the vaccine. Six months following vaccination, a clinical pharmacist called the caregiver of the child to ask about hospitalization, emergency room visits and events related to H1N1 vaccine administration using a standardized questionnaire. Caregivers of 372 school-age children were contacted. The response rate was 97% (n = 359). A total of 169 children who received at least one dose of the H1N1 vaccine were compared with 190 children in the control group who had not received the vaccine. Controlling for age, sex, education and use of medications, the odds ratio (OR) of hospitalization or emergency room visits for children within the 6 months after vaccination relative to the unvaccinated children was 1.25 (95% CI 0.47, 3.35). The risk of influenza-like symptoms was significantly reduced in vaccinated children compared with unvaccinated children (OR 0.63; 95% CI 0.41, 0.99). School-age children in Saudi Arabia who received the H1N1 vaccine did not have an increased risk of hospitalization or emergency room visits. Larger studies are needed to confirm these results. Proactive pharmacovigilance is important in assessing the safety of vaccines and other medications. It is feasible to collect information on adverse drug reactions using mobile telephones, a method that can be of benefit in both developed and developing countries.

Social Information Processing in Elementary-School Aged Children with ADHD: Medication Effects and Comparisons with Typical Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Sara; Waschbusch, Daniel A.; Pelham, William E., Jr.; Frankland, Bradley W.; Andrade, Brendan F.; Jacques, Sophie; Corkum, Penny V.

2009-01-01

Examined social information processing (SIP) in medicated and unmedicated children with ADHD and in controls. Participants were 75 children (56 boys, 19 girls) aged 6-12 years, including 41 children with ADHD and 34 controls. Children were randomized into medication conditions such that 20 children with ADHD participated after receiving placebo…

Involving Parents in Paired Reading with Preschoolers: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Shui-fong; Chow-Yeung, Kamfung; Wong, Bernard P. H.; Lau, Kwok Kiu; Tse, Shuk In

2013-01-01

A paired reading program was implemented for 195 Hong Kong preschoolers (mean age = 4.7 years) and their parents from families with a wide range of family income. The preschoolers were randomly assigned to experimental or waitlist control groups. The parents in the experimental group received 12 sessions of school-based training on paired reading…

The Efficacy of Fast ForWord Language Intervention in School-Age Children with Language Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillam, Ronald B.; Loeb, Diane Frome; Hoffman, LaVae M.; Bohman, Thomas; Champlin, Craig A.; Thibodeau, Linda; Widen, Judith; Brandel, Jayne; Friel-Patti, Sandy

2008-01-01

Purpose: A randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the language and auditory processing outcomes of children assigned to receive the Fast ForWord Language intervention (FFW-L) with the outcomes of children assigned to nonspecific or specific language intervention comparison treatments that did not contain modified speech. Method: Two…

Developmental precursors of young school-age children's hostile attribution bias.

PubMed

Choe, Daniel Ewon; Lane, Jonathan D; Grabell, Adam S; Olson, Sheryl L

2013-12-01

This prospective longitudinal study provides evidence of preschool-age precursors of hostile attribution bias in young school-age children, a topic that has received little empirical attention. We examined multiple risk domains, including laboratory and observational assessments of children's social-cognition, general cognitive functioning, effortful control, and peer aggression. Preschoolers (N = 231) with a more advanced theory-of-mind, better emotion understanding, and higher IQ made fewer hostile attributions of intent in the early school years. Further exploration of these significant predictors revealed that only certain components of these capacities (i.e., nonstereotypical emotion understanding, false-belief explanation, and verbal IQ) were robust predictors of a hostile attribution bias in young school-age children and were especially strong predictors among children with more advanced effortful control. These relations were prospective in nature-the effects of preschool variables persisted after accounting for similar variables at school age. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for future research and prevention. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Evaluation of the impact of a school gardening intervention on children's fruit and vegetable intake: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Christian, Meaghan S; Evans, Charlotte El; Nykjaer, Camilla; Hancock, Neil; Cade, Janet E

2014-08-16

Current academic literature suggests that school gardening programmes can provide an interactive environment with the potential to change children's fruit and vegetable intake. This is the first cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) designed to evaluate whether a school gardening programme can have an effect on children's fruit and vegetable intake. The trial included children from 23 schools; these schools were randomised into two groups, one to receive the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)-led intervention and the other to receive the less involved Teacher-led intervention. A 24-hour food diary (CADET) was used to collect baseline and follow-up dietary intake 18 months apart. Questionnaires were also administered to evaluate the intervention implementation. A total of 641 children completed the trial with a mean age of 8.1 years (95% CI: 8.0, 8.4). The unadjusted results from multilevel regression analysis revealed that for combined daily fruit and vegetable intake the Teacher-led group had a higher daily mean change of 8 g (95% CI: -19, 36) compared to the RHS-led group -32 g (95% CI: -60, -3). However, after adjusting for possible confounders this difference was not significant (intervention effect: -40 g, 95% CI: -88, 1; p = 0.06). The adjusted analysis of process measures identified that if schools improved their gardening score by 3 levels (a measure of school gardening involvement - the scale has 6 levels from 0 'no garden' to 5 'community involvement'), irrespective of group allocation, children had, on average, a daily increase of 81 g of fruit and vegetable intake (95% CI: 0, 163; p = 0.05) compared to schools that had no change in gardening score. This study is the first cluster randomised controlled trial designed to evaluate a school gardening intervention. The results have found very little evidence to support the claims that school gardening alone can improve children's daily fruit and vegetable intake. However, when a gardening intervention is implemented at a high level within the school it may improve children's daily fruit and vegetable intake by a portion. Improving children's fruit and vegetable intake remains a challenging task. ISRCTN11396528.

76 FR 71933 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-21

..., Office of Management and Budget (OMB), [email protected] or fax (202) 395-5806 and to... it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Food and Nutrition Service Title: National School... Collection: Direct certification enables children in households that receive Supplemental Nutrition...

Efficacy of the Aussie Optimism Program: Promoting Pro-social Behavior and Preventing Suicidality in Primary School Students. A Randomised-Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Roberts, Clare M.; Kane, Robert T.; Rooney, Rosanna M.; Pintabona, Yolanda; Baughman, Natalie; Hassan, Sharinaz; Cross, Donna; Zubrick, Stephen R.; Silburn, Sven R.

2018-01-01

The efficacy of an enhanced version of the Aussie Optimism Program (AOP) was investigated in a cluster randomized controlled trial. Grade 6 students aged 10–11 years of age (N = 2288) from 63 government primary schools in Perth, Western Australia, participated in the pre, post, and follow-up study. Schools were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Aussie Optimism with teacher training, Aussie Optimism with teacher training plus coaching, or a usual care condition that received the regular Western Australian Health Education Curriculum. Students in the Aussie Optimism conditions received 20, 1-h lessons relating to social and interpersonal skills and optimistic thinking skills over the last 2 years of primary school. Parents in the active conditions received a parent information booklet each year, plus a self-directed program in Grade 7. Students and parents completed the Extended Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Students who scored in the clinical range on the Emotional Symptoms Scale were given The Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents IV, to assess suicidal ideation and behavior, and depressive and anxiety disorders. Results indicated that Aussie Optimism with teacher training plus coaching was associated with the best outcomes: a significant increase in student-reported pro-social behavior from pre-test to post-test 1 (maintained at post-test 2) and significantly lower incidence rates from suicidal ideation at post-test 2 and follow-up. No significant intervention effects on anxiety and depressive disorders, and total difficulties were reported. These findings suggest that the AOP with teacher training along with coaching may have the potential to positively impact on suicidality and pro-social behavior in the pre-adolescent years. PMID:29599729

Pilot evaluation of the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) Food-O-Meter, a computer-tailored nutrition advice for adolescents: a study in six European cities.

PubMed

Maes, Lea; Cook, Tina Louisa; Ottovaere, Charlene; Matthijs, Christophe; Moreno, Luis A; Kersting, Mathilde; Papadaki, Alina; Manios, Yannis; Dietrich, Sabine; Hallström, Lena; Haerens, Leen; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Vereecken, Carine

2011-07-01

To investigate the feasibility and impact of the Food-O-Meter, an Internet-based computer-tailored nutrition intervention in adolescents. Participants in the intervention condition received the computer-tailored advice at baseline and at 1 month, those in the control condition received standardised advice. Effects were evaluated at 1 month (n 621) and at 3 months (n 558) using multi-level modelling. Secondary schools in six European cities. Adolescents accessed the intervention in the school computer room under the supervision of teachers. Classes with students aged 12-17 years in the schools participating in the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) cross-sectional study were randomised into intervention and control schools. In most participating centres the intervention was feasible and generally well appreciated, especially by girls. Technical problems and lack of motivation of the teachers hindered implementation in some centres. Overweight adolescents had higher scores for reading and using the advice than normal weight adolescents. After 1 month adolescents receiving the standardised advice reported an increase in fat intake, while fat intake in the intervention condition was stable (F = 4·82, P < 0·05). After 3 months, there was a trend in the total group for an intervention effect of the tailored advice on fat intake (F = 2·80, P < 0·10). In the overweight group there was a clear positive effect (F = 5·76, P < 0·05). The Food-O-Meter should be developed further. The results were modest but clear for percentage energy from fat, specifically in the overweight group. Adaptations based on new research are needed to enhance the reliability and effectiveness of the intervention.

Effect of single-dose albendazole and vitamin A supplementation on the iron status of pre-school children in Sichuan, China.

PubMed

Chen, Ke; Xie, Hu Mina; Tian, Weizheng; Zheng, Xiaoling; Jiang, Alice C

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of single-dose albendazole and vitamin A intervention on the anaemic status and Fe metabolism of pre-school children. This study was a randomised, placebo-controlled and double-blinded intervention trial. All eligible anaemic pre-school children were randomly divided into three groups: group 1 received no intervention, which served as the control group, group 2 received 400 mg single-dose albendazole administration and group 3 received a 60000 μg vitamin A capsule combined with 400 mg single-dose albendazole at the beginning of the study. The follow-up period was for 6 months. Anthropometry and biochemical index about Fe metabolism were measured before and after intervention. A total of 209 pre-school anaemic children were randomly divided into three intervention groups (sixty-four, sixty-two and sixty for groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively). The mean age of the children in the study was 4·4 (sd 0·7) years and 50·5 % of the children were female (94/186). After a follow-up period of 6 months, the levels of serum retinol, ferritin, transferrin receptor-ferritin index and body total Fe content of children in group 3 were significantly higher compared with children in groups 1 and 2 (P<0·05). Moreover, the proportion of vitamin A deficiency, marginal vitamin A deficiency and Fe deficiency among children in group 3 were markedly lower compared with children in groups 1 and 2 (P<0·05). Albendazole plus vitamin A administration showed more efficacy on the improvement of serum retinol and Fe metabolic status.

The Good Schools Toolkit to prevent violence against children in Ugandan primary schools: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of the Good School Toolkit, developed by Raising Voices, in preventing violence against children attending school and in improving child mental health and educational outcomes. Methods/design We are conducting a two-arm cluster randomised controlled trial with parallel assignment in Luwero District, Uganda. We will also conduct a qualitative study, a process evaluation and an economic evaluation. A total of 42 schools, representative of Luwero District, Uganda, were allocated to receive the Toolkit plus implementation support, or were allocated to a wait-list control condition. Our main analysis will involve a cross-sectional comparison of the prevalence of past-week violence from school staff as reported by children in intervention and control primary schools at follow-up. At least 60 children per school and all school staff members will be interviewed at follow-up. Data collection involves a combination of mobile phone-based, interviewer-completed questionnaires and paper-and-pen educational tests. Survey instruments include the ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tools to assess experiences of violence; the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to measure symptoms of common childhood mental disorders; and word recognition, reading comprehension, spelling, arithmetic and sustained attention tests adapted from an intervention trial in Kenya. Discussion To our knowledge, this is the first study to rigorously investigate the effects of any intervention to prevent violence from school staff to children in primary school in a low-income setting. We hope the results will be informative across the African region and in other settings. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov NCT01678846 PMID:23883138

25 CFR 39.145 - Can a school receive both a small school adjustment and a small high school adjustment?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Can a school receive both a small school adjustment and a small high school adjustment? 39.145 Section 39.145 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EDUCATION THE INDIAN SCHOOL EQUALIZATION PROGRAM Indian School Equalization Formula Small School...

25 CFR 39.145 - Can a school receive both a small school adjustment and a small high school adjustment?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Can a school receive both a small school adjustment and a small high school adjustment? 39.145 Section 39.145 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EDUCATION THE INDIAN SCHOOL EQUALIZATION PROGRAM Indian School Equalization Formula Small School...

Effect of a School-Based Intervention on Nutritional Knowledge and Habits of Low-Socioeconomic School Children in Israel: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Kaufman-Shriqui, Vered; Fraser, Drora; Friger, Michael; Geva, Dikla; Bilenko, Natalya; Vardi, Hillel; Elhadad, Naama; Mor, Karen; Feine, Zvi; Shahar, Danit R

2016-04-21

Early social and economic deprivation, associated with poor nutrition and physical inactivity, may lead to adverse health trajectories. A cluster-randomized controlled-trial examining the effect of a school-based comprehensive intervention on nutrition knowledge, eating habits, and behaviors among low socioeconomic status (LSES) school-aged children was performed. LSES school-aged children (4-7 years) and their mothers were recruited from 11 schools, located in one town. The intervention was implemented on three levels: children, mothers, and teachers. The intervention (IArm) included nutrition classes for children, mothers, and teachers and physical activity (PA) classes for children; the control (CArm) received PA only. Interventions were conducted by professional personnel, who were trained during in a two-day session to deliver the specific program in schools. Family data were obtained by parental interviews. Food knowledge observations, packed lunch records, and anthropometric measurements were obtained in school at baseline, six months, and at the end of the school year. Of 258 children enrolled, 220 (87.6%) completed the six-month program. Only children in the IArm improved their nutrition knowledge and eating-habits and increased food variety and fruit and vegetable consumption, quality score of packed lunches (p < 0.001 for all), habitual water drinking increased (p = 0.02), and decreased sweet-drink consumption (p = 0.05). A school-based comprehensive nutrition intervention targeting LSES population improved eating habits, nutritional knowledge, and healthier packed lunches.

Short-term effects of a rights-based sexuality education curriculum for high-school students: a cluster-randomized trial.

PubMed

Constantine, Norman A; Jerman, Petra; Berglas, Nancy F; Angulo-Olaiz, Francisca; Chou, Chih-Ping; Rohrbach, Louise A

2015-03-26

An emerging model for sexuality education is the rights-based approach, which unifies discussions of sexuality, gender norms, and sexual rights to promote the healthy sexual development of adolescents. A rigorous evaluation of a rights-based intervention for a broad population of adolescents in the U.S. has not previously been published. This paper evaluates the immediate effects of the Sexuality Education Initiative (SEI) on hypothesized psychosocial determinants of sexual behavior. A cluster-randomized trial was conducted with ninth-grade students at 10 high schools in Los Angeles. Classrooms at each school were randomized to receive either a rights-based curriculum or basic sex education (control) curriculum. Surveys were completed by 1,750 students (N = 934 intervention, N = 816 control) at pretest and immediate posttest. Multilevel regression models examined the short-term effects of the intervention on nine psychosocial outcomes, which were hypothesized to be mediators of students' sexual behaviors. Compared with students who received the control curriculum, students receiving the rights-based curriculum demonstrated significantly greater knowledge about sexual health and sexual health services, more positive attitudes about sexual relationship rights, greater communication about sex and relationships with parents, and greater self-efficacy to manage risky situations at immediate posttest. There were no significant differences between the two groups for two outcomes, communication with sexual partners and intentions to use condoms. Participation in the rights-based classroom curriculum resulted in positive, statistically significant effects on seven of nine psychosocial outcomes, relative to a basic sex education curriculum. Longer-term effects on students' sexual behaviors will be tested in subsequent analyses. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02009046.

The effect of exercise on vaccine-related pain, anxiety and fear during HPV vaccinations in adolescents.

PubMed

Lee, V Y; Booy, R; Skinner, R; Edwards, K M

2018-05-31

With increased school-based vaccinations for improved coverage rates and practicality, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently endorsed research to identify possible interventions to reduce vaccine-related pain in mass clinical and school-based settings. In particular, the lack of research in adolescents indicate a particular need in this population. Acute exercise has analgesic effects and has been used as a behavioural adjuvant to vaccination. Here, we examine the effect of exercise on vaccine-related pain, anxiety and fear in adolescents, during a school-based program for HPV vaccinations. 116 students (Female: 61, Male: 55) aged 11-13 years were randomly allocated to either an Exercise (n = 60) or Control (n = 56) group. All participants completed demographic and Trait-anxiety questionnaires prior to receiving the vaccine according to usual care. The Exercise group also performed upper body exercise for 15 min prior to receiving the vaccine. Immediately after the vaccine administration, all participants reported on pain, anxiety and fear at the time of receiving the vaccine. Female adolescents in the Exercise group reported significantly less pain (3.64; 95% CI, 2.98-4.30) than Controls (4.58; 95% CI, 3.96-5.19; p = 0.04). Further, females reported greater pain and anxiety than males in the Control group but not the Exercise group. This study supports the use of exercise prior to vaccine administration, especially in female adolescents who are particularly vulnerable to negative experiences during vaccination procedures. Furthermore, the ease of application, as well as the benefit of exercise, provides support for the use of simple exercise prior to vaccination in mass vaccination settings. Clinical trial registry: ANZCTR, ACTRN12614001185651. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Child Centred Approach to Climate Change and Health Adaptation through Schools in Bangladesh: A Cluster Randomised Intervention Trial

PubMed Central

Kabir, Md Iqbal; Rahman, Md Bayzidur; Smith, Wayne; Lusha, Mirza Afreen Fatima; Milton, Abul Hasnat

2015-01-01

Background Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. People are getting educated at different levels on how to deal with potential impacts. One such educational mode was the preparation of a school manual, for high school students on climate change and health protection endorsed by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board, which is based on a 2008 World Health Organization manual. The objective of this study was to test the effectiveness of the manual in increasing the knowledge level of the school children about climate change and health adaptation. Methods This cluster randomized intervention trial involved 60 schools throughout Bangladesh, with 3293 secondary school students participating. School upazilas (sub-districts) were randomised into intervention and control groups, and two schools from each upazila were randomly selected. All year seven students from both groups of schools sat for a pre-test of 30 short questions of binary response. A total of 1515 students from 30 intervention schools received the intervention through classroom training based on the school manual and 1778 students of the 30 control schools did not get the manual but a leaflet on climate change and health issues. Six months later, a post-intervention test of the same questionnaire used in the pre-test was performed at both intervention and control schools. The pre and post test scores were analysed along with the demographic data by using random effects model. Results None of the various school level and student level variables were significantly different between the control and intervention group. However, the intervention group had a 17.42% (95% CI: 14.45 to 20.38, P = <0.001) higher score in the post-test after adjusting for pre-test score and other covariates in a multi-level linear regression model. Conclusions These results suggest that school-based intervention for climate change and health adaptation is effective for increasing the knowledge level of school children on this topic. PMID:26252381

Child Centred Approach to Climate Change and Health Adaptation through Schools in Bangladesh: A Cluster Randomised Intervention Trial.

PubMed

Kabir, Md Iqbal; Rahman, Md Bayzidur; Smith, Wayne; Lusha, Mirza Afreen Fatima; Milton, Abul Hasnat

2015-01-01

Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. People are getting educated at different levels on how to deal with potential impacts. One such educational mode was the preparation of a school manual, for high school students on climate change and health protection endorsed by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board, which is based on a 2008 World Health Organization manual. The objective of this study was to test the effectiveness of the manual in increasing the knowledge level of the school children about climate change and health adaptation. This cluster randomized intervention trial involved 60 schools throughout Bangladesh, with 3293 secondary school students participating. School upazilas (sub-districts) were randomised into intervention and control groups, and two schools from each upazila were randomly selected. All year seven students from both groups of schools sat for a pre-test of 30 short questions of binary response. A total of 1515 students from 30 intervention schools received the intervention through classroom training based on the school manual and 1778 students of the 30 control schools did not get the manual but a leaflet on climate change and health issues. Six months later, a post-intervention test of the same questionnaire used in the pre-test was performed at both intervention and control schools. The pre and post test scores were analysed along with the demographic data by using random effects model. None of the various school level and student level variables were significantly different between the control and intervention group. However, the intervention group had a 17.42% (95% CI: 14.45 to 20.38, P = <0.001) higher score in the post-test after adjusting for pre-test score and other covariates in a multi-level linear regression model. These results suggest that school-based intervention for climate change and health adaptation is effective for increasing the knowledge level of school children on this topic.

The effectiveness of an e-learning course on medication calculation in nursing students: a clustered quasi-experimental study.

PubMed

Van Lancker, Aurélie; Baldewijns, Katleen; Verhaeghe, Rik; Robays, Hugo; Buyle, Franky; Colman, Roos; Van Hecke, Ann

2016-09-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of an e-learning course compared with a face-to-face lecture on medication calculation. The current knowledge on medication calculation of nursing students and nurses is insufficient to provide safe care. A stratified-clustered quasi-experimental study. A random selection of nursing schools were allocated to the e-learning course (intervention group) (seven schools; 189 students) or face-to-face lecture (control group) (six schools, 222 students). Students in both groups completed a validated medication calculation test (maximum score: 16) prior to the course (T0), immediately after the course (T1) and 3 months later (T2). A linear mixed model was used for data analysis. Medication calculation skills improved significantly more by the face-to-face lecture than e-learning course. Students in both groups significantly improved in medication calculation skills immediately after the course (T1) and 3 months later. The results flattened at T2 with a significant decline in the intervention group between T1 and T2 and a non-significant decline in the control group. Based on a subgroup analysis, improvement in medication calculation skills at T2 could only be observed in vocational-level (sub degree) nursing students receiving a face-to-face course. Both medication calculation courses had a positive effect on medication calculation skills. Students receiving traditional face-to-face lecture improved significantly more than the students receiving the e-learning course. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Neurofeedback and cognitive attention training for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in schools.

PubMed

Steiner, Naomi J; Frenette, Elizabeth C; Rene, Kirsten M; Brennan, Robert T; Perrin, Ellen C

2014-01-01

To evaluate the efficacy of 2 computer attention training systems administered in school for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children in second and fourth grade with a diagnosis of ADHD (n = 104) were randomly assigned to neurofeedback (NF) (n = 34), cognitive training (CT) (n = 34), or control (n = 36) conditions. A 2-point growth model assessed change from pre-post intervention on parent reports (Conners 3-Parent [Conners 3-P]; Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function [BRIEF] rating scale), teacher reports (Swanson, Kotkin, Agler, M-Flynn and Pelham scale [SKAMP]; Conners 3-Teacher [Conners 3-T]), and systematic classroom observations (Behavioral Observation of Students in Schools [BOSS]). Paired t tests and an analysis of covariance assessed change in medication. Children who received NF showed significant improvement compared with those in the control condition on the Conners 3-P Attention, Executive Functioning and Global Index, on all BRIEF summary indices, and on BOSS motor/verbal off-task behavior. Children who received CT showed no improvement compared to the control condition. Children in the NF condition showed significant improvements compared to those in the CT condition on Conners 3-P Executive Functioning, all BRIEF summary indices, SKAMP Attention, and Conners 3-T Inattention subscales. Stimulant medication dosage in methylphenidate equivalencies significantly increased for children in the CT (8.54 mg) and control (7.05 mg) conditions but not for those in the NF condition (0.29 mg). Neurofeedback made greater improvements in ADHD symptoms compared to both the control and CT conditions. Thus, NF is a promising attention training treatment intervention for children with ADHD.

Who dispenses pharmaceuticals to children at school?

PubMed

Francis, E E; Hemmat, J P; Treloar, D M; Yarandi, H

1996-12-01

Use of both prescription and non-prescription pharmaceuticals has increased among children. Many of these drugs are taken during school hours and dispensed by school personnel who are not health professionals. They know little or nothing about the drugs themselves or the medical conditions requiring their use. This survey examined the extent to which pharmaceuticals are dispensed in schools in one Florida county. Public elementary, middle, and high schools and six private schools were surveyed for one week. All medications dispensed by school personnel during that time were recorded. Of 28,134 children surveyed, 1,016 children received 5,411 doses of medication. Thirty-one categories of drugs were dispensed including controlled substances. Methylphenidate was the most widely dispensed drug, comprising about half of all the medications given in school. Medication use was evaluated in terms of gender, race, and socioeconomic status of the children.

College students as facilitators in reducing adolescent obesity disparity in Southern Appalachia: Team Up for Healthy Living

PubMed Central

Dalton, William T.; Dula, Taylor McKeehan; Southerland, Jodi; Wang, Liang; Littleton, Mary Ann; Mozen, Diana; Relyea, George; Schetzina, Karen; Lowe, Elizabeth F.; Stoots, James M.; Wu, Tiejian

2015-01-01

The proportion of obese adolescents in Southern Appalachia is among the highest in the nation. Through funding from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities – National Institutes of Health, the Team Up for Healthy Living project was a cluster-randomized trial targeting obesity prevention in adolescents through a cross-peer intervention. The specific aims of the project were to: 1) develop a peer-based health education program focusing on establishing positive peer norms towards healthy eating and physical activity (PA) among high school students, 2) test program efficacy, and 3) explore mechanisms underlying the program. The study was guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, which presupposes that human behavior is primarily driven by attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and social support. To deliver the intervention, undergraduate students from the disciplines of public health, nutrition, and kinesiology were hired as peer facilitators. Ten area high schools were invited to participate, were matched on demographics and then randomized to intervention or control. The primary outcomes of the study included body mass status, dietary behaviors, PA, and sedentary behaviors which were assessed at baseline and at three and twelve months post baseline. Intervention schools received Team Up for Healthy Living curriculum, which consists of eight 40-minute sessions. The curriculum focused on improving nutrition awareness, PA, leadership and communication. Control schools received their regularly scheduled Lifetime Wellness curriculum. The long-term goal of the study was to establish an effective academia–community partnership program to address adolescent obesity disparity in Southern Appalachia. PMID:25937506

Resource-oriented coaching for reduction of examination-related stress in medical students: an exploratory randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Kötter, Thomas; Niebuhr, Frank

2016-01-01

The years spent in acquiring medical education is considered a stressful period in the life of many students. Students whose mental health deteriorates during this long period of study are less likely to become empathic and productive physicians. In addition to other specific stressors, academic examinations seem to further induce medical school-related stress and anxiety. Combined group and individual resource-oriented coaching early in medical education might reduce examination-related stress and anxiety and, consequently, enhance academic performance. Good quality evidence, however, remains scarce. In this study, therefore, we explored the question of whether coaching affects examination-related stress and health in medical students. We conducted a randomized controlled trial. Students who registered for the first medical academic examination in August 2014 at the University of Lübeck were recruited and randomized into three groups. The intervention groups 1 and 2 received a 1-hour psychoeducative seminar. Group 1 additionally received two 1-hour sessions of individual coaching during examination preparation. Group 3 served as a control group. We compared changes in self-rated general health (measured by a single item), anxiety and depression (measured by the hospital anxiety and depression scale), as well as medical school stress (measured by the perceived medical school stress instrument). In order to further investigate the influence of group allocation on perceived medical school stress, we conducted a linear regression analysis. We saw a significant deterioration of general health and an increase in anxiety and depression scores in medical students while preparing for an examination. We found a small, but statistically significant, effect of group allocation on the development of perceived medical school stress. However, we could not differentiate between the effects of group coaching only and group coaching in combination with two sessions of individual coaching. The health of medical students deteriorated while preparing for an examination. Short-term resource-oriented coaching might be an effective means of reducing medical school stress in candidates preparing for an examination.

Long-term impact of a chef on school lunch consumption: findings from a 2-year pilot study in Boston middle schools.

PubMed

Cohen, Juliana F W; Smit, Liesbeth A; Parker, Ellen; Austin, S Bryn; Frazier, A Lindsay; Economos, Christina D; Rimm, Eric B

2012-06-01

School cafeterias can play an important role in providing healthy meals. Although schools participating in the National School Lunch Program are required to meet minimum program standards, advocates recommend that innovations be sought to enhance menu dietary quality. This study evaluated the Chef Initiative, a 2-year pilot study in two Boston middle schools, designed to increase the availability and consumption of healthier school foods. Between 2007 and 2009, a professional chef trained cafeteria staff to prepare healthier school lunches (ie, more whole grains, fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables, and less sugar, salt, saturated fats, and trans fats). Meal nutrient compositions were monitored from 2007 to 2009, and a plate waste study conducted in the spring of 2009 compared food selection and consumption patterns among students at Chef Initiative schools, with students receiving standard school lunches at two matched control schools. Paired t tests and descriptive statistics were used to examine differences in menus and mixed-model analysis of variance was used to analyze differences in students' food selection and consumption between Chef Initiative and control schools. Overall, the Chef Initiative schools provided healthier lunches and the percent of foods consumed at Chef Initiative and control schools were similar (61.6% vs 57.3%; P=0.63). Of the areas targeted, there was greater whole-grain selection and vegetable consumption; 51% more students selected whole grains (P=0.02) and students consumed 0.36 more vegetable servings/day (P=0.01) at Chef Initiative schools. The potential of chefs collaborating with cafeteria staff to improve the availability, selection, and consumption of healthier meals is promising. Copyright © 2012 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Promoting walking to school: results of a quasi-experimental trial.

PubMed

McKee, Rosie; Mutrie, Nanette; Crawford, Fiona; Green, Brian

2007-09-01

To assess the impact of a combined intervention on children's travel behaviour, stage of behavioural change and motivations for and barriers to actively commuting to school. A quasi-experimental trial involving pre- and post-intervention mapping of routes to school by active and inactive mode of travel and surveys of "stage of behaviour change" and motivations for and barriers to actively commuting to school. The intervention school participated in a school-based active travel project for one school term. Active travel was integrated into the curriculum and participants used interactive travel-planning resources at home. The control school participated in before and after measurements but did not receive the intervention. Two primary schools in Scotland with similar socioeconomic and demographic profiles. Two classes of primary 5 children and their families and teachers. Post intervention, the mean distance travelled to school by walking by intervention children increased significantly from baseline, from 198 to 772 m (389% increase). In the control group mean distance walked increased from 242 to 285 m (17% increase). The difference between the schools was significant (t (38) = -4.679, p<0.001 (95% confidence interval -315 to -795 m)). Post intervention, the mean distance travelled to school by car by intervention children reduced significantly from baseline, from 2018 to 933 m (57.5% reduction). The mean distance travelled to school by car by control children increased from baseline, from 933 to 947 m (1.5% increase). The difference in the change between schools was significant (t (32) = 4.282, p<0.001 (95% confidence interval 445 to 1255 m)). Intervention was effective in achieving an increase in the mean distance travelled by active mode and a reduction in the mean distance travelled by inactive mode on school journey.

Elementary school children's science learning from school field trips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glick, Marilyn Petty

This research examines the impact of classroom anchoring activities on elementary school students' science learning from a school field trip. Although there is prior research demonstrating that students can learn science from school field trips, most of this research is descriptive in nature and does not examine the conditions that enhance or facilitate such learning. The current study draws upon research in psychology and education to create an intervention that is designed to enhance what students learn from school science field trips. The intervention comprises of a set of "anchoring" activities that include: (1) Orientation to context, (2) Discussion to activate prior knowledge and generate questions, (3) Use of field notebooks during the field trip to record observations and answer questions generated prior to field trip, (4) Post-visit discussion of what was learned. The effects of the intervention are examined by comparing two groups of students: an intervention group which receives anchoring classroom activities related to their field trip and an equivalent control group which visits the same field trip site for the same duration but does not receive any anchoring classroom activities. Learning of target concepts in both groups was compared using objective pre and posttests. Additionally, a subset of students in each group were interviewed to obtain more detailed descriptive data on what children learned through their field trip.

Does Mass Azithromycin Distribution Impact Child Growth and Nutrition in Niger? A Cluster-Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Amza, Abdou; Yu, Sun N.; Kadri, Boubacar; Nassirou, Baido; Stoller, Nicole E.; Zhou, Zhaoxia; West, Sheila K.; Bailey, Robin L.; Gaynor, Bruce D.; Keenan, Jeremy D.; Porco, Travis C.; Lietman, Thomas M.

2014-01-01

Background Antibiotic use on animals demonstrates improved growth regardless of whether or not there is clinical evidence of infectious disease. Antibiotics used for trachoma control may play an unintended benefit of improving child growth. Methodology In this sub-study of a larger randomized controlled trial, we assess anthropometry of pre-school children in a community-randomized trial of mass oral azithromycin distributions for trachoma in Niger. We measured height, weight, and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) in 12 communities randomized to receive annual mass azithromycin treatment of everyone versus 12 communities randomized to receive biannual mass azithromycin treatments for children, 3 years after the initial mass treatment. We collected measurements in 1,034 children aged 6–60 months of age. Principal Findings We found no difference in the prevalence of wasting among children in the 12 annually treated communities that received three mass azithromycin distributions compared to the 12 biannually treated communities that received six mass azithromycin distributions (odds ratio = 0.88, 95% confidence interval = 0.53 to 1.49). Conclusions/Significance We were unable to demonstrate a statistically significant difference in stunting, underweight, and low MUAC of pre-school children in communities randomized to annual mass azithromycin treatment or biannual mass azithromycin treatment. The role of antibiotics on child growth and nutrition remains unclear, but larger studies and longitudinal trials may help determine any association. PMID:25210836

Lessons Learned Through the Implementation of an eHealth Physical Activity Gaming Intervention with High School Youth.

PubMed

Pope, Lizzy; Garnett, Bernice; Dibble, Marguerite

2018-04-01

To encourage high school students to meet physical activity goals using a newly developed game, and to document the feasibility, benefits, and challenges of using an electronic gaming application to promote physical activity in high school students. Working with youth and game designers an electronic game, Camp Conquer, was developed to motivate high school students to meet physical activity goals. One-hundred-five high school students were recruited to participate in a 12-week pilot test of the game and randomly assigned to a Game Condition or Control Condition. Students in both conditions received a FitBit to track their activity, and participants in the Game Condition received access to Camp Conquer. Number of steps and active minutes each day were tracked for all participants. FitBit use, game logins, and qualitative feedback from researchers, school personnel, and participants were used to determine intervention engagement. The majority of study participants did not consistently wear their FitBit or engage with the gaming intervention. Numerous design challenges and barriers to successful implementation such as the randomized design, absence of a true school-based champion, ease of use, and game glitches were identified. Developing games is an exciting technique for motivating the completion of a variety of health behaviors. Although the present intervention was not successful in increasing physical activity in high school students, important lessons were learned regarding how to best structure a gaming intervention for the high school population.

A cluster randomized controlled trial of the be the best you can be intervention: effects on the psychological and physical well-being of school children.

PubMed

Standage, Martyn; Cumming, Sean P; Gillison, Fiona B

2013-07-17

The 'Be the Best You Can Be' (BtBYCB) program is a school-based intervention designed to foster positive physical, psychological, and social development via empowering young people to take ownership over their own personal development. The aim of this work is to determine the effectiveness of the BtBYCB program on (i) pupils' well-being, self-perceptions, self-esteem, aspirations, and learning strategies; and (ii) changes in modifiable health-risk behaviors (i.e., physical activity, diet, smoking, and alcohol consumption). A two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial employing a wait-list control plus qualitative and mixed-method evaluations was used. Participants were school pupils from Years 7 and 8 (aged 11-13 years). Ten schools located in southwest England were randomly allocated to receive the BtBYCB intervention (n = 5 schools; 711 pupils) or a control condition (i.e., usual Personal, Social, and Health Education classes) (n = 5 schools; 622 pupils). Participants in the intervention condition received a program consisting of (i) a talk from an Olympian/Paralympian; (ii) 11 one-hour teacher-led PSHE classroom sessions in which pupils identified their aspirations, values, and interests and explored and acted on these via activities such as personal development planning, goal-setting, and peer-mentoring; and (iii) participated in a celebration event (e.g., second visit from Olympian/Paralympian and short individual presentations). Data were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and at 3-month follow-up.Focus groups (pupils and teachers) and individual interviews (headteachers) were conducted in the 5 intervention schools to (i) gain an in-depth understanding of mechanisms of change; (ii) explore ways in which the participants' motivation and engagement could be enhanced, and (iii) elicit user-feedback pertaining to how the program, content, and appeal could be improved.A mixed-method approach was used to describe and explain the differing experiences of particular groupings within and across the intervention schools; i.e., those for whom the program was effective, those that experienced little, if any change, and those for whom the program led to an inverse effect. The findings of this work will provide insight into the effectiveness of an innovative and child-centered program. The research will inform improvements to the BtBYCB program as well as other interventions targeting child/youth health and wellness. The trial is registered as Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN99443695.

Massage and Storytelling Reduce Aggression and Improve Academic Performance in Children Attending Elementary School

PubMed Central

Gonçalves, Lia Lopes; de Almeida, Maria Helena Morgani

2017-01-01

Background Aggressive behaviors must be addressed in elementary schools. Massage and storytelling can be strategies to deal with aggression because both involve experience exchange and social interaction. Both can decrease stress and anxiety and increase self-esteem. Objective To evaluate the effect of two interventions (massage and storytelling) on aggressive behaviors and academic performance of elementary school children. Method Three groups (n = 35 children in each group) of the second grade participated (aged 6.5–8.1 years). One group received ten extra classes of massage (MG), another group received extra classes of storytelling (SG), and the control group received extra classes of random subjects (CG). Extra classes lasted for 50 minutes, once a week. Aggressive behaviors were recorded on diaries, by the teachers and the coordinator. The frequency of aggressive behaviors and the academic performance of MG, SG, and CG were observed for six months and the groups were compared. Findings ANOVAs evidenced that MG and SG, but not CG, showed a reduction in aggressive behaviors registered by the teachers and coordinator, after the intervention. Academic performance of MG and SC improved after the intervention (p < 0.05). PMID:29097967

Assessing the effectiveness of a school-based oral health promotion programme in Yichang City, China.

PubMed

Tai, Bao-Jun; Jiang, Han; Du, Min-Quan; Peng, Bin

2009-10-01

To assess the outcome of oral health promotion in schoolchildren over a 3-year period in Yichang City, Hubei, China. In a cluster randomized controlled trial, the concept of the World Health Organization Health Promoting Schools Project was applied to primary schoolchildren. Seven intervention schools and eight control schools were randomly selected from one district by stratified cluster sampling. The study was conducted as a 3-year follow-up study. After 3 years, 661 children remained in the intervention group and 697 children in the control group. Data on dental caries, plaque accumulation, and sulcus bleeding were collected by clinical examination, while behavioural data were gathered by self-administered questionnaires. The 3-year net mean DMFS increment score was 0.22 in the intervention schools and 0.35 in the control schools (P < 0.013). A statistically significant difference in mean plaque (P < 0.013) and sulcus bleeding (P < 0.005) increment scores after 3 years was found between the two groups. Statistically significant higher scores were observed in restorations received and sealants placed, and a lower score in untreated dental caries, in children from the intervention group than the control group after 3 years (P < 0.01). In addition, more children in the intervention schools adopted regular oral health behavioural practices such as brushing their teeth at least twice a day, visiting the dentist within the past calendar year, and using fluoride toothpaste. The study suggests that the school-based oral health promotion was an effective way to reduce new caries incidence, improve oral hygiene and establish positive oral health behavioural practices in the targeted schoolchildren.

Language, learning, and memory in children with and without single-suture craniosynostosis.

PubMed

Kapp-Simon, Kathleen A; Wallace, Erin; Collett, Brent R; Cradock, Mary Michaeleen; Crerand, Canice E; Speltz, Matthew L

2016-05-01

OBJECTIVE The language and memory functions of children with and without single-suture craniosynostosis (SSC) were compared at school age (mean 7.45 years, standard deviation [SD] 0.54 years). The children in this cohort were originally recruited in infancy and prior to cranial surgery for those with SSC. METHODS Individual evaluations of 179 school-aged children with SSC and 183 controls were conducted (70% of the original cohort) using standardized measures of language, learning, and memory. Parents participated in an interview about specialized education interventions and school progress. Parents and teachers completed questionnaires about language development. RESULTS Children with SSC (cases) obtained lower scores than controls on all measures. The adjusted differences in language, learning, and memory scores were modest, with SD ranging from 0.0 to -0.4 (p values ranged from 0.001 to 0.99). Censored normal regression was used to account for intervention services received prior to the school-age evaluation; this increased case-control differences (SD range 0.1 to -0.5, p value range 0.001 to 0.50). Mean scores for cases in each SSC diagnostic group were lower than those for controls, with the greatest differences observed among children with unilateral coronal craniosynostosis. CONCLUSIONS Children with SSC continue to show poorer performance than controls on language, learning, and memory tasks at early elementary school age, even when controlling for known confounders, although mean differences are small. Multidisciplinary care, including direct psychological assessment, for children with SSC should extend through school age with a specific focus on language and conceptual learning, as these are areas of potential risk. Future research is needed to investigate language, memory, and learning for this population during the middle to high school years.

National doping prevention guidelines: Intent, efficacy and lessons learned - A 4-year evaluation.

PubMed

Wippert, Pia-Maria; Fließer, Michael

2016-10-10

Doping presents a potential health risk for young athletes. Prevention programs are intended to prevent doping by educating athletes about banned substances. However, such programs have their limitations in practice. This led Germany to introduce the National Doping Prevention Plan (NDPP), in hopes of ameliorating the situation among young elite athletes. Two studies examined 1) the degree to which the NDPP led to improved prevention efforts in elite sport schools, and 2) the extent to which newly developed prevention activities of the national anti-doping agency (NADA) based on the NDPP have improved knowledge among young athletes within elite sports schools. The first objective was investigated in a longitudinal study (Study I: t0 = baseline, t1 = follow-up 4 years after NDPP introduction) with N = 22 teachers engaged in doping prevention in elite sports schools. The second objective was evaluated in a cross-sectional comparison study (Study II) in N = 213 elite sports school students (54.5 % male, 45.5 % female, age M = 16.7 ± 1.3 years (all students had received the improved NDDP measure in school; one student group had received additionally NADA anti-doping activities and a control group did not). Descriptive statistics were calculated, followed by McNemar tests, Wilcoxon tests and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Results indicate that 4 years after the introduction of the NDPP there have been limited structural changes with regard to the frequency, type, and scope of doping prevention in elite sport schools. On the other hand, in study II, elite sport school students who received further NADA anti-doping activities performed better on an anti-doping knowledge test than students who did not take part (F(1, 207) = 33.99, p <0.001), although this difference was small. The integration of doping-prevention in elite sport schools as part of the NDPP was only partially successful. The results of the evaluation indicate that the introduction of the NDPP has contributed more to a change in the content of doping prevention activities than to a structural transformation in anti-doping education in elite sport schools. Moreover, while students who did receive additional education in the form of the NDPP"booster sessions" had significantly more knowledge about doping than students who did not receive such education, this difference was only small and may not translate to actual behavior.

Pathways curriculum and family interventions to promote healthful eating and physical activity in American Indian schoolchildren

PubMed Central

Davis, Sally M.; Clay, Theresa; Smyth, Mary; Gittelsohn, Joel; Arviso, Vivian; Flint-Wagner, Hilary; Rock, Bonnie Holy; Brice, Richard A.; Metcalfe, Lauve; Stewart, Dawn; Vu, Maihan; Stone, Elaine J.

2016-01-01

Background Pathways, a multisite school-based study aimed at promoting healthful eating and increasing physical activity, was a randomized field trial including 1704 American Indian third to fifth grade students from 41 schools (21 intervention, 20 controls) in seven American Indian communities. Methods The intervention schools received four integrated components: a classroom curriculum, food service, physical activity, and family modules. The curriculum and family components were based on Social Learning Theory, American Indian concepts, and results from formative research. Process evaluation data were collected from teachers (n = 235), students (n = 585), and families. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Questionnaire data were collected from 1150 students including both intervention and controls. Results There were significant increases in knowledge and cultural identity in children in intervention compared to control schools with a significant retention of knowledge over the 3 years, based on the results of repeating the third and fourth grade test items in the fifth grade. Family members participated in Family Events and take-home activities, with fewer participating each year. Conclusion A culturally appropriate school intervention can promote positive changes in knowledge, cultural identity, and self-reported healthful eating and physical activity in American Indian children and environmental change in school food service. PMID:14636806

Crow Ressurection: The Future of Airborne Electronic Attack

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

strike assets by attempting to gain and maintain control of the electromagnetic spectrum. 15. SUBJECT TERMS 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17...receiving his commission through Officer Training School in 2000, Major Howard served as an RC-135V/W RIVET JOINT EWO at Offutt AFB, Nebraska...significant Airborne Electronic Attack challenges in protecting strike assets by attempting to gain and maintain control of the electromagnetic spectrum

Predictors of Change Following Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Children with Anxiety Problems: A Preliminary Investigation on Negative Automatic Thoughts and Anxiety Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muris, Peter; Mayer, Birgit; den Adel, Madelon; Roos, Tamara; van Wamelen, Julie

2009-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate negative automatic thoughts and anxiety control as predictors of change produced by cognitive-behavioral treatment of youths with anxiety disorders. Forty-five high-anxious children aged between 9 and 12 years who were selected from the primary school population, received a standardized CBT…

Special Education Services Received by Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders from Preschool through High School

PubMed Central

Wei, Xin; Wagner, Mary; Christiano, Elizabeth R.A.; Shattuck, Paul; Yu, Jennifer W.

2014-01-01

Little is known about how special education services received by students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) differ by age, disability severity, and demographic characteristics. Using three national datasets, the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS), the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS), and the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), this study examined the age trends in special education services received by students with ASDs from preschool through high school. Elementary-school students with ASDs had higher odds of receiving adaptive physical education, specialized computer software or hardware, and special transportation, but lower odds of receiving learning strategies/study skills support than their preschool peers. Secondary-school students had lower odds of receiving speech/language or occupational therapy and of having a behavior management program, but higher odds of receiving mental health or social work services than their elementary-school peers. Both disability severity and demographic characteristics were associated with differences in special education service receipt rates. PMID:25419002

Special Education Services Received by Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders from Preschool through High School.

PubMed

Wei, Xin; Wagner, Mary; Christiano, Elizabeth R A; Shattuck, Paul; Yu, Jennifer W

2014-11-01

Little is known about how special education services received by students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) differ by age, disability severity, and demographic characteristics. Using three national datasets, the Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS), the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study (SEELS), and the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), this study examined the age trends in special education services received by students with ASDs from preschool through high school. Elementary-school students with ASDs had higher odds of receiving adaptive physical education, specialized computer software or hardware, and special transportation, but lower odds of receiving learning strategies/study skills support than their preschool peers. Secondary-school students had lower odds of receiving speech/language or occupational therapy and of having a behavior management program, but higher odds of receiving mental health or social work services than their elementary-school peers. Both disability severity and demographic characteristics were associated with differences in special education service receipt rates.

Financing Education in Minnesota, 1998-1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota House of Representatives, St. Paul. Research Dept.

This report provides an overview of educational financing in Minnesota. It describes how support for elementary and secondary education in the state comes through a combination of state-collected taxes and locally controlled property taxes. Revenue to the school districts is received in three major categories: state education-finance…

Do healthy school meals affect illness, allergies and school attendance in 8- to 11-year-old children? A cluster-randomised controlled study.

PubMed

Laursen, R P; Lauritzen, L; Ritz, C; Dyssegaard, C B; Astrup, A; Michaelsen, K F; Damsgaard, C T

2015-05-01

A nutritionally adequate diet in childhood is important for health and resistance of allergies and infections. This study explored the effects of school meals rich in fish, vegetables and fibre on school attendance, asthma, allergies and illness in 797 Danish 8- to 11-year-old children. No comparable studies conducted in high-income settings have been identified. The OPUS School Meal Study was a cluster-randomised cross-over trial. Children from third and fourth grades at nine Danish schools received school meals or usual packed lunch (control) for two 3-month periods. Occurrence and duration of illnesses, asthma and allergies during the last 14 days were recorded by parental questionnaires at baseline and after each 3-month period. Self-reported well-being was assessed by visual analogue scales. The school meals did not affect school attendance, parent-reported occurrence or duration of asthma and allergies or self-reported well-being. The most common symptoms of illness were stomach pain (24%), headache (28%) and cold (24%). A slightly higher number of children experienced headaches in the school meal (27%) compared with the control period (22%) (P=0.02). However, subgroup analyses showed that this effect was only seen in children eating school meals in the classroom (P=0.007), and not in common dining areas (P=0.2). No effect was found on other symptoms of illness. Provision of nutritionally balanced school meals did not affect school attendance, asthma, allergies, illness or well-being in 8- to 11-year-old children. The slight increase in occurrence of headaches seems to be related to the physical eating environment.

Neighborhood design and rates of walking and biking to elementary school in 34 California communities.

PubMed

Braza, Mark; Shoemaker, Wendy; Seeley, Anne

2004-01-01

This study evaluates the relationship between neighborhood design and rates of students walking and biking to elementary school. Pairwise correlations and multiple regression models were estimated based on a cross-sectional study of elementary schools and their surrounding neighborhoods. Setting and Subjects. Thirty-four (23%) of 150 California public elementary schools holding October 1999 Walk to School Day events participated in the study. Teachers asked fifth-grade students how they arrived to school 1 week before Walk to School Day. 1990 U.S. Census data measured population density and number of intersections per street mile, whereas 1998-1999 California Department of Education data measured school size, the percentage of students receiving public welfare, and the percentage of students of various ethnicities. Population density (p = .000) and school size (p = .053) were significantly associated with walking and biking rates in regression models controlling for number of intersections per street mile, the percentage of students receiving public welfare, and the percentage of students of various ethnicities. The number of intersections per street mile was associated with walking and biking rates in pairwise correlations (p = .003) but not in regression models. The results support the hypothesis that the walking and biking rates are higher in denser neighborhoods and to smaller schools but do not support the hypothesis that rates are higher in neighborhoods with a high number of intersections per street mile. We suggest that detailed data for a larger sample of students would allow statistical models to isolate the effect of specific design characteristics.

A Focused Look at Rural Schools Receiving School Improvement Grants. NCEE Evaluation Brief. NCEE 2014-4013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenberg, Linda; Christianson, Megan Davis; Angus, Megan Hague; Rosenthal, Emily

2014-01-01

The Study of School Turnaround is a set of case studies of the school improvement process in a purposive sample of 35 schools receiving federal funds through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program over a three-year period (school years 2010-11 to 2012-13). This evaluation brief focuses on the nine SIG schools that were in rural areas and how…

Reducing musculoskeletal injury and concussion risk in schoolboy rugby players with a pre-activity movement control exercise programme: a cluster randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Hislop, Michael D; Stokes, Keith A; Williams, Sean; McKay, Carly D; England, Mike E; Kemp, Simon P T; Trewartha, Grant

2017-01-01

Background Injury risk in youth rugby has received much attention, highlighting the importance of establishing evidence-based injury reduction strategies. Aim To determine the efficacy of a movement control exercise programme in reducing injuries in youth rugby players and to investigate the effect of programme dose on injury measures. Methods In a cluster-randomised controlled trial, 40 independent schools (118 teams, 3188 players aged 14–18 years) were allocated to receive either the intervention or a reference programme, both of which were to be delivered by school coaches. The intervention comprised balance training, whole-body resistance training, plyometric training, and controlled rehearsal of landing and cutting manoeuvres. Time-loss (>24 hours) injuries arising from school rugby matches were recorded by coaches and medical staff. Results 441 time-loss match injuries (intervention, 233; control, 208) were reported across 15 938 match exposure-hours (intervention, 9083; control, 6855). Intention-to-treat results indicated unclear effects of trial arm on overall match injury incidence (rate ratio (RR)=0.85, 90% confidence limits 0.61 to 1.17), although clear reductions were evident in the intervention arm for concussion incidence (RR=0.71, 0.48 to 1.05). When trial arm comparisons were limited to teams who had completed three or more weekly programme sessions on average, clear reductions in overall match injury incidence (RR=0.28, 0.14 to 0.51) and concussion incidence (RR=0.41, 0.17 to 0.99) were noted in the intervention group. Conclusion A preventive movement control exercise programme can reduce match injury outcomes, including concussion, in schoolboy rugby players when compared with a standardised control exercise programme, although to realise the greatest effects players should complete the programme at least three times per week. PMID:28515056

Reducing musculoskeletal injury and concussion risk in schoolboy rugby players with a pre-activity movement control exercise programme: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Hislop, Michael D; Stokes, Keith A; Williams, Sean; McKay, Carly D; England, Mike E; Kemp, Simon P T; Trewartha, Grant

2017-08-01

Injury risk in youth rugby has received much attention, highlighting the importance of establishing evidence-based injury reduction strategies. To determine the efficacy of a movement control exercise programme in reducing injuries in youth rugby players and to investigate the effect of programme dose on injury measures. In a cluster-randomised controlled trial, 40 independent schools (118 teams, 3188 players aged 14-18 years) were allocated to receive either the intervention or a reference programme, both of which were to be delivered by school coaches. The intervention comprised balance training, whole-body resistance training, plyometric training, and controlled rehearsal of landing and cutting manoeuvres. Time-loss (>24 hours) injuries arising from school rugby matches were recorded by coaches and medical staff. 441 time-loss match injuries (intervention, 233; control, 208) were reported across 15 938 match exposure-hours (intervention, 9083; control, 6855). Intention-to-treat results indicated unclear effects of trial arm on overall match injury incidence (rate ratio (RR)=0.85, 90% confidence limits 0.61 to 1.17), although clear reductions were evident in the intervention arm for concussion incidence (RR=0.71, 0.48 to 1.05). When trial arm comparisons were limited to teams who had completed three or more weekly programme sessions on average, clear reductions in overall match injury incidence (RR=0.28, 0.14 to 0.51) and concussion incidence (RR=0.41, 0.17 to 0.99) were noted in the intervention group. A preventive movement control exercise programme can reduce match injury outcomes, including concussion, in schoolboy rugby players when compared with a standardised control exercise programme, although to realise the greatest effects players should complete the programme at least three times per week. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Skills methods to prevent smoking.

PubMed

Schinke, S P; Gilchrist, L D; Schilling, R F; Snow, W H; Bobo, J K

1986-01-01

School health educators have devoted much attention to cigarette smoking. Recent years have seen the testing of interventions to prevent smoking. To date, controlled studies have not evaluated the added value of skills methods for preventing smoking. This article describes such an evaluation with sixth-grade students from two schools. Subjects were pretested and randomly assigned to receive conventional health education methods or to receive skills intervention. Both conditions included films, peer testimonials, discussions, and homework. Health education condition subjects additionally participated in oral quizzes, games, and debates. Skills condition subjects additionally learned problem-solving, self-instruction, and interpersonal communication methods. At postintervention, skills condition subjects, more than health education condition subjects, had better scores on measures of smoking-related knowledge, attitudes, and intentions. In addition, reported cigarette use, validated by biochemical data collection, was lower in the skills condition than in the health education condition at all postintervention measurements, including a 24-month follow-up. The article discusses the strengths, limits, and implications of the study for other smoking prevention efforts in schools.

Case Studies of Schools Receiving School Improvement Grants: Findings after the First Year of Implementation. NCEE 2014-4015

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le Floch, Kerstin Carlson; Birman, Beatrice; O'Day, Jennifer; Hurlburt, Steven; Mercado-Garcia, Diana; Goff, Rose; Manship, Karen; Brown, Seth; Therriault, Susan Bowles; Rosenberg, Linda; Angus, Megan Hague; Hulsey, Lara

2014-01-01

The Study of School Turnaround examines the improvement process in a purposive sample of 35 case study schools receiving federal School Improvement Grants (SIG) over a three-year period (2010-11 to 2012-13 school years). Using site visit, teacher survey, and fiscal data, the case studies describe the school contexts, the principals' leadership…

The Spanish Version of the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A) Adapted as a School-Based Anxiety and Depression Prevention Program: Study Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

García-Escalera, Julia; Valiente, Rosa M; Chorot, Paloma; Ehrenreich-May, Jill; Kennedy, Sarah M; Sandín, Bonifacio

2017-08-21

Anxiety and depression are common, impairing conditions that evidence high comorbidity rates in adolescence. The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A) is one of the few existing resources aimed at applying transdiagnostic treatment principles to target core dysfunctions associated with both anxiety and depression within a single protocol. To our knowledge, this is the first study examining the efficacy of the UP-A adapted as a universal preventive intervention program. The primary aim of this study is to examine whether the Spanish version of the UP-A is more effective than a waitlist (WL) control group in reducing and preventing symptoms of anxiety and depression when employed as a universal, classroom-based preventive intervention. The secondary aim is to investigate changes in a broad range of secondary outcome measures, including negative and positive affect, anxiety sensitivity, emotional avoidance, top problems ratings, school grades, depression and anxiety-related interference, self-esteem, life satisfaction, quality of life, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention symptoms, peer problems, prosocial behavior, school adjustment, and discipline problems. Other aims are to assess a range of possible predictors of intervention effects and to examine the feasibility and the acceptability of implementing UP-A in a prevention group format and in a school setting. A cluster, randomized, WL, controlled trial design with classroom as the unit of randomization was used in this study. Five classes including a total of 152 adolescents were randomized to the experimental or WL control groups. Participants in the experimental group received 9 55-minute sessions delivered by advanced doctoral and masters students in clinical psychology. The WL control group will receive the intervention once the 3-month follow-up assessment is completed. We have recruited participants to the cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) and have conducted the intervention with the experimental group. We expect the WL control group to complete the intervention in July 2017. Data analysis will take place during the second semester of 2017. We expect the experimental group to outperform the WL control group at post-intervention and 3-month follow-up. We also expect the WL control group to show improvements in primary and secondary outcome measures after receiving the intervention. Results will have implications for researchers, families, and education providers. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03123991; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03123991 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6qp7GIzcR). ©Julia García-Escalera, Rosa M Valiente, Paloma Chorot, Jill Ehrenreich-May, Sarah M Kennedy, Bonifacio Sandín. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 21.08.2017.

The Spanish Version of the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A) Adapted as a School-Based Anxiety and Depression Prevention Program: Study Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

García-Escalera, Julia; Valiente, Rosa M; Ehrenreich-May, Jill; Kennedy, Sarah M; Sandín, Bonifacio

2017-01-01

Background Anxiety and depression are common, impairing conditions that evidence high comorbidity rates in adolescence. The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A) is one of the few existing resources aimed at applying transdiagnostic treatment principles to target core dysfunctions associated with both anxiety and depression within a single protocol. To our knowledge, this is the first study examining the efficacy of the UP-A adapted as a universal preventive intervention program. Objective The primary aim of this study is to examine whether the Spanish version of the UP-A is more effective than a waitlist (WL) control group in reducing and preventing symptoms of anxiety and depression when employed as a universal, classroom-based preventive intervention. The secondary aim is to investigate changes in a broad range of secondary outcome measures, including negative and positive affect, anxiety sensitivity, emotional avoidance, top problems ratings, school grades, depression and anxiety-related interference, self-esteem, life satisfaction, quality of life, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention symptoms, peer problems, prosocial behavior, school adjustment, and discipline problems. Other aims are to assess a range of possible predictors of intervention effects and to examine the feasibility and the acceptability of implementing UP-A in a prevention group format and in a school setting. Methods A cluster, randomized, WL, controlled trial design with classroom as the unit of randomization was used in this study. Five classes including a total of 152 adolescents were randomized to the experimental or WL control groups. Participants in the experimental group received 9 55-minute sessions delivered by advanced doctoral and masters students in clinical psychology. The WL control group will receive the intervention once the 3-month follow-up assessment is completed. Results We have recruited participants to the cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) and have conducted the intervention with the experimental group. We expect the WL control group to complete the intervention in July 2017. Data analysis will take place during the second semester of 2017. Conclusions We expect the experimental group to outperform the WL control group at post-intervention and 3-month follow-up. We also expect the WL control group to show improvements in primary and secondary outcome measures after receiving the intervention. Results will have implications for researchers, families, and education providers. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03123991; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03123991 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6qp7GIzcR) PMID:28827212

Effects of a post-deworming health hygiene education intervention on absenteeism in school-age children of the Peruvian Amazon.

PubMed

Thériault, François L; Maheu-Giroux, Mathieu; Blouin, Brittany; Casapía, Martin; Gyorkos, Theresa W

2014-08-01

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are a leading cause of disability and disease burden in school-age children of worm-endemic regions. Their effect on school absenteeism, however, remains unclear. The World Health Organization currently recommends delivering mass deworming and health hygiene education through school-based programs, in an effort to control STH-related morbidity. In this cluster-RCT, the impact of a health hygiene education intervention on absenteeism was measured. From April to June 2010, all Grade 5 students at 18 schools in a worm-endemic region of the Peruvian Amazon were dewormed. Immediately following deworming, nine schools were randomly assigned to the intervention arm of the trial using a matched-pair design. The Grade 5 students attending intervention schools (N = 517) received four months of health hygiene education aimed at increasing knowledge of STH prevention. Grade 5 students from the other nine schools (N = 571) served as controls. Absenteeism was measured daily through teachers' attendance logs. After four months of follow-up, overall absenteeism rates at intervention and control schools were not statistically significantly different. However, post-trial non-randomized analyses have shown that students with moderate-to-heavy Ascaris infections and light hookworm infections four months after deworming had, respectively, missed 2.4% (95% CI: 0.1%, 4.7%) and 4.6% (95% CI: 1.9%, 7.4%) more schooldays during the follow-up period than their uninfected counterparts. These results provide empirical evidence of a direct effect of STH infections on absenteeism in school-age children.

Effects of a Post-Deworming Health Hygiene Education Intervention on Absenteeism in School-Age Children of the Peruvian Amazon

PubMed Central

Thériault, François L.; Maheu-Giroux, Mathieu; Blouin, Brittany; Casapía, Martin; Gyorkos, Theresa W.

2014-01-01

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are a leading cause of disability and disease burden in school-age children of worm-endemic regions. Their effect on school absenteeism, however, remains unclear. The World Health Organization currently recommends delivering mass deworming and health hygiene education through school-based programs, in an effort to control STH-related morbidity. In this cluster-RCT, the impact of a health hygiene education intervention on absenteeism was measured. From April to June 2010, all Grade 5 students at 18 schools in a worm-endemic region of the Peruvian Amazon were dewormed. Immediately following deworming, nine schools were randomly assigned to the intervention arm of the trial using a matched-pair design. The Grade 5 students attending intervention schools (N = 517) received four months of health hygiene education aimed at increasing knowledge of STH prevention. Grade 5 students from the other nine schools (N = 571) served as controls. Absenteeism was measured daily through teachers' attendance logs. After four months of follow-up, overall absenteeism rates at intervention and control schools were not statistically significantly different. However, post-trial non-randomized analyses have shown that students with moderate-to-heavy Ascaris infections and light hookworm infections four months after deworming had, respectively, missed 2.4% (95% CI: 0.1%, 4.7%) and 4.6% (95% CI: 1.9%, 7.4%) more schooldays during the follow-up period than their uninfected counterparts. These results provide empirical evidence of a direct effect of STH infections on absenteeism in school-age children. PMID:25122469

Medical Advice for Sick-reported Students (MASS) in intermediate vocational education schools: design of a controlled before-and-after study.

PubMed

Van der Vlis, Madelon K; Lugtenberg, Marjolein; Vanneste, Yvonne T M; Berends, Wenda; Mulder, Wico; Bannink, Rienke; Van Grieken, Amy; Raat, Hein; de Kroon, Marlou L A

2017-06-29

School absenteeism, including medical absenteeism, is associated with early school dropout and may result in physical, mental, social and work-related problems in later life. Especially at intermediate vocational education schools, high rates of medical absenteeism are found. In 2012 the Dutch intervention 'Medical Advice for Sick-reported Students' (MASS), previously developed for pre-vocational secondary education, was adjusted for intermediate vocational education schools. The aim of the study outlined in this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of the MASS intervention at intermediate vocational education schools in terms of reducing students' medical absenteeism and early dropping out of school. Additionally, the extent to which biopsychosocial and other factors moderate the effectiveness of the intervention will be assessed. A controlled before-and-after study will be conducted within Intermediate Vocational Education schools. Schools are allocated to be an intervention or control school based on whether the schools have implemented the MASS intervention (intervention schools) or not (control schools). Intervention schools apply the MASS intervention consisting of active support for students with medical absenteeism provided by the school including a consultation with the Youth Health Care (YHC) professional if needed. Control schools provide care as usual. Data will be collected by questionnaires among students in both groups meeting the criteria for extensive medical absenteeism (i.e. 'reported sick four times in 12 school weeks or for more than six consecutive school days' at baseline and at 6 months follow-up). Additionally, in the intervention group a questionnaire is completed after each consultation with a YHC professional, by both the student and the YHC professional. Primary outcome measures are duration and cumulative incidence of absenteeism and academic performances. Secondary outcome measures are biopsychosocial outcomes of the students. It is hypothesized that implementing the MASS intervention including a referral to a YHC professional on indication, will result in a lower level of medical absenteeism and a lower level of school drop outs among intermediate vocational education students compared to students receiving usual care. The study will provide insight in the effectiveness of the intervention as well as in factors moderating the intervention's effectiveness. Nederlands Trial Register NTR5556. Date of clinical trial registration: 29-Oct-2015.

Controlling Grade Inflation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanoyevitch, Alexander

2008-01-01

In this article concerning grade inflation, the author restricts his attention to the college and university level, although many of the tools and ideas developed here should be useful for high schools as well. The author considers the relationships between grades instructors assign and scores they receive on end-of-the semester student…

Assessment of a two-year school-based physical activity intervention among 7-9-year-old children

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Physical activity (PA) in children has declined in recent decades, highlighting the need for effective intervention programs for school-aged children. The main objective of this study was to assess to what extent PA during and after school hours changed among children who received a progressive two-year long intervention vs. that of children who only received general curriculum-based PA. Methods A cluster randomized intervention study was conducted and six elementary schools randomly assigned to serve as control- or intervention schools. All children attending second grade (mean age = 7.4 years - born in 1999) were invited to participate in the fall of 2006 (N = 320, 82% participated), again in 2007 (midpoint) and 2008 (end of intervention). The intervention consisted of multi-component PA-intervention during school hours and was conducted by teachers at each intervention school. PA was assessed by means of accelerometers and subjectively at the intervention schools via teachers' PA log-books. Results There was no difference in PA intensity (minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity - min of MVPA) between the two study groups at baseline, but children in the intervention schools were more physically active at moderate-to-vigorous intensity compared to those in control schools after one year of intervention (mean difference of MVPAlog-minutes: 0.61, 95%CI: 0.02, 1.20, p = 0.04). Moreover, the model for minutes of MVPA during school hours, showed a significant three-way interaction between time at mid-point, group and gender (mean difference of MVPAlog-minutes: 1.06, 95%CI: 0.15, 1.97, p = .02), indicating a significantly greater increase among the boys in the intervention schools compared to girls. No difference in PA was detected between the study groups at the end of the study period after two years of intervention. Conclusions The results suggest that the objective of increasing PA at school was met after one year of intervention, and it was more pronounced among boys. The lack of increase at the end of the study period suggested that any increase in PA during school may highly depend on both motivation and training of general teachers. Boys may respond better to PA interventions such as the one described in this study. PMID:22185086

Influence of school organizational characteristics on the outcomes of a school health promotion program.

PubMed

Cullen, K W; Baranowski, T; Baranowski, J; Hebert, D; deMoor, C; Hearn, M D; Resnicow, K

1999-11-01

Researchers assessed the possible moderating effects of school organizational characteristics (school climate, school health, and job satisfaction) on outcomes of a teacher health behavior change program. Thirty-two public schools were matched and randomly assigned either to treatment or control conditions. Organizational, dietary, and physiologic data were collected from third to fifth grade teachers over three years. Treatment schools received a teacher wellness program for two years. Psychometrics of most organizational scales achieved acceptable levels of reliability. Mixed model analyses were conducted to test for moderating effects. Treatment schools with high organizational climate and health scores reported higher fruit and juice and vegetable consumption at Year 2 compared with intervention schools with low scores. Treatment schools with high job satisfaction scores reported higher fruit and juice and lower-fat food consumption at Year 3 compared with intervention schools with low scores. These measures may be used as a tool to assess the environment in which school health promotion programs are presented. Future interventions may need to be tailored to the organizational characteristics of schools.

Making Charter School Facilities More Affordable: State-driven Policy Approaches. Innovations in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2008

2008-01-01

Securing appropriate facilities can be a significant challenge for those intending to open a charter school. Although, like all public schools, charter schools receive per-pupil dollars from the state, they generally receive considerably less. Additionally, because traditional public schools rely on their district to provide their school…

Direct versus indirect and individual versus group modes of language therapy for children with primary language impairment: principal outcomes from a randomized controlled trial and economic evaluation.

PubMed

Boyle, James M; McCartney, Elspeth; O'Hare, Anne; Forbes, John

2009-01-01

Many school-age children with language impairments are enrolled in mainstream schools and receive indirect language therapy, but there have been, to the authors' knowledge, no previous controlled studies comparing the outcomes and costs of direct and indirect intervention delivered by qualified therapists and therapy assistants, and each delivery mode offered to children individually or in groups. To investigate the relative effectiveness of indirect and direct intervention therapy modes delivered individually or in groups for children with primary language impairment. A multi-centre randomized controlled trial investigated 161 children with primary language impairment aged 6-11 years randomized to a usual-therapy control group or to direct individual, indirect individual, direct group or indirect group therapy modes. Intervention was delivered three times a week for 30-40-min sessions in mainstream schools over 15 weeks. Language performance was assessed at baseline, post-therapy and at 12 months. Cost analysis was based on salary and travel costs for intervention modes and usual therapy. Compared with controls, children receiving project therapy made short-term improvements in expressive (p = 0.031), but not receptive, language immediately following intervention. Children with specific expressive language delay were more likely to show improvement than those with mixed receptive-expressive difficulties. The four project therapy modes did not differ on primary language outcomes (all p-values>0.392) and there were no further improvements evident at follow-up. Indirect group therapy was the least costly mode, with direct individual therapy the most costly. Intervention in this age group can be effective for expressive language and can be delivered equally effectively though speech and language therapy assistants and to children in groups.

Combining in-school and community-based media efforts: reducing marijuana and alcohol uptake among younger adolescents.

PubMed

Slater, Michael D; Kelly, Kathleen J; Edwards, Ruth W; Thurman, Pamela J; Plested, Barbara A; Keefe, Thomas J; Lawrence, Frank R; Henry, Kimberly L

2006-02-01

This study tests the impact of an in-school mediated communication campaign based on social marketing principles, in combination with a participatory, community-based media effort, on marijuana, alcohol and tobacco uptake among middle-school students. Eight media treatment and eight control communities throughout the US were randomly assigned to condition. Within both media treatment and media control communities, one school received a research-based prevention curriculum and one school did not, resulting in a crossed, split-plot design. Four waves of longitudinal data were collected over 2 years in each school and were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models to account for clustering effects. Youth in intervention communities (N = 4,216) showed fewer users at final post-test for marijuana [odds ratio (OR) = 0.50, P = 0.019], alcohol (OR = 0.40, P = 0.009) and cigarettes (OR = 0.49, P = 0.039), one-tailed. Growth trajectory results were significant for marijuana (P = 0.040), marginal for alcohol (P = 0.051) and non-significant for cigarettes (P = 0.114). Results suggest that an appropriately designed in-school and community-based media effort can reduce youth substance uptake. Effectiveness does not depend on the presence of an in-school prevention curriculum.

Effective Classroom Instruction: Implications of Child Characteristics by Reading Instruction Interactions on First Graders’ Word Reading Achievement

PubMed Central

Morrison, Frederick J.; Schatschneider, Christopher; Toste, Jessica; Lundblom, Erin; Crowe, Elizabeth C; Fishman, Barry

2011-01-01

Too many children fail to learn how to read proficiently with serious consequences for their overall well-being and long term success in school. This may be because providing effective instruction is more complex than many of the current models of reading instruction portray; there are child characteristic by instruction (CXI) interactions. Here we present efficacy results for a randomized control field trial of the Individualizing Student Instruction (ISI) intervention, which relies on dynamic system forecasting intervention models to recommend amounts of reading instruction for each student, taking into account CXI interactions that consider his or her vocabulary and reading skills. The study, conducted in seven schools with 25 teachers and 396 first graders, revealed that students in the ISI intervention classrooms demonstrated significantly greater reading skill gains by spring than did students in control classrooms. Plus, they were more likely to receive differentiated reading instruction based on CXI interaction guided recommended amounts than were students in control classrooms. The precision with which students received the recommended amounts of each type of literacy instruction, the distance from recommendation, also predicted reading outcomes. PMID:22229058

Effects of Distant Reiki On Pain, Anxiety and Fatigue in Oncology Patients in Turkey: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Demir, Melike; Can, Gulbeyaz; Kelam, Ayhan; Aydıner, Aydın

2015-01-01

Fatigue, stress and pain are common symptoms among cancer patients, affecting the quality of life. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of distant Reiki on pain, anxiety and fatigue in oncology patients. Participants in the control group received usual medical and nursing care during their stay. The intervention group received usual care plus five distant Reiki sessions, one each night for 30 min. A face to face interview was performed and patient personal and illness related characteristics were evaluated using the Patient Characteristics form. Pain, stress and fatigue were evaluated according to a numeric rating scale. The experimental group was predominantly composed of women (71.4%), married individuals (40%), and primary school graduates (40%). The control group was predominantly male (72.7%), married (60%), and primary school graduates (60%). The control group demonstrated greater levels of pain (p=0.002), stress (p=0.001) and fatigue (p=0.001). The Reiki group pain score (p<0.0001), stress score (p<0.001) and fatigue score were also significantly lower. The results of this study indicate that Reiki may decreasepain, anxiety and fatigue in oncology patients.

Praziquantel coverage in schools and communities targeted for the elimination of urogenital schistosomiasis in Zanzibar: a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Knopp, Stefanie; Person, Bobbie; Ame, Shaali M; Ali, Said M; Muhsin, Juma; Juma, Saleh; Khamis, Iddi S; Rabone, Muriel; Blair, Lynsey; Fenwick, Alan; Mohammed, Khalfan A; Rollinson, David

2016-01-04

Biannual mass drug administration (MDA) with praziquantel and additional interventions to eliminate urogenital schistosomiasis has been implemented on the Zanzibar islands, United Republic of Tanzania, since 2012. We aimed to assess the coverage of school-based treatment (SBT) and community-wide treatment (CWT), to validate the coverage reported by the Zanzibar Ministry of Health (MoH) and to identify reasons for non-compliance. We conducted a post-MDA cross-sectional survey in 93 schools and 92 communities on Pemba and Unguja islands in early 2014, 3-5 months after the last MDA round. Pupils and adults were asked whether they had received and taken the praziquantel treatment provided in the last SBT or CWT, respectively, and the observed and reported coverage were compared. Reasons for non-compliance were recorded in a pretested questionnaire and assessed in qualitative interviews. Urine samples of participants were examined for Schistosoma haematobium eggs with a single urine filtration. Around 8000 pupils and 4000 adults were included in the analysis. Our survey revealed a SBT coverage of 85.2% in Pemba and of 86.9% in Unguja, which was in line with MoH reports from Pemba (84.3%) and higher than reports from Unguja (63.9%). However, 15 among the 48 schools surveyed in Unguja had not received SBT. Among the interviewed adults, 53.6% in Pemba and 64.9% in Unguja had received praziquantel during CWT, which was less than the 59.0% and 67.7%, respectively, indicated by MoH reports. Moreover, only 43.8% and 54.0% of adults in Pemba and Unguja, respectively, had taken all the tablets as recommended. The main reasons for not receiving or taking praziquantel were absence during CWT, no drug distributor coming, being busy, fear of adverse events, pregnancy, breastfeeding or feeling healthy. To increase coverage and compliance in Zanzibar, SBT should target all schools and mobilization, sensitization and implementation of the CWT need to be improved. To reach elimination of urogenital schistosomiasis transmission in Zanzibar and elsewhere, a very high treatment coverage and compliance at national and local level is key and additional control measures such as snail control and behaviour change interventions will need to be implemented area wide. ISRCTN48837681.

Kids Identifying and Defeating Stroke (KIDS): development and implementation of a multiethnic health education intervention to increase stroke awareness among middle school students and their parents.

PubMed

Mullen Conley, Kathleen; Juhl Majersik, Jennifer; Gonzales, Nicole R; Maddox, Katherine E; Pary, Jennifer K; Brown, Devin L; Moyé, Lemuel A; Espinosa, Nina; Grotta, James C; Morgenstern, Lewis B

2010-01-01

The Kids Identifying and Defeating Stroke (KIDS) project is a 3-year prospective, randomized, controlled, multiethnic school-based intervention study. Project goals include increasing knowledge of stroke signs and treatment and intention to immediately call 911 among Mexican American (MA) and non-Hispanic White (NHW) middle school students and their parents. This article describes the design, implementation, and interim evaluation of this theory-based intervention. Intervention students received a culturally appropriate stroke education program divided into four 50-minute classes each year during the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Each class session also included a homework assignment that involved the students' parents or other adult partners. Interim-test results indicate that this educational intervention was successful in improving students' stroke symptom and treatment knowledge and intent to call 911 upon witnessing a stroke compared with controls. The authors conclude that this school-based educational intervention to reduce delay time to hospital arrival for stroke shows early promise.

Building Teacher Capacity to Support English Language Learners in Schools Receiving School Improvement Grants. NCEE Evaluation Brief. NCEE 2015-4004

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyle, Andrea; Golden, Laura; Le Floch, Kerstin Carlson; O'Day, Jennifer; Harris, Barbara; Wissel, Sarah

2014-01-01

The Study of School Turnaround examines the improvement process in a purposive sample of 35 case study schools receiving federal funds through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program over a three-year period (2010-11 to 2012-13 school years). This brief focuses on 11 of these SIG schools with high proportions of English Language Learner (ELL)…

A Focused Look at Schools Receiving School Improvement Grants That Have Percentages of English Language Learner Students. NCEE Evaluation Brief. NCEE 2014-4014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golden, Laura; Harris, Barbara; Mercado-Garcia, Diana; Boyle, Andrea; Le Floch, Kerstin Carlson; O'Day, Jennifer

2014-01-01

The Study of School Turnaround examines the improvement process in a purposive sample of 35 case study schools receiving federal funds through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program over a three-year period (2010-11 to 2012-13 school years). This evaluation brief focuses on 11 of these SIG schools with high proportions of English Language…

Psychiatric disorders and symptoms severity in pre-school children with cow's milk allergy.

PubMed

Topal, E; Catal, F; Soylu, N; Ozcan, O O; Celiksoy, M H; Babayiğit, A; Erge, D; Karakoç, H T E; Sancak, R

2016-01-01

Psychiatric disorders are seen frequently in atopic diseases. The present study aims to evaluate the frequency of psychiatric disorders and the severity of psychiatric symptoms in pre-school children with cow's milk allergy. The parents of the pre-school children with cow's milk allergy were interviewed in person and asked to fill out the Early Childhood Inventory-4 form. The cow's milk allergy group included 40 children (27 male, 13 female) with mean age, 44.5±14.7 months, and the control group included 41 children (25 male, 16 female) with mean age, 47.6±15.2 months. It was established that 65% of the group with cow's milk allergy received at least one psychiatric diagnosis, while 36.6% of the control group received at least one psychiatric diagnosis, with a statistically significant difference (p=0.02). Within the psychiatric disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (odds ratio: 4.9, 95% CI: 1.472-16.856, p=0.006), oppositional defiant disorder (odds ratio: 5.6, 95% CI: 1.139-28.128, p=0.026), and attachment disorder (odds ratio: 4.8, 95% CI: 1.747-13.506, p=0.004) were found significantly higher compared with the healthy control group. When the groups were compared in terms of psychiatric symptom severity scores, calculated by using the Early Childhood Inventory-4 form, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders severity (p=0.006) and oppositional defiant disorder severity (p=0.037) were found to be higher in the cow's milk allergy group. Psychiatric disorders are frequent and severe in pre-school children with cow's milk allergy. Copyright © 2016 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Short- and Long-term Pulmonary Outcome of Palivizumab in Children Born Extremely Prematurely.

PubMed

Prais, Dario; Kaplan, Eytan; Klinger, Gil; Mussaffi, Huda; Mei-Zahav, Meir; Bar-Yishay, Ephraim; Stafler, Patrick; Steuer, Guy; Sirota, Lea; Blau, Hannah

2016-03-01

Palivizumab reduces the severity of respiratory syncytial virus infection in premature infants, but whether there is a protective effect beyond the preschool age is unknown. This study sought to assess the short- and long-term effects of palivizumab immunization on respiratory morbidity and pulmonary function at school age in children born extremely prematurely. Infants born before 29 weeks' gestation in 2000 to 2003 were assessed at school age by parental questionnaire, hospital chart review, and lung function tests. Children born immediately before the introduction of routine palivizumab prophylaxis were compared with age-matched children who received palivizumab prophylaxis during the first respiratory syncytial virus season. Sixty-three children with a mean age 8.9 years were included: 30 had received palivizumab and 33 had not (control subjects). The groups were similar in terms of gestational age, birth weight, need for mechanical ventilation, and oxygen supplementation. Fifty-three percent of the palivizumab group, compared with 39% of the control group, had bronchopulmonary dysplasia (P = .14). Wheezing occurred in the first 2 years of life in 27% of the palivizumab group and in 70% of control subjects (P = .008); respective hospitalization rates were 33% and 70% (P = .001). At school age, rates of hyperresponsiveness (provocative concentration leading to a 20% fall in FEV1 < 1 mg/mL) were 33% and 48%, respectively (P = .38). Spirometry, lung volumes, diffusion, and exhaled nitric oxide were within normal limits, with no significant differences between groups. Palivizumab prophylaxis was associated with reduced wheezing episodes and hospitalizations during the first 2 years of life in children born extremely prematurely. However, it did not affect pulmonary outcome at school age. Copyright © 2016 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of a Parent-Child Interactive Program for Families on Reducing the Exposure of School-Aged Children to Household Smoking.

PubMed

Chen, Yu-Ting; Hsiao, Fei-Hsiu; Lee, Ching-Mei; Wang, Ruey-Hsia; Chen, Ping-Ling

2016-03-01

Parental smoking has been identified as the major source of children's exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Therefore, parental involvement is critical in ETS exposure prevention programs. This study examined the effects of a parent-child interactive program on reducing children's exposure to ETS at home and enhancing parents' and children's prevention strategies. A clustered randomized controlled trial was administered to 75 families of school-aged children from six primary schools in New Taipei City, Taiwan. Families in the intervention group received a parent-child interactive intervention, and parents in the control group received written materials on tobacco hazards. Data on children's exposure and the prevention of children's exposure to ETS at home were obtained at baseline, 8-week, and 20-week or 6-month assessments. The percentage of children with urine cotinine levels greater than or equal to 6 ng/ml was significantly lower in the intervention group than it was in the control group at both the 8-week and 6-month assessments. The intervention significantly reduced parental smoking in the presence of children and increased parents' prevention of children's ETS exposure and children's ETS avoidance behavior from the baseline to the 20-week assessment. This is a preliminary study design aimed at creating a program for reducing children's ETS exposure at home. Further research to produce evidence supporting the application of the parent-child interactive program in primary schools is suggested. The theoretical basis of the intervention design can serve as a reference for nursing education and the design of health education programs. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effects of nursing intervention models on social adaption capability development in preschool children with malignant tumors: a randomized control trial.

PubMed

Yu, Lu; Mo, Lin; Tang, Yan; Huang, Xiaoyan; Tan, Juan

2014-06-01

The objectives of this study are to compare the effects of two nursing intervention models on the ability of preschool children with malignant tumors to socialize and to determine if these interventions improved their social adaption capability (SAC) and quality of life. Inpatient preschool children with malignant tumors admitted to the hospital between December 2009 and March 2012 were recruited and randomized into either the experimental or control groups. The control group received routine nursing care, and the experimental group received family-centered nursing care, including physical, psychological, and social interventions. The Infants-Junior Middle School Student's Social-Life Abilities Scale was used to evaluate SAC development of participants. Participants (n = 240) were recruited and randomized into two groups. After the intervention, the excellent and normal SAC rates were 27.5% and 55% in the experimental group, respectively, compared with 2.5% and 32.5% in the control group (p < 0.001). After the intervention, SAC in experimental group was improved compared with before intervention (54.68 ± 10.85 vs 79.9 ± 22.3, p < 0.001). However, no differences in SAC were observed between baseline and after intervention in the control group (54.70 ± 11.47 vs. 52 ± 15.8, p = 0.38). The family-centered nursing care model that included physical, psychological, and social interventions improved the SAC of children with malignancies compared with children receiving routine nursing care. Establishing a standardized family-school-community-hospital hierarchical multi-management intervention model for children is important to the efficacy of long-term interventions and to the improvement of SAC of children with malignancies. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reducing absenteeism from gastrointestinal and respiratory illness in elementary school students: a randomized, controlled trial of an infection-control intervention.

PubMed

Sandora, Thomas J; Shih, Mei-Chiung; Goldmann, Donald A

2008-06-01

Students often miss school because of gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses. We assessed the effectiveness of a multifactorial intervention, including alcohol-based hand-sanitizer and surface disinfection, in reducing absenteeism caused by gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses in elementary school students. We performed a school-based cluster-randomized, controlled trial at a single elementary school. Eligible students in third to fifth grade were enrolled. Intervention classrooms received alcohol-based hand sanitizer to use at school and quaternary ammonium wipes to disinfect classroom surfaces daily for 8 weeks; control classrooms followed usual hand-washing and cleaning practices. Parents completed a preintervention demographic survey. Absences were recorded along with the reason for absence. Swabs of environmental surfaces were evaluated by bacterial culture and polymerase chain reaction for norovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, and parainfluenza 3. The primary outcomes were rates of absenteeism caused by gastrointestinal or respiratory illness. Days absent were modeled as correlated Poisson variables and compared between groups by using generalized estimating equations. Analyses were adjusted for family size, race, health status, and home sanitizer use. We also compared the presence of viruses and the total bacterial colony counts on several classroom surfaces. A total of 285 students were randomly assigned; baseline demographics were similar in the 2 groups. The adjusted absenteeism rate for gastrointestinal illness was significantly lower in the intervention-group subjects compared with control subjects. The adjusted absenteeism rate for respiratory illness was not significantly different between groups. Norovirus was the only virus detected and was found less frequently on surfaces in intervention classrooms compared with control classrooms (9% vs 29%). A multifactorial intervention including hand sanitizer and surface disinfection reduced absenteeism caused by gastrointestinal illness in elementary school students. Norovirus was found less often on classroom surfaces in the intervention group. Schools should consider adopting these practices to reduce days lost to common illnesses.

The Importance of School Staff Referrals and Follow-Up in Connecting High School Students to HIV and STD Testing.

PubMed

Rasberry, Catherine N; Liddon, Nicole; Adkins, Susan Hocevar; Lesesne, Catherine A; Hebert, Andrew; Kroupa, Elizabeth; Rose, India D; Morris, Elana

2017-04-01

This study examined predictors of having received HIV and sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing and having been referred by school staff for HIV/STD testing. In 2014, students in seven high schools completed paper-and-pencil questionnaires assessing demographic characteristics, sexual behavior, referrals for HIV/STD testing, and HIV/STD testing. The analytic sample ( n = 11,303) was 50.7% female, 40.7% Hispanic/Latino, 34.7% Black/African American (non-Hispanic), and mean age was 15.86 ( SD = 1.22). After controlling for demographic characteristics, significant predictors of reporting having been tested for HIV or STDs were reporting having received a referral for HIV/STD testing (odds ratio [ OR] = 3.18; 95% CI = [2.14, 4.70]) and reporting staff following-up on the referral ( OR = 3.29; 95% CI = [1.31, 8.23]). Students reporting referrals had significantly higher odds of being male ( OR = 2.49; 95% CI = [1.70, 3.65]), "other" or multiracial (non-Hispanic; compared to White, non-Hispanic; OR = 2.72; 95% CI = [1.35, 5.46]), sexual minority ( OR = 3.80; 95% CI = [2.57, 5.62]), and sexually experienced ( OR = 2.58; 95% CI = [1.76, 3.795]). School staff referrals with follow-up may increase HIV/STD testing among students.

Partnerships for Active Children in Elementary Schools (PACES): First year process evaluation.

PubMed

Egan, Cate A; Webster, Collin; Weaver, R Glenn; Brian, Ali; Stodden, David; Russ, Laura; Nesbitt, Danielle; Vazou, Spyridoula

2018-04-01

Movement integration (MI) is a strategy within comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAP). School-university partnerships are recommended to leverage teachers' capacity to use MI. A mixed method process evaluation was conducted of the first year of implementing Partnerships for Active Children in Elementary Schools (PACES). Classroom teachers (N=12) from four schools participated. Data were collected in Fall 2014 (baseline) and Spring 2015 (∼ four months of intervention) using the System for Observing Student Movement in Academic Routines and Transitions and semi-structured interviews. There were no significant differences between intervention classrooms and control classrooms MI promotion. Differences approaching significance (U=5, p=0.04, d=1.2) were observed when comparing classrooms that received two (community of practice, community-based participatory research) or three components (two components plus service learning) of the intervention and classrooms that received one (community of practice) or no components. Qualitative findings revealed that teachers in classrooms that were more successful responded more favorably to the intervention components than teachers in classrooms that were less successful. Quantitative and qualitative results supported the effectiveness of community-based participatory research as a component of PACES. This study provides information about MI process variables in the context of a CSPAP intervention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feasibility and efficacy of the Great Leaders Active StudentS (GLASS) program on children's physical activity and object control skill competency: A non-randomised trial.

PubMed

Nathan, Nicole; Sutherland, Rachel; Beauchamp, Mark R; Cohen, Kristen; Hulteen, Ryan M; Babic, Mark; Wolfenden, Luke; Lubans, David R

2017-12-01

This study aimed to assess the feasibility and efficacy of the Great Leaders Active StudentS (GLASS) program, a school-based peer-led physical activity and object control skill intervention. The study employed a quasi-experimental design. The study was conducted in two elementary schools, one intervention and one comparison, in Newcastle, New South Wales (NSW), Australia from April to June 2015 (N=224 students). Peer leaders (n=20) in the intervention school received training to deliver two 30-min object control skill sessions per week to students in Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2 (5-8 years, n=83) over one school term (10 weeks). The primary outcome was pedometer assessed physical activity during school hours. Secondary outcomes included students' object control skill competency and peers' leadership self-efficacy and teacher ratings of peers' leadership skills. Almost all (19/20) GLASS sessions were delivered by peer leaders who reported high acceptability of the program. The treatment-by-time interaction for students' physical activity during school hours was not significant (p=0.313). The intervention effect on students' overall object control skills was statistically significant (mean difference 5.8 (95% CI 4.1, 7.4; p<0.001)). Teacher-rated peer leadership significantly improved (0.70; 95% CI 0.38-1.01); p<.001)). The GLASS program was found to be both feasible and acceptable. The intervention also resulted in improvements in students' overall object control skills as well as teacher-rated peers' leadership behaviours. Future fully powered trials using peer leaders to deliver fundamental movement skill (FMS) programs are warranted. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of a self-esteem program incorporated into health and physical education classes.

PubMed

Lai, Hsiang-Ru; Lu, Chang-Ming; Jwo, Jiunn-Chern; Lee, Pi-Hsia; Chou, Wei-Lun; Wen, Wan-Yu

2009-12-01

Self-esteem, a key construct of personality, influences thoughts, actions, and feelings. Adolescence is a critical stage to the development of self-esteem. Taiwan currently offers no self-esteem building curriculum in the public education system. Therefore, incorporating self-esteem-related teaching activities into the existing curriculum represents a feasible approach to enhance self-esteem in middle school students. This study aimed to explore the effects on junior high school students' self-esteem of a self-esteem program incorporated into the general health and physical education curriculum. A quasi-experimental research design was used, and 184 seventh-grade students at two junior high schools in Taipei City were randomly selected and separated into two groups. The experimental group received one 32-week self-esteem program incorporated into their regular health and physical education curriculum, which was administered in three 45-minute-session classes each week. The control group received the regular health and physical education with no specially designed elements. During the week before the intervention began and the week after its conclusion, each participant's global and academic, physical, social, and family self-esteem was assessed. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance. For all participants, the experimental group was significantly superior to the control group in respect to physical self-esteem (p = .02). For girls, the experimental group was significantly superior to the control group in family self-esteem (p = .02). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of global self-esteem. This study provides preliminary evidence that incorporating self-esteem activities into the regular school health and physical education curriculum can result in minor effects in students' physical self-esteem and family self-esteem. Findings may provide teachers and school administrators with information to help them design programs to improve students' self-esteem. This study also reminds health professionals to focus on providing self-esteem-building programs when working with adolescent clients.

Evaluation of a novel intervention providing insight into the tobacco industry to prevent the uptake of smoking in school-aged children: a mixed-methods study.

PubMed

Szatkowski, Lisa; Taylor, John; Taylor, Amy; Lewis, Sarah; Wu, Qi; Parrott, Steve; McNeill, Ann; Britton, John; Bauld, Linda; Jones, Laura L; Bains, Manpreet

2017-11-03

Evidence from the US Truth campaign suggests that interventions focusing on tobacco industry practices and ethics may be effective in preventing youth smoking uptake. We developed, piloted and evaluated a school-based intervention based on this premise. Exploratory study students in years 7-8 (aged 11-13) in two UK schools received Operation Smoke Storm , comprising three 50 min classroom-based sessions in year 7, an accompanying family booklet and a 1-hour classroom-based booster session in year 8. We compared the risk and odds of ever smoking and susceptibility to smoking in year 8 students in study schools postintervention with students in control schools. Focus groups and interviews with students, teachers and parents evaluated the acceptability of the intervention. In intervention schools, the combined prevalence of ever smoking and susceptibility increased from 18.2% in year 7 to 33.8% in year 8. There was no significant difference in the odds of a year 8 student in an intervention school being an ever smoker or susceptible never smoker compared with controls (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.28, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.97, p=0.263) and no significant difference in the odds of ever smoking (aOR 0.82, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.58, p=0.549). Teachers highlighted differences by academic ability in how well the messages presented were understood. Use of the family component was low but was received positively by parents who engaged with it. Operation Smoke Storm is an acceptable resource for delivering smoking-prevention education, but it does not appear to have reduced smoking and susceptibility. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The management of type 1 diabetes in primary school: review of the literature.

PubMed

Marks, Anne; Wilson, Valerie; Crisp, Jackie

2013-01-01

Type 1 diabetes is one of the most common chronic health conditions in childhood. The introduction of intensive insulin therapy and the rising prevalence of diabetes in younger children has increased the need for involvement of diabetes educators and school personnel in school diabetes care. School encompasses a significant proportion of a child's day, therefore diabetes treatment at school needs to be optimal or the child will have poor metabolic control. The aim of this literature review is to examine diabetes management in the early primary school setting. The main areas of diabetes management explored are: type, provision, and location of treatment, the impact on the child, and the role of the credentialed diabetes educator. The review identifies that the majority of children are not receiving intensive diabetes treatment at school. Younger children require more assistance with care and may be disadvantaged due to lack of appropriate school staff support. Most schools do not have nurses to assist with diabetes care, therefore teaching and administration staff are utilized. The use of insulin pump therapy may increase access to insulin at school, as children and teaching staff appear more confident with this method of delivery than injections. Treatment is frequently performed away from the classroom and can impact on class attendance, metabolic control, and emergencies. Diabetes educators need to work in collaboration with children, parents, and school personnel to ensure diabetes care is fully integrated into the school day.

Effects of teacher assistance teams on special education referrals in elementary schools.

PubMed

Short, R J; Talley, R C

1996-12-01

School-based problem-solving teams recently have received much attention as a possible support for children who are at risk for school failure and for over-referral to special education. However, no controlled studies of the effects of such teams on numbers of referrals for special education or for proportion of appropriate referrals for special education have been conducted. The lack of adequate research concerning school-based problem-solving teams, coupled with the widespread promotion of their use, suggests that further study of such teams is important. In this study, we investigated the effect of one team model, Teacher Assistance Teams, on special education referrals in elementary schools of a large urban district. To address limitations of previous research, schools with such teams were compared with those without across several years of implementation. Analysis yielded a significant decrease in referrals in both groups of schools but no significant differences between groups. These findings may be explained by the context in which both groups of schools functioned.

The effect of a conditional cash transfer on HIV incidence in young women in rural South Africa (HPTN 068): a phase 3, randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Pettifor, Audrey; MacPhail, Catherine; Hughes, James P; Selin, Amanda; Wang, Jing; Gómez-Olivé, F Xavier; Eshleman, Susan H; Wagner, Ryan G; Mabuza, Wonderful; Khoza, Nomhle; Suchindran, Chirayath; Mokoena, Immitrude; Twine, Rhian; Andrew, Philip; Townley, Ellen; Laeyendecker, Oliver; Agyei, Yaw; Tollman, Stephen; Kahn, Kathleen

2017-01-01

Summary Background Cash transfers have been proposed as an intervention to reduce HIV-infection risk for young women in sub-Saharan Africa. However, scarce evidence is available about their effect on reducing HIV acquisition. We aimed to assess the effect of a conditional cash transfer on HIV incidence among young women in rural South Africa. Methods We did a phase 3, randomised controlled trial (HPTN 068) in the rural Bushbuckridge subdistrict in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. We included girls aged 13–20 years if they were enrolled in school grades 8–11, not married or pregnant, able to read, they and their parent or guardian both had the necessary documentation necessary to open a bank account, and were residing in the study area and intending to remain until trial completion. Young women (and their parents or guardians) were randomly assigned (1:1), by use of numbered sealed envelopes containing a randomisation assignment card which were numerically ordered with block randomisation, to receive a monthly cash transfer conditional on school attendance (≥80% of school days per month) versus no cash transfer. Participants completed an Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview (ACASI), before test HIV counselling, HIV and herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2 testing, and post-test counselling at baseline, then at annual follow-up visits at 12, 24, and 36 months. Parents or guardians completed a Computer-Assisted Personal Interview at baseline and each follow-up visit. A stratified proportional hazards model was used in an intention-to-treat analysis of the primary outcome, HIV incidence, to compare the intervention and control groups. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01233531). Findings Between March 5, 2011, and Dec 17, 2012, we recruited 10 134 young women and enrolled 2537 and their parents or guardians to receive a cash transfer programme (n=1225) or not (control group; n=1223). At baseline, the median age of girls was 15 years (IQR 14–17) and 672 (27%) had reported to have ever had sex. 107 incident HIV infections were recorded during the study: 59 cases in 3048 person-years in the intervention group and 48 cases in 2830 person-years in the control group. HIV incidence was not significantly different between those who received a cash transfer (1.94% per person-years) and those who did not (1.70% per person-years; hazard ratio 1.17, 95% CI 0.80–1.72, p=0.42). Interpretation Cash transfers conditional on school attendance did not reduce HIV incidence in young women. School attendance significantly reduced risk of HIV acquisition, irrespective of study group. Keeping girls in school is important to reduce their HIV-infection risk. Funding National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health. PMID:27815148

A Pilot Study of a 6-Week Parenting Program for Mothers of Pre-school Children Attending Family Health Centers in Karachi, Pakistan

PubMed Central

Khowaja, Yasmin; Karmaliani, Rozina; Hirani, Shela; Khowaja, Asif Raza; Rafique, Ghazala; McFarlane, Judith

2016-01-01

Background: Recently, parenting programs to address behavioural and emotional problems associated with child maltreatment in developing countries have received much attention. There is a paucity of literature on effective parent education interventions in the local context of Pakistan. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of offering a 6-week parenting program for mothers of pre-school children attending family health centres (FHCs) in Karachi, the largest metropolitan city of Pakistan. Methods: A pilot quasi-experimental trial was conducted. Two FHCs were selected, one as the intervention and the second as the control. A total of 57 mothers of pre-school children (n = 30 intervention; n = 27 control) participated in this study. Mothers in the intervention group received SOS Help for parents module, while mothers in the control group received information about routine childcare. A parenting scale (PS) was administered before the program was implemented and repeated 2 weeks after the program was completed in both groups. Statistical analysis was performed to compare participants’ attributes. Descriptive analysis was conducted to compare pre- and post-test mean scores along with standard deviation for parenting subscales in the intervention and control groups. Results: A total of 50 mothers (n = 25 intervention; n = 25 control) completed the 6-week program. Attrition was observed as 5/30 (17%) in the intervention arm and 2/27 (2%) in the control arm. Mothers commonly reported the burden of daily domestic and social responsibilities as the main reason for dropping out. Furthermore, the majority of participants in the control group recommended increasing the duration of weekly sessions from 1 to 1.5 hours, thereby decreasing the program period from 6 to 4 weeks. Mothers in intervention group reported substantial improvement in parenting skills as indicated by mean difference in their pre- and post-test scores for laxness and over-reactivity. Conclusion: Parenting programs can be implemented for mothers attending FHCs in Pakistan. Mothers require positive reinforcement and constant encouragement at the participant level. Integrating such programs into primary healthcare at the population level has the potential to maximize child health benefits and to improve parenting skills at the country level. PMID:26927394

A National Description of Treatment among United States Children and Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

PubMed

Danielson, Melissa L; Visser, Susanna N; Chronis-Tuscano, Andrea; DuPaul, George J

2018-01-01

To characterize lifetime and current rates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatments among US children and adolescents with current ADHD and describe the association of these treatments with demographic and clinical factors. Data are from the 2014 National Survey of the Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD and Tourette Syndrome, a follow-back survey of parents from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health. Weighted analyses focused on receipt of ADHD treatment among children aged 4-17 years with current ADHD (n = 2495) by 4 treatment types: medication, school supports, psychosocial interventions, and alternative treatments. Medication and school supports were the most common treatments received, with two-thirds of children and adolescents with ADHD currently receiving each treatment. Social skills training was the most common psychosocial treatment ever received (39%), followed by parent training (31%), peer intervention (30%), and cognitive behavioral therapy (20%). Among alternative treatments, 9% were currently taking dietary supplements, and 11% had ever received neurofeedback. Most children (67%) had received at least 2 of the following: current medication treatment, current school supports, or lifetime psychosocial treatment; 7% had received none of these 3 treatment types. A majority of school-aged children and adolescents with ADHD received medication treatment and school supports, whereas fewer received recommended psychosocial interventions. Efforts to increase access to psychosocial treatments may help close gaps in service use by groups currently less likely to receive treatment, which is important to ensure that the millions of school-aged US children diagnosed with ADHD receive quality treatment. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Effect of a cash transfer programme for schooling on prevalence of HIV and herpes simplex type 2 in Malawi: a cluster randomised trial.

PubMed

Baird, Sarah J; Garfein, Richard S; McIntosh, Craig T; Ozler, Berk

2012-04-07

Lack of education and an economic dependence on men are often suggested as important risk factors for HIV infection in women. We assessed the efficacy of a cash transfer programme to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections in young women. In this cluster randomised trial, never-married women aged 13-22 years were recruited from 176 enumeration areas in the Zomba district of Malawi and randomly assigned with computer-generated random numbers by enumeration area (1:1) to receive cash payments (intervention group) or nothing (control group). Intervention enumeration areas were further randomly assigned with computer-generated random numbers to conditional (school attendance required to receive payment) and unconditional (no requirements to receive payment) groups. Participants in both intervention groups were randomly assigned by a lottery to receive monthly payments ranging from US$1 to $5, while their parents were independently assigned with computer-generated random numbers to receive $4-10. Behavioural risk assessments were done at baseline and 12 months; serology was tested at 18 months. Participants were not masked to treatment status but counsellors doing the serologic testing were. The primary outcomes were prevalence of HIV and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) at 18 months and were assessed by intention-to-treat analyses. The trial is registered, number NCT01333826. 88 enumeration areas were assigned to receive the intervention and 88 as controls. For the 1289 individuals enrolled in school at baseline with complete interview and biomarker data, weighted HIV prevalence at 18 month follow-up was 1·2% (seven of 490 participants) in the combined intervention group versus 3·0% (17 of 799 participants) in the control group (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0·36, 95% CI 0·14-0·91); weighted HSV-2 prevalence was 0·7% (five of 488 participants) versus 3·0% (27 of 796 participants; adjusted OR 0·24, 0·09-0·65). In the intervention group, we noted no difference between conditional versus unconditional intervention groups for weighted HIV prevalence (3/235 [1%] vs 4/255 [2%]) or weighted HSV-2 prevalence (4/233 [1%] vs 1/255 [<1%]). For individuals who had already dropped out of school at baseline, we detected no significant difference between intervention and control groups for weighted HIV prevalence (23/210 [10%] vs 17/207 [8%]) or weighted HSV-2 prevalence (17/211 [8%] vs 17/208 [8%]). Cash transfer programmes can reduce HIV and HSV-2 infections in adolescent schoolgirls in low-income settings. Structural interventions that do not directly target sexual behaviour change can be important components of HIV prevention strategies. Global Development Network, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, National Bureau of Economic Research Africa Project, World Bank's Research Support Budget, and several World Bank trust funds (Gender Action Plan, Knowledge for Change Program, and Spanish Impact Evaluation fund). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of humanistic counselling in schools for young people with emotional distress (ETHOS): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Stafford, Megan Rose; Cooper, Mick; Barkham, Michael; Beecham, Jeni; Bower, Peter; Cromarty, Karen; Fugard, Andrew J B; Jackson, Charlie; Pearce, Peter; Ryder, Rebekah; Street, Cathy

2018-03-09

One in ten children in Britain have been identified as experiencing a diagnosable mental health disorder. School-based humanistic counselling (SBHC) may help young people identify, address, and overcome psychological distress. Data from four pilot trials suggest that SBHC may be clinically effective. However, a fully powered randomised controlled trial (RCT) is needed to provide a robust test of its effectiveness, to assess its cost-effectiveness, and to determine the process of change. The Effectiveness and Cost-effectiveness Trial of Humanistic Counselling in Schools (ETHOS) is a two-arm, parallel-group RCT comparing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of SBHC with Pastoral Care as Usual (PCAU) in school settings. Eligibility criteria for young people include being between 13 and 16 years of age and experiencing moderate to severe levels of emotional distress. Participants are randomised to receive either SBHC or PCAU. SBHC is delivered in up to 10 weekly, individual sessions in their school with a qualified, experienced counsellor who has also received training using a clinical practice manual. Adherence to the SBHC model is assessed by a sub-team of auditors and in clinical supervision. PCAU consists of the schools' pre-existing systems for supporting the emotional health and well-being of students. The primary outcomes are psychological distress measured using the Young Person's Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation (YP-CORE) and costs evaluated using the Client Service Receipt Inventory (CSRI). Secondary outcomes include psychological difficulties, levels of depression, anxiety and self-esteem, well-being, school engagement, educational outcomes and achievement of personal goals. Qualitative interviews with participants, parents and school staff will look to identify the mechanisms of change in SBHC. Researchers administering the measures are blind to allocation. The trial requires n = 306 participants (n = 153 in each group), with 90% power to detect a standardised mean difference (SMD) of 0.5. An intention-to-treat analysis will be undertaken. This RCT is powered to detect clinically meaningful differences, and will make a major contribution to the evidence base for mental health provision for adolescents. It will have implications for all stakeholders, including policy-makers, statutory advisory bodies for child welfare, head teachers, children and young people practitioners, child welfare and parenting organisations, and young people. Controlled Trials International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) Registry, ID: ISRCTN10460622 . Registered on 11 May 2016.

School-Based Educational Intervention to Improve Children's Oral Health-Related Knowledge.

PubMed

Blake, Holly; Dawett, Bhupinder; Leighton, Paul; Rose-Brady, Laura; Deery, Chris

2015-07-01

To evaluate a brief oral health promotion intervention delivered in schools by a primary care dental practice, aimed at changing oral health care knowledge and oral health-related behaviors in children. Cohort study with pretest-posttest design. Three primary schools. One hundred and fifty children (aged 9-12 years). Children received a 60-minute theory-driven classroom-based interactive educational session delivered by a dental care professional and received take-home literature on oral health. All children completed a questionnaire on oral health-related knowledge and self-reported oral health-related behaviors before, immediately after, and 6 weeks following the intervention. Children's dental knowledge significantly improved following the intervention, with improvement evident at immediate follow-up and maintained 6 weeks later. Significantly more children reported using dental floss 6 weeks after the intervention compared with baseline. No significant differences were detected in toothbrushing or dietary behaviors. School-based preventative oral health education delivered by primary care dental practices can generate short-term improvements in children's knowledge of oral health and some aspects of oral hygiene behavior. Future research should engage parents/carers and include objective clinical and behavioral outcomes in controlled study designs. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

Students’ Mathematical Creative Thinking through Problem Posing Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ulfah, U.; Prabawanto, S.; Jupri, A.

2017-09-01

The research aims to investigate the differences in enhancement of students’ mathematical creative thinking ability of those who received problem posing approach assisted by manipulative media and students who received problem posing approach without manipulative media. This study was a quasi experimental research with non-equivalent control group design. Population of this research was third-grade students of a primary school in Bandung city in 2016/2017 academic year. Sample of this research was two classes as experiment class and control class. The instrument used is a test of mathematical creative thinking ability. Based on the results of the research, it is known that the enhancement of the students’ mathematical creative thinking ability of those who received problem posing approach with manipulative media aid is higher than the ability of those who received problem posing approach without manipulative media aid. Students who get learning problem posing learning accustomed in arranging mathematical sentence become matter of story so it can facilitate students to comprehend about story

34 CFR 76.791 - On what basis does an SEA determine whether a charter school LEA that opens or significantly...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... school LEA that opens or significantly expands its enrollment is eligible to receive funds under a... charter school LEA that opens or significantly expands its enrollment is eligible to receive funds under a... eligible to receive funds under a covered program based on actual enrollment or other eligibility data for...

34 CFR 76.791 - On what basis does an SEA determine whether a charter school LEA that opens or significantly...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... school LEA that opens or significantly expands its enrollment is eligible to receive funds under a... charter school LEA that opens or significantly expands its enrollment is eligible to receive funds under a... eligible to receive funds under a covered program based on actual enrollment or other eligibility data for...

34 CFR 76.791 - On what basis does an SEA determine whether a charter school LEA that opens or significantly...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... school LEA that opens or significantly expands its enrollment is eligible to receive funds under a... charter school LEA that opens or significantly expands its enrollment is eligible to receive funds under a... eligible to receive funds under a covered program based on actual enrollment or other eligibility data for...

34 CFR 76.791 - On what basis does an SEA determine whether a charter school LEA that opens or significantly...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... school LEA that opens or significantly expands its enrollment is eligible to receive funds under a... charter school LEA that opens or significantly expands its enrollment is eligible to receive funds under a... eligible to receive funds under a covered program based on actual enrollment or other eligibility data for...

34 CFR 76.791 - On what basis does an SEA determine whether a charter school LEA that opens or significantly...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... school LEA that opens or significantly expands its enrollment is eligible to receive funds under a... charter school LEA that opens or significantly expands its enrollment is eligible to receive funds under a... eligible to receive funds under a covered program based on actual enrollment or other eligibility data for...

Reducing child conduct problems and promoting social skills in a middle-income country: cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Baker-Henningham, Helen; Scott, Stephen; Jones, Kelvyn; Walker, Susan

2012-08-01

There is an urgent need for effective, affordable interventions to prevent child mental health problems in low- and middle-income countries. To determine the effects of a universal pre-school-based intervention on child conduct problems and social skills at school and at home. In a cluster randomised design, 24 community pre-schools in inner-city areas of Kingston, Jamaica, were randomly assigned to receive the Incredible Years Teacher Training intervention (n = 12) or to a control group (n = 12). Three children from each class with the highest levels of teacher-reported conduct problems were selected for evaluation, giving 225 children aged 3-6 years. The primary outcome was observed child behaviour at school. Secondary outcomes were child behaviour by parent and teacher report, child attendance and parents' attitude to school. The study is registered as ISRCTN35476268. Children in intervention schools showed significantly reduced conduct problems (effect size (ES) = 0.42) and increased friendship skills (ES = 0.74) through observation, significant reductions to teacher-reported (ES = 0.47) and parent-reported (ES = 0.22) behaviour difficulties and increases in teacher-reported social skills (ES = 0.59) and child attendance (ES = 0.30). Benefits to parents' attitude to school were not significant. A low-cost, school-based intervention in a middle-income country substantially reduces child conduct problems and increases child social skills at home and at school.

Effect of mindfulness and yoga on quality of life for elementary school students and teachers: results of a randomized controlled school-based study.

PubMed

Bazzano, Alessandra N; Anderson, Christopher E; Hylton, Chelsea; Gustat, Jeanette

2018-01-01

To assess the impact of a yoga curriculum in an elementary school on student quality of life, and to assess teacher and staff perception of potential barriers to, and benefits of, introducing yoga and mindfulness into the classroom. A randomized controlled trial was utilized to assess the impact of a brief intervention on third-grade students who screened positive for symptoms of anxiety. Students were randomized to an intervention group of 20 students receiving small-group yoga/mindfulness activities for 8 weeks between October 2016 and February 2017, and a control group of 32 students receiving care as usual. The Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale-Peabody Treatment Progress Battery and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) served as outcomes. Teachers were invited to participate in two professional development sessions about introducing yoga and mindfulness into the classroom, and completed a survey following each of the sessions. In generalized estimating equation models adjusted for time, the yoga-based intervention was associated with a 14.17 unit increase in student emotional PedsQL ( p -value 0.001) and a 7.43 unit increase in psychosocial PedsQL ( p -value 0.01). Results were not attenuated by adjustment. Teachers and staff reported using yoga more frequently in the classroom following the second of two professional development sessions ( p -value <0.05). Perceived barriers to introducing yoga to the classroom were similar at two data collection time points, while perceived benefits remained high. The intervention was associated with a significant improvement in emotional and psychosocial quality of life in the intervention group when compared to the control group, suggesting that yoga/mindfulness interventions may improve symptoms of anxiety among students. Yoga/mindfulness activities may facilitate stress management among elementary school students and may be added as a complement to social and emotional learning activities.

Effect of mindfulness and yoga on quality of life for elementary school students and teachers: results of a randomized controlled school-based study

PubMed Central

Bazzano, Alessandra N; Anderson, Christopher E; Hylton, Chelsea; Gustat, Jeanette

2018-01-01

Objective To assess the impact of a yoga curriculum in an elementary school on student quality of life, and to assess teacher and staff perception of potential barriers to, and benefits of, introducing yoga and mindfulness into the classroom. Methods A randomized controlled trial was utilized to assess the impact of a brief intervention on third-grade students who screened positive for symptoms of anxiety. Students were randomized to an intervention group of 20 students receiving small-group yoga/mindfulness activities for 8 weeks between October 2016 and February 2017, and a control group of 32 students receiving care as usual. The Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale-Peabody Treatment Progress Battery and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) served as outcomes. Teachers were invited to participate in two professional development sessions about introducing yoga and mindfulness into the classroom, and completed a survey following each of the sessions. Results In generalized estimating equation models adjusted for time, the yoga-based intervention was associated with a 14.17 unit increase in student emotional PedsQL (p-value 0.001) and a 7.43 unit increase in psychosocial PedsQL (p-value 0.01). Results were not attenuated by adjustment. Teachers and staff reported using yoga more frequently in the classroom following the second of two professional development sessions (p-value <0.05). Perceived barriers to introducing yoga to the classroom were similar at two data collection time points, while perceived benefits remained high. Conclusion The intervention was associated with a significant improvement in emotional and psychosocial quality of life in the intervention group when compared to the control group, suggesting that yoga/mindfulness interventions may improve symptoms of anxiety among students. Yoga/mindfulness activities may facilitate stress management among elementary school students and may be added as a complement to social and emotional learning activities. PMID:29695937

Brief report: application of the TEACCH program on Chinese pre-school children with autism--Does culture make a difference?

PubMed

Tsang, Sandra K M; Shek, Daniel T L; Lam, Lorinda L; Tang, Florence L Y; Cheung, Penita M P

2007-02-01

A longitudinal study was conducted on 34 children with autism to evaluate the usefulness of the Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) program for Chinese pre-school children in Hong Kong. Eighteen children received full-time center-based TEACCH program training. The control group included 16 children who received different types of individualized or group training but not TEACCH program training. Instruments validated in Hong Kong were used to assess the children's cognitive, social adaptive functioning and developmental abilities before and during the training at 6-month intervals for 12 months. Children in the experimental group showed better outcomes at posttest. They also showed progress in different developmental domains over time. The study provided initial support for the effectiveness of using the TEACCH program with Chinese children.

The effect of asthma education program on knowledge of school teachers: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Kawafha, Mariam M; Tawalbeh, Loai Issa

2015-04-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an asthma education program on schoolteachers' knowledge. Pre-test-post-test experimental randomized controlled design was used. A multistage-cluster sampling technique was used to randomly select governorate, primary schools, and schoolteachers. Schoolteachers were randomly assigned either to the experimental group (n = 36) and attended three educational sessions or to the control group (n = 38) who did not receive any intervention. Knowledge about asthma was measured using the Asthma General Knowledge Questionnaire for Adults (AGKQA). The results indicated that teachers in the experimental group showed significantly (p < .001) higher knowledge of asthma in the first post-test and the second post-test compared with those in the control group. Implementing asthma education enhanced schoolteachers' knowledge of asthma. The asthma education program should target schoolteachers to improve knowledge about asthma. © The Author(s) 2014.

Case Studies of Schools Receiving School Improvement Grants. Final Report. NCEE 2016-4002

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le Floch, Kerstin Carlson; O'Day, Jennifer; Birman, Beatrice; Hurlburt, Steven; Nayfack, Michelle; Halloran, Clare; Boyle, Andrea; Brown, Seth; Mercado-Garcia, Diana; Goff, Rose; Rosenberg, Linda; Hulsey, Lara

2016-01-01

The Study of School Turnaround (SST) examines the change process in a diverse, purposive sample of schools receiving federal School Improvement Grants (SIG) from 2010-11 to 2012-13. With the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the SIG program underwent three major shifts. First, ARRA boosted total SIG funding in…

[Effects of active parenting today based on goal attainment theory on parenting stress, parenting behavior, and parenting satisfaction in mothers of school-age children].

PubMed

Park, Kyung Im; Oh, Sangeun

2012-10-01

The purpose of this study was to verify effects of the Active Parenting Today (APT) program based on King's Goal Attainment Theory on parenting stress, parenting behavior, and parenting satisfaction in mothers of school-age children. This was a quasi-experimental study with a non-equivalent control group pre-post test design. Participants were 39 mothers of school-age children (19 in the experiment group and 20 in the control group) who were registered at two community children centers in G city. The experimental group received the APT program (2 hours/session/week) and telephone counseling (2 times/week) for 8 weeks. Data were analyzed using χ²-test, t-test, Fisher exact probability test, and ANCOVA with the SPSS/Win15.0 program. Parenting stress was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group. Positive parenting behavior and parenting satisfaction were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group. However, negative parenting behavior was not significantly different between the two groups. The results of this study indicate that the APT program based on King's Goal Attainment Theory is useful in reducing parenting stress, creating positive parenting behavior change, and promoting parenting satisfaction in mothers of school-age children.

Communications Satellite Receiver Systems for Public Schools: A Technical Primer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas Education Agency, Austin.

Designed to aid school districts contemplating use of some of the telecommunications services now available by satellite, this document contains information on home satellite receiving dishes (Television Receive-Only--TVROs), which can receive radio signals carrying television, sound, and data. This information includes: some factors involved in…

Impact of Health Education on Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections in Schoolchildren of the Peruvian Amazon: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Gyorkos, Theresa W.; Maheu-Giroux, Mathieu; Blouin, Brittany; Casapia, Martin

2013-01-01

Background To control soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, the World Health Organization recommends school-based deworming programs with a health hygiene education component. The effect of such health hygiene interventions, however, has not been adequately studied. The objective of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of a health hygiene education intervention on the occurrence of STH re-infection four months post-de-worming. Methodology/Principal Findings An open-label pair-matched cluster-randomized trial was conducted in Grade 5 schoolchildren of 18 primary schools (9 intervention and 9 control) in the Peruvian Amazon. Baseline assessment included interview with a pre-tested questionnaire and collection of single stool specimens that were examined using the single Kato-Katz thick smear. All schoolchildren were then treated with single-dose albendazole (400 mg). Schoolchildren in intervention schools then received 1) an initial one hour in-class activity on health hygiene and sanitation and 30-minute refresher activities every two weeks over four months; and 2) a half-day workshop for teachers and principals, while children in control schools did not. Four months later, STH infection was re-assessed in all schools by laboratory technologists blinded to intervention status. From April 21–October 20, 2010, a total of 1,089 schoolchildren (518 and 571 from intervention and control schools, respectively) participated in this study. Intervention children scored significantly higher on all aspects of a test of STH-related knowledge compared with control children (aOR = 18·4; 95% CI: 12·7 to 26·6). The intensity of Ascaris lumbricoides infection at follow-up was statistically significantly lower (by 58%) in children in intervention schools compared with children in control schools (aIRR = 0·42; 95% CI = 0·21 to 0·85). No significant changes in hookworm or Trichuris trichiura intensity were observed. Conclusions/Significance A school-based health hygiene education intervention was effective in increasing STH knowledge and in reducing Ascaris lumbricoides infection. The benefits of school-based periodic deworming programs are likely to be enhanced when a sustained health hygiene education intervention is integrated into school curricula. PMID:24069469

A Semantic Differential Evaluation of Attitudinal Outcomes of Introductory Physical Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hecht, Alfred Roland

This study was designed to assess the attitudinal outcomes of Introductory Physical Science (IPS) curriculum materials used in schools. Random samples of 240 students receiving IPS instruction and 240 non-science students were assigned to separate Solomon four-group designs with non-equivalent control groups. Random samples of 60 traditional…

The Effects of Training and Other Factors on Problem Solving in Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puran, Robabeh; Behzadi, Mohamad Hasan; Shahvarani, Ahmad; Lotfi, Farhad Hosseinzadeh

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to identify the factors which affect students' creative thinking in problem solving. The research which was performed was quasi-experimental. It used one experimental group and two control groups from three second-grade high school classes. They received either traditional, active or heuristic problem-solving…

The Use of Reading Games (Activities) in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Georges, Betty

A study was conducted to determine if the use of reading games or activities would cause greater improvement in the reading achievement scores of third grade low-achieving students in an urban school than would traditional instructional methods. A control group of five children received traditional reading instruction, while an experimental group…

Effectiveness of a School HIV/AIDS Prevention Program for Spanish Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espada, Jose P.; Orgiles, Mireia; Morales, Alexandra; Ballester, Rafael; Huedo-Medina, Tania B.

2012-01-01

Due to a lack of controlled studies on HIV prevention interventions among Spanish adolescents, COMPAS, a five-session behavioral intervention, was developed and tested on Spanish adolescents aged 15-18. Participants included 827 adolescents from central, east and north Spain. Six hundred and seven students (M = 15.71 years) received the…

The Contingent Use of Trading Stamps in Reducing Truancy: A Case Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zweig, John T.; And Others

1979-01-01

A 13-year-old learning-disabled subject received a daily amount of trading stamps contingent on school attendance. Results showed a significant decrease in truancy from three to four days per week to less than one. A reversal design indicated that truancy could be controlled by the contingency procedure. (Author/GDC)

Morpho-Phonemic Analysis Boosts Word Reading for Adult Struggling Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Susan H.; Ehri, Linnea C.; Locke, John L.

2018-01-01

A randomized control trial compared the effects of two kinds of vocabulary instruction on component reading skills of adult struggling readers. Participants seeking alternative high school diplomas received 8 h of scripted tutoring to learn forty academic vocabulary words embedded within a civics curriculum. They were matched for language…

Combined universal and selective prevention for adolescent alcohol use: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Teesson, M; Newton, N C; Slade, T; Carragher, N; Barrett, E L; Champion, K E; Kelly, E V; Nair, N K; Stapinski, L A; Conrod, P J

2017-07-01

No existing models of alcohol prevention concurrently adopt universal and selective approaches. This study aims to evaluate the first combined universal and selective approach to alcohol prevention. A total of 26 Australian schools with 2190 students (mean age: 13.3 years) were randomized to receive: universal prevention (Climate Schools); selective prevention (Preventure); combined prevention (Climate Schools and Preventure; CAP); or health education as usual (control). Primary outcomes were alcohol use, binge drinking and alcohol-related harms at 6, 12 and 24 months. Climate, Preventure and CAP students demonstrated significantly lower growth in their likelihood to drink and binge drink, relative to controls over 24 months. Preventure students displayed significantly lower growth in their likelihood to experience alcohol harms, relative to controls. While adolescents in both the CAP and Climate groups demonstrated slower growth in drinking compared with adolescents in the control group over the 2-year study period, CAP adolescents demonstrated faster growth in drinking compared with Climate adolescents. Findings support universal, selective and combined approaches to alcohol prevention. Particularly novel are the findings of no advantage of the combined approach over universal or selective prevention alone.

The Relationship Among School Safety, School Liking, and Students' Self-Esteem: Based on a Multilevel Mediation Model.

PubMed

Zhang, Xinghui; Xuan, Xin; Chen, Fumei; Zhang, Cai; Luo, Yuhan; Wang, Yun

2016-03-01

Perceptions of school safety have an important effect on students' development. Based on the model of "context-process-outcomes," we examined school safety as a context variable to explore how school safety at the school level affected students' self-esteem. We used hierarchical linear modeling to examine the link between school safety at the school level and students' self-esteem, including school liking as a mediator. The data were from the National Children's Study of China (NCSC), in which 6618 fourth- to fifth-grade students in 79 schools were recruited from 100 counties in 31 provinces in China. Multilevel mediation analyses showed that the positive relationship between school safety at the school level and self-esteem was partially mediated by school liking, controlling for demographics at both student and school levels. Furthermore, a sex difference existed in the multilevel mediation model. For boys, school liking fully mediated the relationship between school safety at the school level and self-esteem. However, school liking partially mediated the relationship between school safety at the school level and self-esteem among girls. School safety should receive increasing attention from policymakers because of its impact on students' self-esteem. © 2016, American School Health Association.

Childhood school segregation and later life sense of control and physical performance in the African American Health cohort.

PubMed

Wolinsky, Fredric D; Andresen, Elena M; Malmstrom, Theodore K; Miller, J Philip; Schootman, Mario; Miller, Douglas K

2012-09-27

The association between childhood school desegregation and later life sense of control and physical performance among African Americans is not clear. We hypothesized that childhood school desegregation adversely affected the sense of control of in later life, and that this reduced sense of control accounts in part for reduced physical performance. In-home follow-up assessments were completed in 2010 with 582 of the 58-74 year old men and women participating in the on-going African American Health cohort. We used these data to examine the relationship between (a) retrospective self-reports of attending segregated schools during one's 1st-to-12th grade education and one's current sense of control, as well as (b) the association between current sense of control and physical performance. Multiple linear regression analysis with propensity score re-weighting was used. Attending segregated schools for at least half of one's 1st-to-12th grade education was significantly associated with higher scores on the sense of control. Adjusting for all covariates and potential confounders, those receiving half or more of their 1st-to-12th grade education in segregated schools had sense of control scores that were .886 points higher (p ≤ .01; standardized effect size = .22). Sense of control scores were independently (all p < .01) associated with better systolic blood pressure, grip strength, peak expiratory flow, chair stands, balance tests, and the Short Portable Physical Battery even after adjusting for all covariates and potential confounders. Moreover, sense of control scores either partially or fully mediated the statistically significant beneficial associations between childhood school segregation and physical performance. Childhood school desegregation was adversely associated with the sense of control of African Americans in later life, and this reduced sense of control appears, in part, to account for their poorer physical performance. The etiologic mechanism through which childhood school segregation at the time that this cohort experienced it improved the sense of control in later life, which subsequently led to better physical performance, has not been identified. We suspect, however, that the pathway involves greater exposure to racial solidarity, same-race students as peer role models and same-race teachers and principals as authority role models, the reduced likelihood of exposure to race-based discrimination or antagonism during their formative early lives, and greater exposure to encouragement and support for academic and life success.

Childhood school segregation and later life sense of control and physical performance in the African American Health cohort

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The association between childhood school desegregation and later life sense of control and physical performance among African Americans is not clear. We hypothesized that childhood school desegregation adversely affected the sense of control of in later life, and that this reduced sense of control accounts in part for reduced physical performance. Methods In-home follow-up assessments were completed in 2010 with 582 of the 58–74 year old men and women participating in the on-going African American Health cohort. We used these data to examine the relationship between (a) retrospective self-reports of attending segregated schools during one’s 1st-to-12th grade education and one’s current sense of control, as well as (b) the association between current sense of control and physical performance. Multiple linear regression analysis with propensity score re-weighting was used. Results Attending segregated schools for at least half of one’s 1st-to-12th grade education was significantly associated with higher scores on the sense of control. Adjusting for all covariates and potential confounders, those receiving half or more of their 1st-to-12th grade education in segregated schools had sense of control scores that were .886 points higher (p ≤ .01; standardized effect size = .22). Sense of control scores were independently (all p < .01) associated with better systolic blood pressure, grip strength, peak expiratory flow, chair stands, balance tests, and the Short Portable Physical Battery even after adjusting for all covariates and potential confounders. Moreover, sense of control scores either partially or fully mediated the statistically significant beneficial associations between childhood school segregation and physical performance. Conclusions Childhood school desegregation was adversely associated with the sense of control of African Americans in later life, and this reduced sense of control appears, in part, to account for their poorer physical performance. The etiologic mechanism through which childhood school segregation at the time that this cohort experienced it improved the sense of control in later life, which subsequently led to better physical performance, has not been identified. We suspect, however, that the pathway involves greater exposure to racial solidarity, same-race students as peer role models and same-race teachers and principals as authority role models, the reduced likelihood of exposure to race-based discrimination or antagonism during their formative early lives, and greater exposure to encouragement and support for academic and life success. PMID:23017218

Linking implementation process to intervention outcomes in a middle school obesity prevention curriculum, ‘Choice, Control and Change’

PubMed Central

Gray, Heewon Lee; Contento, Isobel R.; Koch, Pamela A.

2015-01-01

This study investigates the link between process evaluation components and the outcomes of a school-based nutrition curriculum intervention, ‘Choice, Control and Change’. Ten New York City public middle schools were recruited and randomly assigned into intervention or control condition. The curriculum was to improve sixth to seventh grade students’ energy balance related behaviors, based on social cognitive and self-determination theories, and implemented during the 2006–2007 school year (n = 1136). Behaviors and psychosocial variables were measured by self-reported questionnaires. Process components were evaluated with classroom observations, teacher interviews, and a student questionnaire. Using ‘Teacher Implementation’ (dose delivered) and ‘Student Reception’ (dose received) process data; intervention group was further categorized into medium- and high-implementation groups. Analysis of covariance revealed that, compared with control group, only high-implementation group showed significant improvement in students’ behavior and psychosocial outcomes. Hierarchical linear models showed that ‘Teacher Implementation’ and ‘Student Reception’ significantly predicted students’ sweetened beverage outcomes (P < 0.05). ‘Student Satisfaction’ was also greater when these implementation components were higher, and significantly associated with behavior and psychosocial outcomes (P < 0.05). Implementation process influenced the effectiveness of the ‘Choice, Control and Change’ intervention study. It is important to take into account the process components when interpreting the results of such research. PMID:25700557

A randomized controlled trial of cluster audit and feedback on the quality of dental sealant for rural schoolchildren.

PubMed

Tianviwat, S; Hintao, J; Chongsuvivatwong, V; Thitasomakul, S

2016-03-01

To examine whether audit and feedback could improve the quality of the application of dental sealant in rural Thai school children. A single blind, cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted. Hospital-based and school-based school sealant applied by dental nurses in Southern province of Thailand. Dental nurses and school children who received dental sealant were involved. The intervention consisted of confidential feedback of data and tailor-made problem-solving workshops. Sealant quality was measured by sealant retention and caries on sealed surfaces at six-month after sealing. The teeth examinations were done among different groups of children prior and after the intervention. After the intervention, the sealant retention rate increased dramatically in the intervention group, whereas in the control group the rate was similar to that found at baseline. The rate of caries after the intervention was stable in the intervention group and increased slightly in the control group. At the beginning of the study, the adjusted odds ratio of complete sealant retention between the intervention and control group was 0.47 which increased to 1.99 at the end of the study. However, no effect on caries on sealed surfaces was observed. The intensive focus on actual problems during the audit and feedback improved the dental nurses' performance and the quality of the dental service, although it had no statistical impact on the incidence of caries.

Sports Bounce GPAs: The Relationship between Athletic Involvement and Academic Performance in High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Filsinger, Lora C.

2012-01-01

As schools and school districts continue to face budget reductions, school officials must thoroughly evaluate and determine from which programs to decrease funding. Athletic programs are one area that has received much scrutiny for receiving these cuts. If research reveals a significant relationship between athletic involvement and academic…

45 CFR 261.30 - What are the work activities?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...) Education directly related to employment, in the case of a recipient who has not received a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency; (k) Satisfactory attendance at secondary school or in... secondary school or received such a certificate; and (l) Providing child care services to an individual who...

45 CFR 261.30 - What are the work activities?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...) Education directly related to employment, in the case of a recipient who has not received a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency; (k) Satisfactory attendance at secondary school or in... secondary school or received such a certificate; and (l) Providing child care services to an individual who...

45 CFR 261.30 - What are the work activities?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...) Education directly related to employment, in the case of a recipient who has not received a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency; (k) Satisfactory attendance at secondary school or in... secondary school or received such a certificate; and (l) Providing child care services to an individual who...

45 CFR 286.100 - What activities count towards the work participation rate?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... not received a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency; (11) Satisfactory attendance at secondary school or in a course of study leading to a certificate of general equivalence, if a recipient has not completed secondary school or received such a certificate; (12) Providing child care...

45 CFR 286.100 - What activities count towards the work participation rate?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... not received a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency; (11) Satisfactory attendance at secondary school or in a course of study leading to a certificate of general equivalence, if a recipient has not completed secondary school or received such a certificate; (12) Providing child care...

45 CFR 286.100 - What activities count towards the work participation rate?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... not received a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency; (11) Satisfactory attendance at secondary school or in a course of study leading to a certificate of general equivalence, if a recipient has not completed secondary school or received such a certificate; (12) Providing child care...

45 CFR 286.100 - What activities count towards the work participation rate?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... not received a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency; (11) Satisfactory attendance at secondary school or in a course of study leading to a certificate of general equivalence, if a recipient has not completed secondary school or received such a certificate; (12) Providing child care...

45 CFR 261.30 - What are the work activities?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...) Education directly related to employment, in the case of a recipient who has not received a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency; (k) Satisfactory attendance at secondary school or in... secondary school or received such a certificate; and (l) Providing child care services to an individual who...

Principals' Reactions to Feedback Received by School Inspection: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behnke, Kristin; Steins, Gisela

2017-01-01

This article presents the results of a follow-up study on the attitudes of German principals towards receiving feedback from school inspections. In a first study, we explored the attitudes of 50 principals towards feedback from school inspections [Quality Analysis (QA) in North Rhine-Westphalia] before school inspections took place at these…

Promoting life skills and preventing tobacco use among low-income Mumbai youth: effects of Salaam Bombay Foundation intervention.

PubMed

Sorensen, Glorian; Gupta, Prakash C; Nagler, Eve; Viswanath, Kasisomayajula

2012-01-01

In response to India's growing tobacco epidemic, strategies are needed to decrease tobacco use among Indian youth, particularly among those who are economically disadvantaged. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a school-based life-skills tobacco control program for youth of low socio-economic status in Mumbai and the surrounding state of Maharashtra. We hypothesized that compared to youth in control schools, youth exposed to the program would have greater knowledge of effects of tobacco use; be more likely to take action to prevent others from using tobacco; demonstrate more positive life skills and attitudes; and be less likely to report tobacco use. Using a quasi-experimental design, we assessed program effectiveness by comparing 8(th) and 9(th) grade students in intervention schools to 8(th) grade students in comparable schools that did not receive the program. Across all schools, 1851 students completed a survey that assessed core program components in early 2010. The program consisted of activities focused on building awareness about the hazards of tobacco, developing life skills, and advocacy development. The primary outcome measure was self-reported tobacco use in the last 30 days. Findings indicate that 4.1% of 8(th) grade intervention students (OR = 0.51) and 3.6% of 9(th) grade intervention students (OR = 0.33) reported using tobacco at least once in the last 30 days, compared to 8.7% of students in the control schools. Intervention group students were also significantly more knowledgeable about tobacco and related legislation, reported more efforts to prevent tobacco use among others, and reported stronger life skills and self-efficacy than students in control schools. Limitations to the study include schools not being randomly assigned to condition and tobacco use being measured by self-report. This program represents an effective model of school-based tobacco use prevention that low-income schools in India and other low- and middle-income countries can replicate.

A school-based supplementary food programme in rural Kenya did not reduce children's intake at home.

PubMed

Gewa, Constance A; Murphy, Suzanne P; Weiss, Robert E; Neumann, Charlotte G

2013-04-01

To examine changes in energy intake along with markers of dietary quality (animal-source energy and protein intakes) among household members in the presence of supplementary school feeding in rural Kenya. A 2-year, longitudinal, randomized controlled feeding intervention study. Kyeni South Division, Embu District, Kenya. A total of 182 schoolchildren and selected household members. There was no evidence that schoolchildren who received supplementary snacks at school experienced reduced intakes at home or that intakes by other family members were increased at the expense of the schoolchild's intake. This analysis highlights a number of factors useful in planning for supplementary feeding interventions in rural Kenya and similar communities.

Smoking Patterns in Oregon Youth: Effects of Funding and Defunding of a Comprehensive State Tobacco Control Program

PubMed Central

Pizacani, Barbara A.; Dent, Clyde W.; Maher, Julie E.; Rohde, Kristen; Stark, Michael J.; Biglan, Anthony; Thompson, Jill

2014-01-01

Purpose Comprehensive tobacco control programs have included school-based prevention programs as a key strategy to reach adolescents. Unfortunately, these programs have undergone extensive budget reductions in recent years. In 2003, funding for the Oregon Tobacco Prevention and Education Program was reduced by about 70%, and the school component was entirely defunded. To assess the effects of program funding and subsequent defunding on smoking prevalence within targeted Oregon schools, we compared the change in 30-day smoking prevalence between grades 8 and 11 in school districts in two periods: namely, during funding and after funding was eliminated. Methods We used annual school-based survey data for grades 8 and 11 to describe district-level changes in smoking prevalence in five age cohorts: two during the funding period and three after defunding. Each cohort was comprised of districts whose 8th-graders completed the survey and participated again 3 years later. Using mixed models, we compared the change in 30-day adjusted smoking prevalence among cohorts in funded districts, defunded districts, and districts that never received funding. Results Smoking prevalence growth was significantly higher among cohorts from the defunded period than for cohorts from the funded period (p = .04) and was not significantly different from schools that were never-funded (p = .79). Conclusions In Oregon, funding a school component of a comprehensive tobacco control strategy was associated with depressed uptake of smoking. Gains were quickly lost upon program defunding. School programs are an important strategy if they are long term, comprehensive, and reinforced in the larger environment. PMID:19237108

Promoting walking to school: results of a quasi‐experimental trial

PubMed Central

McKee, Rosie; Mutrie, Nanette; Crawford, Fiona; Green, Brian

2007-01-01

Study objective To assess the impact of a combined intervention on children's travel behaviour, stage of behavioural change and motivations for and barriers to actively commuting to school. Design A quasi‐experimental trial involving pre‐ and post‐intervention mapping of routes to school by active and inactive mode of travel and surveys of “stage of behaviour change” and motivations for and barriers to actively commuting to school. Intervention The intervention school participated in a school‐based active travel project for one school term. Active travel was integrated into the curriculum and participants used interactive travel‐planning resources at home. The control school participated in before and after measurements but did not receive the intervention. Setting Two primary schools in Scotland with similar socioeconomic and demographic profiles. Participants Two classes of primary 5 children and their families and teachers. Main results Post intervention, the mean distance travelled to school by walking by intervention children increased significantly from baseline, from 198 to 772 m (389% increase). In the control group mean distance walked increased from 242 to 285 m (17% increase). The difference between the schools was significant (t (38)  = −4.679, p<0.001 (95% confidence interval −315 to −795 m)). Post intervention, the mean distance travelled to school by car by intervention children reduced significantly from baseline, from 2018 to 933 m (57.5% reduction). The mean distance travelled to school by car by control children increased from baseline, from 933 to 947 m (1.5% increase). The difference in the change between schools was significant (t (32)  = 4.282, p<0.001 (95% confidence interval 445 to 1255 m)). Conclusions Intervention was effective in achieving an increase in the mean distance travelled by active mode and a reduction in the mean distance travelled by inactive mode on school journey. PMID:17699538

What Professional and Personal Strategies Do Successful Principals Possess to Cultivate a School Culture That Promotes Academic Success in a Blue Ribbon School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKinney, Carlos LaTeetha

2012-01-01

Principals who are presiding over schools that have received a blue ribbon certification have evidently used specific professional and personal strategies, as well as behaviors, to enhance the academic and social culture of their schools. The current study examined Mississippi Gulf Coast Schools that received blue ribbon status in the last six…

25 CFR 39.211 - What other categories of students can a school count for membership purposes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... courses The student is both:(1) Receiving high school credit for grades; and (2) In physical attendance at... both:(1) Receiving high school credit for grades; and (2) Taking the courses at the school site under a... 25 Indians 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false What other categories of students can a school count for...

25 CFR 39.211 - What other categories of students can a school count for membership purposes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... courses The student is both:(1) Receiving high school credit for grades; and (2) In physical attendance at... both:(1) Receiving high school credit for grades; and (2) Taking the courses at the school site under a... 25 Indians 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false What other categories of students can a school count for...

25 CFR 39.211 - What other categories of students can a school count for membership purposes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... courses The student is both:(1) Receiving high school credit for grades; and (2) In physical attendance at... both:(1) Receiving high school credit for grades; and (2) Taking the courses at the school site under a... 25 Indians 1 2012-04-01 2011-04-01 true What other categories of students can a school count for...

25 CFR 39.211 - What other categories of students can a school count for membership purposes?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... courses The student is both:(1) Receiving high school credit for grades; and (2) In physical attendance at... both:(1) Receiving high school credit for grades; and (2) Taking the courses at the school site under a... 25 Indians 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false What other categories of students can a school count for...

The school as a health promoter for children with asthma: The purpose of an education programme.

PubMed

Urrutia-Pereira, M; To, T; Cruz, Á A; Solé, D

Not only is asthma one of the leading causes of hospitalisation in children under 15 years and one of the main reasons for primary care outpatient visits, it also accounts for 13 million lost days of school annually, which can affect children's learning, integration at school and overall academic achievements. This review article highlights the important role of the school in helping children and adolescents to control and manage their asthma through integrated and coordinated actions of health professionals, school staff, family, and the community. We recommended key elements for a multidisciplinary team asthma school programme that can be replicated and implemented especially in developing countries where children and adolescents are in a more disadvantaged environment. This multidisciplinary asthma school intervention when demonstrated with efficacy can be applied in the context of the real world, where many children and families who need care the most currently do not receive it. Copyright © 2016 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Prevention of fall-related injuries in 7-year-old to 12-year-old children: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Nauta, Joske; Knol, Dirk L; Adriaensens, Lize; Klein Wolt, Karin; van Mechelen, Willem; Verhagen, Evert A L M

2013-09-01

To counteract the recently observed increase in forearm fractures in children worldwide, an educational programme to improve fall skills was developed. In this 8-week programme children learned basic martial arts falling techniques in their physical education classes. In this study, the effectiveness of this educational programme to improve fall skills was evaluated. A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted in 33 primary schools. The intervention group received the educational programme to improve falling skills during their physical education (PE) classes whereas the control group received their regular PE curriculum. At baseline (October 2009) and follow-up (May 2010), a questionnaire was completed by the children about their physical activity behaviours. Furthermore, fall-related injuries were registered continuously during an entire school-year. A total of 36 incident injuries was reported in the intervention group, equalling an injury incidence density (IID) of 0.14 fall-related injuries per 1000 h of physical activity (95% CI 0.09 to 0.18). In contrast, 96 injuries were reported by the control group corresponding to an IID of 0.26 (95% CI 0.21 to 0.32). However, because intracluster correlation was high (ICC=0.46), differences in injury incidence were not statistically significant. When activity level was taken into account, a trend was shown suggesting that the 'falling is a sport' programme was effective in decreasing falling-related injury risk, but only in the least active children. Although results did not reach significance because of strong clustering effects, a trend was found suggesting that a school-based educational programme to improve falling skills may be more beneficial for the prevention of falling-related injuries in children with low levels of habitual physical activity.

[Effects of Group Counseling Program Based on Goal Attainment Theory for Middle School Students with Emotional and Behavioral Problems].

PubMed

Jeong, In Ju; Kim, Soo Jin

2017-04-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a group counseling program based on goal attainment theory on self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, and school adjustment of middle school students with emotional and behavioral problems. Forty-four middle school students with emotional and behavioral problems (22 in the experimental group and 22 in the control group) from G city participated in this study. Data were collected from July 30 to September 24, 2015. The experimental group received the 8-session program, scheduled once a week, with each session lasting 45 minutes. Outcome variables included self-esteem, interpersonal relationship, and school adjustment. There were significant increases for self-esteem (t=3.69, p=.001), interpersonal relationship (t=8.88, p<.001), and school adjustment (t=4.92, p<.001) in the experimental group compared to the control group. These results indicate that the group counseling program based on goal attainment theory is very effective in increasing self-esteem, interpersonal relationship, and school adjustment for middle school students with emotional and behavioral problems. Therefore, it is recommended that the group counseling program based on goal attainment theory be used as an effective psychiatric nursing intervention for mental health promotion and the prevention of mental illness in adolescents. © 2017 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Reduction in the Incidence of Influenza A but Not Influenza B Associated with Use of Hand Sanitizer and Cough Hygiene in Schools: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

STEBBINS, SAMUEL; CUMMINGS, DEREK A.T.; STARK, JAMES H.; VUKOTICH, CHUCK; MITRUKA, KIREN; THOMPSON, WILLIAM; RINALDO, CHARLES; ROTH, LOREN; WAGNER, MICHAEL; WISNIEWSKI, STEPHEN R.; DATO, VIRGINIA; ENG, HEATHER; BURKE, DONALD S.

2012-01-01

Background Laboratory-based evidence is lacking regarding the efficacy of non-pharmaceutical interventions such as alcohol-based hand sanitizer and respiratory hygiene to reduce the spread of influenza. Methods The Pittsburgh Influenza Prevention Project was a cluster-randomized trial conducted in ten Pittsburgh, PA elementary schools during the 2007-2008 influenza season. Children in five intervention schools received training in hand and respiratory hygiene, and were provided and encouraged to use hand sanitizer regularly. Children in five schools acted as controls. Children with influenza-like illness were tested for influenza A and B by RT-PCR. Results 3360 children participated. Using RT-PCR, 54 cases of influenza A and 50 cases of influenza B were detected. We found no significant effect of the intervention on the primary study outcome of all laboratory confirmed influenza cases (IRR 0.81 95% CI 0.54, 1.23). However, we did find statistically significant differences in protocol-specified ancillary outcomes. Children in intervention schools had significantly fewer laboratory-confirmed influenza A infections than children in control schools, with an adjusted IRR of 0.48 (95% CI 0.26, 0.87). Total absent episodes were also significantly lower among the intervention group than among the control group; adjusted IRR 0.74 (95% CI 0.56, 0.97). Conclusions Non-pharmaceutical interventions (respiratory hygiene education and the regular use of hand sanitizer) did not reduce total laboratory confirmed influenza. However the interventions did reduce school total absence episodes by 26% and laboratory-confirmed influenza A infections by 52%. Our results suggest that NPIs can be an important adjunct to influenza vaccination programs to reduce the number of influenza A infections among children. PMID:21691245

The influence of fidelity of implementation on teacher-student interaction quality in the context of a randomized controlled trial of the Responsive Classroom approach.

PubMed

Abry, Tashia; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E; Larsen, Ross A; Brewer, Alexis J

2013-08-01

This study examined the direct and indirect effects between training in the Responsive Classroom® (RC) approach, teachers' uptake of RC practices, and teacher-student interaction quality, using a structural equation modeling framework. A total of 24 schools were randomly assigned to experimental or control conditions. Third- and fourth-grade teachers in treatment schools (n=132) received training in the RC approach, whereas teachers in control schools (n=107) continued "business as usual." Observers rated teachers' fidelity of implementation (FOI) of RC practices 5 times throughout the year using the Classroom Practices Observation Measure. In addition, teachers completed self-report measures of FOI, the Classroom Practices Teacher Survey and Classroom Practices Frequency Survey, at the end of the school year. Teacher-student interactions were rated during classroom observations using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System. Controlling for teachers' grade level and teacher-student interaction quality at pretest, RC training was expected to predict posttest teacher-student interaction quality directly and indirectly through FOI. Results supported only a significant indirect effect, β=0.85, p=.002. Specifically, RC teachers had higher levels of FOI of RC practices, β=1.62, p<.001, R2=.69. In turn, FOI related to greater improvement in teacher-student interaction quality, β=0.52, p=.001, R2=.32. Discussion highlights factors contributing to variability in FOI and school administrators roles in supporting FOI. Copyright © 2013 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of inquiry based science instruction on student understanding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nail, Jessica Lynette

According to the TIMSS Study (2007), the United States is falling behind in the subjects of math and science. In order for the students in the United States to develop scientific literacy and remain competitive globally, inquiry must be the priority when teaching science (NRC, 1996; AAAS, 1990). The main purpose of this research was to see if inquiry-based instruction in the science classroom had a significant effect on student understanding and retention of information in a rural school in Virginia. The effect of inquiry-based science instruction on gender was also examined. The researcher implemented a four-week, inquiry-based unit on Virginia Sol 6.7, written in the 5 E learning style to 358 sixth-grade students and compared their posttest gains and delayed posttest scores to a control group consisting of 268 students. The control group received traditional teaching methods. The results for the posttest gains produced a p = 0.01. Therefore, there was a significant difference in the experimental group, which received the treatment, when compared to the control group, which did not receive treatment. A t test was also used to compare the delayed test scores of the experimental group to the control group. The results showed a p < 0.0001 when comparing the experimental group, which received the four-week inquiry-based science instruction treatment, to the control, which did not receive the treatment. This t test showed a very highly significant difference between the experimental group and the control group. Based on these results, it is imperative that Virginia begin implementing inquiry-based instruction in the science classroom.

Lessons learned from the AFLY5 RCT process evaluation: implications for the design of physical activity and nutrition interventions in schools.

PubMed

Jago, R; Rawlins, E; Kipping, R R; Wells, S; Chittleborough, C; Peters, T J; Mytton, J; Lawlor, D A; Campbell, R

2015-09-23

Systematic reviews have highlighted that school-based diet and physical activity (PA) interventions have had limited effects. This study used qualitative methods to examine how the effectiveness of future primary (elementary) school diet and PA interventions could be improved. Data are from the Active For Life Year 5 (AFLY5) study, which was a cluster randomised trial conducted in 60 UK primary schools. Year 5 (8-9 years of age) pupils in the 30 intervention schools received a 12-month intervention. At the end of the intervention period, interviews were conducted with: 28 Year 5 teachers (including 8 teachers from control schools); 10 Headteachers (6 control); 31 parents (15 control). Focus groups were conducted with 70 year 5 pupils (34 control). Topics included how the AFLY5 intervention could have been improved and how school-based diet and PA interventions should optimally be delivered. All interviews and focus groups were transcribed and thematically analysed across participant groups. Analysis yielded four themes. Child engagement: Data suggested that programme success is likely to be enhanced if children feel that they have a sense of autonomy over their own behaviour and if the activities are practical. School: Finding a project champion within the school would enhance intervention effectiveness. Embedding diet and physical activity content across the curriculum and encouraging teachers to role model good diet and physical activity behaviours were seen as important. Parents and community: Encouraging parents and community members into the school was deemed likely to enhance the connection between schools, families and communities, and "create a buzz" that was likely to enhance behaviour change. Government/Policy: Data suggested that there was a need to adequately resource health promotion activity in schools and to increase the infrastructure to facilitate diet and physical activity knowledge and practice. Future primary school diet and PA programmes should find ways to increase child engagement in the programme content, identify programme champions, encourage teachers to work as role models, engage parents and embed diet and PA behaviour change across the curriculum. However, this will require adequate funding and cost-effectiveness will need to be established. ISRCTN50133740.

For-Profit Schools: Large Schools and Schools that Specialize in Healthcare Are More Likely to Rely Heavily on Federal Student Aid. Report to Congressional Committees. GAO-11-4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, George A.

2010-01-01

In the 2008-2009 school year, about 2,000 for-profit schools received almost $24 billion in grants and loans provided to students under federal student aid programs. In the early 1990s, Congress was concerned that some for-profit schools receiving federal student aid were recruiting students who were not ready for higher education. Many of these…

Children First Study: how an educational program in cardiovascular prevention at school can improve parents' cardiovascular risk.

PubMed

Fornari, Luciana S; Giuliano, Isabela; Azevedo, Fernanda; Pastana, Adriana; Vieira, Carolina; Caramelli, Bruno

2013-04-01

To evaluate whether a multidisciplinary educational program (EP) in cardiovascular prevention (CVP) for children could improve the Framingham cardiovascular risk (FCR) of their parents after one year. This was a prospective community-based study in Brazil during 2010 that randomized students aged 6 to 10 years old to two different approaches to receiving healthy lifestyle information. The control group received written educational material (EM) for their parents about healthy lifestyle. The intervention group received the same EM for parents, and children were exposed to a weekly EP in CVP with a multidisciplinary health team. At onset and end of the study, we collected data from parents and children (weight, height, arterial blood pressure, and laboratory tests). We studied 197 children and 323 parents. Analyzing the parents' FCR we found that 9.3% of the control group and 6.8% of the intervention group had more than a 10% year risk of cardiovascular heart disease (CHD) over the next 10 years. After the children's EP for the year, the intervention group had a reduction of 91% in the intermediate/high FCR group compared with a 13% reduction in the control group, p = 0.002). In the same way, analyzing the FCR of all parents, there was a reduction of the average risk in the intervention group (3.6% to 2.8% respectively, p < 0.001) compared with the control group (4.4% to 4.4%, p = 0.98). An educational program in cardiovascular prevention directed at school-age children can reduce the FCR risk of their parents, especially in the intermediate/high risk categories.

School accountability laws and the consumption of psychostimulants.

PubMed

Bokhari, Farasat A S; Schneider, Helen

2011-03-01

Over the past decade, several states introduced varying degrees of accountability systems for schools, which became federal law with the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The intent of these accountability laws was to improve academic performance and to make school quality more observable. Nonetheless, schools have reacted to these pressures in several different ways, some of which were not intended. We make use of the variation across states and over time in specific provisions of these accountability laws and find that accountability pressures effect medical diagnoses and subsequent treatment options of school aged children. Specifically, children in states with more stringent accountability laws are more likely to be diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and consequently prescribed psychostimulant drugs for controlling the symptoms. However, conditional on diagnosis, accountability laws do not further change the probability of receiving medication therapy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF AN ANTI-TOBACCO SCHOOL-BASED CURRICULUM FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING YOUTH

PubMed Central

Berman, Barbara A.; Guthmann, Debra S.; Crespi, Catherine M.; Liu, Weiqing

2010-01-01

Although school-based programming is an important element of the effort to curb tobacco use among young people, a comprehensive tailored curriculum has not been available for deaf and hard of hearing youth. The authors describe the drafting of such a program by expert educators, and findings from a test of the curriculum using a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design involving four schools for the deaf in three states. Two schools received the curriculum and two served as non-curriculum controls. Survey data were collected from students in grades 7–12 at baseline and at the start and end of three school years, from 511 to 616 students at each time point, to assess tobacco use, exposure to tobacco education, and tobacco-related knowledge, attitudes and practices. Changes within each school were assessed as the difference between the baseline survey and the average of the last four follow-up surveys. Current (past month) smoking declined significantly at one intervention school (22.7% baseline to 7.9% follow-up, p=.007) and current smokeless tobacco use at the other (7.5% baseline to 2.5% follow-up, p=.03). Exposure to tobacco prevention education, and anti-tobacco attitudes and knowledge each increased significantly at one or both schools. One control school experienced a significant decline in tobacco education exposure (p<.001) and an increase in anti-tobacco attitudes (p=.01). Despite limitations, this study supports that a tailored tobacco prevention curriculum can increase perceived exposure to anti-tobacco education and have a significant impact on tobacco-related practices, attitudes and knowledge among deaf and hard of hearing youth. PMID:21449256

Effect of a smoking ban and school-based prevention and control policies on adolescent smoking in Spain: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Galán, Iñaki; Díez-Gañán, Lucía; Gandarillas, Ana; Mata, Nelva; Cantero, Jose Luis; Durbán, María

2012-12-01

We evaluated the impact of a smoking ban in schools and of school-based smoking prevention and control policies on adolescent smoking. Annual surveys carried out between 2001 and 2005 that were representative of students in the 4th year of secondary education in the Madrid region, with 203 schools and 9127 students participating. The student questionnaire gathered information about personal and family variables. The contextual factors were: the periods before (years 2001-2002) and after the law; and through a survey of school management boards: compliance with the law, policy reflected in the school regulations, existence of complaints against smoking, and undertaking of educational activities regarding smoking. Multilevel logistic regression models were constructed with two dependent variables: current smoking and the proportion giving up smoking. Smoking declined in 2003, the first year after the law came into force (Odds ratio: 0.80; CI 95%: 0.66-0.96), and this decline was maintained in 2005. By contrast, smoking increased in those schools that did not undertake educational programmes regarding smoking (Odds ratio: 1.34; CI 95%: 1.13-1.59), and in those that received complaints about smoking (Odds ratio: 1.12; CI 95%: 0.96-1.29). This association is partly due to the effect of the increase in giving up smoking. The inclusion of contextual variables into the model with the individual factors reduces the variability of smoking between schools by 32.6%. In summary, the coming into force of a law banning smoking in schools, and the implementing of educational policies for the prevention and control of smoking are related to a lower risk of adolescent smoking.

34 CFR 76.655 - Level of expenditures for students enrolled in private schools.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... funds on: (1) A student enrolled in a private school who receives benefits under the program; and (2) A student enrolled in a public school who receives benefits under the program. (b) The subgrantee shall spend a different average amount on program benefits for students enrolled in private schools if the...

Chartering Turnaround: Leveraging Public Charter School Autonomy to Address Failure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corbett, Julie

2015-01-01

Persistently low-achieving public schools around the country have received $5.8 billion from the federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) program, in addition to districts and state funds, and other supplementary federal funds. Despite all of these sources of funding, most of the schools receiving them have failed to make a dramatic difference in…

The Primary Prevention of PTSD in Firefighters: Preliminary Results of an RCT with 12-Month Follow-Up

PubMed Central

Rees, Clare S.; Mazzucchelli, Trevor G.; Kane, Robert T.

2016-01-01

Aim To develop and evaluate an evidence-based and theory driven program for the primary prevention of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Design A pre-intervention / post-intervention / follow up control group design with clustered random allocation of participants to groups was used. The “control” group received “Training as Usual” (TAU). Method Participants were 45 career recruits within the recruit school at the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) in Western Australia. The intervention group received a four-hour resilience training intervention (Mental Agility and Psychological Strength training) as part of their recruit training school curriculum. Data was collected at baseline and at 6- and 12-months post intervention. Results We found no evidence that the intervention was effective in the primary prevention of mental health issues, nor did we find any significant impact of MAPS training on social support or coping strategies. A significant difference across conditions in trauma knowledge is indicative of some impact of the MAPS program. Conclusion While the key hypotheses were not supported, this study is the first randomised control trial investigating the primary prevention of PTSD. Practical barriers around the implementation of this program, including constraints within the recruit school, may inform the design and implementation of similar programs in the future. Trial Registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12615001362583 PMID:27382968

The Relationship between School-Facilitated Parental Involvement and Academic Math Achievement of High School Students in Virginia Who Receive Special Education Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stein, Allison

2017-01-01

This study examined how school-facilitated parental involvement affects Standards of Learning (SOL) end-of-course exams for high school students in Virginia who are receiving special education services. This study examined test results from the 2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015 school years for the Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II SOL exams,…

A pilot cluster randomised controlled trial of a support and training intervention to improve the mental health of secondary school teachers and students - the WISE (Wellbeing in Secondary Education) study.

PubMed

Kidger, Judi; Stone, Tracey; Tilling, Kate; Brockman, Rowan; Campbell, Rona; Ford, Tamsin; Hollingworth, William; King, Michael; Araya, Ricardo; Gunnell, David

2016-10-06

Secondary school teachers are at heightened risk of psychological distress, which can lead to poor work performance, poor quality teacher-student relationships and mental illness. A pilot cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) - the WISE study - evaluated the feasibility of a full-scale RCT of an intervention to support school staff's own mental health, and train them in supporting student mental health. Six schools were randomised to an intervention or control group. In the intervention schools i) 8-9 staff received Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training and became staff peer supporters, and ii) youth MHFA training was offered to the wider staff body. Control schools continued with usual practice. We used thematic qualitative data analysis and regression modelling to ascertain the feasibility, acceptability and potential usefulness of the intervention. Thirteen training observations, 14 staff focus groups and 6 staff interviews were completed, and 438 staff (43.5 %) and 1,862 (56.3 %) students (years 8 and 9) completed questionnaires at baseline and one year later. MHFA training was considered relevant for schools, and trainees gained in knowledge, confidence in helping others, and awareness regarding their own mental health. Suggestions for reducing the length of the training and focusing on helping strategies were made. A peer support service was established in all intervention schools and was perceived to be helpful in supporting individuals in difficulty - for example through listening, and signposting to other services - and raising the profile of mental health at a whole school level. Barriers to use included lack of knowledge about the service, concerns about confidentiality and a preference for accessing support from pre-existing networks. The WISE intervention is feasible and acceptable to schools. Results support the development of a full-scale cluster RCT, if steps are taken to improve response rates and implement the suggested improvements to the intervention. International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number: ISRCTN13255300 retrospectively registered 28/09/16.

Improved Body Mass Index Measures Following a Middle School-Based Obesity Intervention-The MATCH Program.

PubMed

Lazorick, Suzanne; Fang, Xiangming; Hardison, George T; Crawford, Yancey

2015-10-01

Motivating Adolescents with Technology to CHOOSE Health™ (MATCH) is an educational and behavioral intervention in seventh grade. Teachers in 2 schools delivered the MATCH curriculum, with 1 control school. Using a quasi-experimental design, outcome measures included lessons completed, body mass index (BMI), BMI z-score (zBMI), BMI percentile, weight category, and self-reported lifestyle behaviors. We used multiple regression models to compare group results. For the MATCH group (N = 189), teachers provided lessons over 14 weeks; the control group (N = 173) received usual curriculum. Postintervention, the MATCH group had significant decreases in BMI measures compared with the control. In combined overweight and obese participants, the mean (95% confidence interval) zBMI change was -0.05 (-0.07, -0.03) in MATCH and -0.01 (-0.04, 0.02) in control, p = .034 between groups. After 1 year, improvements are sustained: for the overweight subgroup, the mean zBMI decreased from 1.34 to 1.26 post-MATCH, then to 1.26 after 1 year; for the obese subgroup, mean zBMI = 2.16, to 2.13 post-MATCH to 2.08 after 1 year. Self-reported lifestyle behaviors showed no differences. MATCH integrates theory-based strategies into standard curriculum delivered by teachers. No prior middle-school intervention has shown sustained change in BMI measures. MATCH warrants further study as a strategy to address obesity. © 2015, American School Health Association.

Effectiveness of peer-based healthy living lesson plans on anthropometric measures and physical activity in elementary school students: a cluster randomized trial.

PubMed

Santos, Robert G; Durksen, Anita; Rabbanni, Rasheda; Chanoine, Jean-Pierre; Lamboo Miln, Andrea; Mayer, Teresa; McGavock, Jonathan M

2014-04-01

Schools are considered an attractive setting to promote healthy living behaviors in children, but previous school-based interventions aimed at preventing weight gain in children have yielded mixed results. Novel school-based approaches are needed to modify healthy living behaviors and attenuate weight gain in children. To assess the effectiveness of a peer-led healthy living program called Healthy Buddies on weight gain and its determinants when disseminated at the provincial level to elementary school students. Cluster-randomized effectiveness trial performed during the 2009-2010 school year. Baseline and follow-up measurements were made in October 2009 and May 2010, respectively. The study was performed in 19 elementary schools in Manitoba, Canada, and included 647 elementary school students aged 6 to 12 years (48% girls). Schools were randomized to receive regular curriculum or Healthy Buddies lesson plans. Lesson plans were delivered by older (9- to 12-year-old) elementary school students to the younger (6- to 8-year-old) peers and targeted 3 components of health: physical activity, healthy eating, and self-esteem and body image. The primary outcome measures were the change in waist circumference and body mass index z score. Secondary outcomes included physical activity (steps per day), cardiorespiratory fitness, self-efficacy, healthy living knowledge, and self-reported dietary intake. At baseline, 36% of children were overweight or obese and 11% achieved the recommended 13,500 steps per day. Intention-to-treat analyses showed that waist circumference declined significantly in the intervention group relative to controls: -1.42 cm (-2.68 to -0.17; P = .03). Reductions in waist circumference were particularly significant for children who were younger, overweight or obese, or attending First Nations schools. No difference in body mass index z score was observed between groups. Self-efficacy, healthy living knowledge, and dietary intake significantly improved in younger peers who received the intervention compared with students from control schools. No differences were observed in daily step counts or cardiorespiratory fitness between the groups. The implementation of Healthy Buddies lesson plans delivered by older peers within an elementary school setting is an effective method for attenuating increases in central adiposity and improving knowledge of healthy living behaviors among elementary school students. Improvements were achieved with parallel improvements in diet quality, self-efficacy, and knowledge of healthy living. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01979978.

Reading Intervention Using Interactive Metronome in Children with Language and Reading Impairment: A Preliminary Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritter, Michaela; Colson, Karen A.; Park, Jungjun

2013-01-01

This exploratory study examined the effects of Interactive Metronome (IM) when integrated with a traditional language and reading intervention on reading achievement. Forty-nine school-age children with language and reading impairments were assigned randomly to either an experimental group who received the IM treatment or to a control group who…

Classroom-Based Interventions and Teachers' Perceived Job Stressors and Confidence: Evidence from a Randomized Trial in Head Start Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhai, Fuhua; Raver, C. Cybele; Li-Grining, Christine

2011-01-01

Preschool teachers' job stressors have received increasing attention but have been understudied in the literature. We investigated the impacts of a classroom-based intervention, the Chicago School Readiness Project (CSRP), on teachers' perceived job stressors and confidence, as indexed by their perceptions of job control, job resources, job…

A Mixed-Method Efficacy and Fidelity Study of Check and Connect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Kristin; Hagans, Kristi; Linn, Megan

2017-01-01

The effectiveness of the Check and Connect dropout prevention program was examined, over the course of 2.5 years, with 54 middle school students from diverse backgrounds experiencing one or more conditions of risk for dropout. Participants were randomly assigned to receive the Check and Connect intervention or business as usual (i.e., control) in…

Evaluation of Interventions to Improve Solar Protection in Primary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Girgis, Afaf; And Others

1993-01-01

An intensive intervention group (n=247) of 9-11 year olds were exposed to SKIN SAFE, a curriculum about sun protection. A standard group (n=180) received a lecture about skin cancer; control group numbered 185. The intensive group were significantly more likely to use high levels of protection; no differences were apparent between the standard and…

Dynamic Scaffolding of Socially Regulated Learning in a Computer-Based Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molenaar, Inge; Roda, Claudia; van Boxtel, Carla; Sleegers, Peter

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to test the effects of dynamically scaffolding social regulation of middle school students working in a computer-based learning environment. Dyads in the scaffolding condition (N=56) are supported with computer-generated scaffolds and students in the control condition (N=54) do not receive scaffolds. The scaffolds are…

Pedagogy and Sex: Mary Dendy (1855-1933), Feeble-Minded Girls and the Sandlebridge Schools, 1902-33

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, Joyce

2005-01-01

Mary Dendy has received attention from historians because she was the first paid commissioner under the Board of Control (the administrative body that regulated the 1913 Mental Deficiency Act), was at the forefront in disseminating views regarding the sexual proclivities of feeble-minded women and because she advocated permanent segregated care…

The Scope & Sequence of Fitness Education for PreK-16 Programs: NASPE Fitness Education Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association for Sport and Physical Education, 2012

2012-01-01

In May 2006, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health to improve the quality and quantity of physical education and physical activity programs across the United States. The cooperative agreement project…

The Effect of Fine Motor Skill Activities on Kindergarten Student Attention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Roger A.; Rule, Audrey C.; Giordano, Debra A.

2007-01-01

This study explored the effect of fine motor skill activities on the development of attention in kindergarteners (n = 68) in five classes at a suburban public school in the Intermountain West through a pretest/posttest experimental group (n = 36) control group (n = 32) design. All children received the regular curriculum which included typical…

A Pilot Classroom-Based Study of Attention and Working Memory Strategies for Primary-Aged Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colmar, Susan; Davis, Nash; Sheldon, Linda

2016-01-01

An exploratory applied study, using a set of attention and working memory strategies specifically developed for students and named Memory Mates, was completed with normally developing students attending a primary school. Students in one classroom received the intervention, while the other classroom functioned as a control group. The study was…

The Manifest Destiny of Education: Past, Present and Beyond the Boundaries of Tradition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burian, Philip E.; Muhammad, Beverly; Burian, Pamela S.; Maffei, Francis R., III

2012-01-01

The generation currently in secondary schools has never known the world without the Internet, has spent thousands of hours each year interacting with video games and social media, and has high expectations for the degree of control and choices they will have regarding employment, entertainment, and the education they receive. The employers of our…

Impact of Intensive Summer Reading Intervention for Children with Reading Disabilities and Difficulties in Early Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christodoulou, Joanna A.; Cyr, Abigail; Murtagh, Jack; Chang, Patricia; Lin, Jiayi; Guarino, Anthony J.; Hook, Pamela; Gabrieli, John D. E.

2017-01-01

Efficacy of an intensive reading intervention implemented during the nonacademic summer was evaluated in children with reading disabilities or difficulties (RD). Students (ages 6-9) were randomly assigned to receive Lindamood-Bell's "Seeing Stars" program (n = 23) as an intervention or to a waiting-list control group (n = 24). Analysis…

Cost analysis of a school-based comprehensive malaria program in primary schools in Sikasso region, Mali.

PubMed

Maccario, Roberta; Rouhani, Saba; Drake, Tom; Nagy, Annie; Bamadio, Modibo; Diarra, Seybou; Djanken, Souleymane; Roschnik, Natalie; Clarke, Siân E; Sacko, Moussa; Brooker, Simon; Thuilliez, Josselin

2017-06-12

The expansion of malaria prevention and control to school-aged children is receiving increasing attention, but there are still limited data on the costs of intervention. This paper analyses the costs of a comprehensive school-based intervention strategy, delivered by teachers, that included participatory malaria educational activities, distribution of long lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLIN), and Intermittent Parasite Clearance in schools (IPCs) in southern Mali. Costs were collected alongside a randomised controlled trial conducted in 80 primary schools in Sikasso Region in Mali in 2010-2012. Cost data were compiled between November 2011 and March 2012 for the 40 intervention schools (6413 children). A provider perspective was adopted. Using an ingredients approach, costs were classified by cost category and by activity. Total costs and cost per child were estimated for the actual intervention, as well as for a simpler version of the programme more suited for scale-up by the government. Univariate sensitivity analysis was performed. The economic cost of the comprehensive intervention was estimated to $10.38 per child (financial cost $8.41) with malaria education, LLIN distribution and IPCs costing $2.13 (20.5%), $5.53 (53.3%) and $2.72 (26.2%) per child respectively. Human resources were found to be the key cost driver, and training costs were the greatest contributor to overall programme costs. Sensitivity analysis showed that an adapted intervention delivering one LLIN instead of two would lower the economic cost to $8.66 per child; and that excluding LLIN distribution in schools altogether, for example in settings where malaria control already includes universal distribution of LLINs at community-level, would reduce costs to $4.89 per child. A comprehensive school-based control strategy may be a feasible and affordable way to address the burden of malaria among schoolchildren in the Sahel.

Prevalence and Characteristics of School Services for High School Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

PubMed Central

Murray, Desiree W.; Molina, Brooke S.G.; Glew, Kelly; Houck, Patricia; Greiner, Andrew; Fong, Dalea; Swanson, James; Arnold, L. Eugene; Lerner, Marc; Hechtman, Lily; Abikoff, Howard B.; Jensen, Peter S.

2014-01-01

This study examines the prevalence and characteristics of services reported by school staff for 543 high school students participating in the 8 year follow-up of the multi-site Multimodal Treatment study of ADHD (MTA). Overall, 51.6% of students with a history of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were receiving services through an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) or a 504 plan, a rate higher than expected for this age group. Less than 5% of these had 504 plans; 35.5% attended special education classes. Very few services (except tutoring) were provided outside of an IEP or 504 plan. Almost all students with services received some type of academic intervention, whereas only half received any behavioral support or learning strategy. Less than one-fourth of interventions appear to be evidence-based. Students receiving services showed greater academic and behavioral needs than those not receiving services. Services varied based upon type of school, with the greatest number of interventions provided to students attending schools that only serve those with disabilities. Original MTA treatment randomization was unrelated to services, but cumulative stimulant medication and greater severity predicted more service receipt. Results highlight a need for accommodations with greater evidence of efficacy and for increased services for students who develop academic difficulties in high school. PMID:25506403

Prevalence and Characteristics of School Services for High School Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

PubMed

Murray, Desiree W; Molina, Brooke S G; Glew, Kelly; Houck, Patricia; Greiner, Andrew; Fong, Dalea; Swanson, James; Arnold, L Eugene; Lerner, Marc; Hechtman, Lily; Abikoff, Howard B; Jensen, Peter S

2014-12-01

This study examines the prevalence and characteristics of services reported by school staff for 543 high school students participating in the 8 year follow-up of the multi-site Multimodal Treatment study of ADHD (MTA). Overall, 51.6% of students with a history of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were receiving services through an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) or a 504 plan, a rate higher than expected for this age group. Less than 5% of these had 504 plans; 35.5% attended special education classes. Very few services (except tutoring) were provided outside of an IEP or 504 plan. Almost all students with services received some type of academic intervention, whereas only half received any behavioral support or learning strategy. Less than one-fourth of interventions appear to be evidence-based. Students receiving services showed greater academic and behavioral needs than those not receiving services. Services varied based upon type of school, with the greatest number of interventions provided to students attending schools that only serve those with disabilities. Original MTA treatment randomization was unrelated to services, but cumulative stimulant medication and greater severity predicted more service receipt. Results highlight a need for accommodations with greater evidence of efficacy and for increased services for students who develop academic difficulties in high school.

Computer-based attention training in the schools for children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a preliminary trial.

PubMed

Steiner, Naomi J; Sheldrick, Radley Christopher; Gotthelf, David; Perrin, Ellen C

2011-07-01

Objective. This study examined the efficacy of 2 computer-based training systems to teach children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to attend more effectively. Design/methods. A total of 41 children with ADHD from 2 middle schools were randomly assigned to receive 2 sessions a week at school of either neurofeedback (NF) or attention training through a standard computer format (SCF), either immediately or after a 6-month wait (waitlist control group). Parents, children, and teachers completed questionnaires pre- and postintervention. Results. Primary parents in the NF condition reported significant (P < .05) change on Conners's Rating Scales-Revised (CRS-R) and Behavior Assessment Scales for Children (BASC) subscales; and in the SCF condition, they reported significant (P < .05) change on the CRS-R Inattention scale and ADHD index, the BASC Attention Problems Scale, and on the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF). Conclusion. This randomized control trial provides preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of computer-based interventions for ADHD and supports the feasibility of offering them in a school setting.

Kids Identifying and Defeating Stroke (KIDS): Development and Implementation of a Multi-Ethnic Health Education Intervention to Increase Stroke Awareness Among Middle School Students and Their Parents

PubMed Central

Conley, Kathleen M; Majersik, Jennifer; Gonzales, Nicole R; Maddox, Katherine E; Pary, Jennifer K; Brown, Devin L; Moyé, Lemuel A; Espinosa, Nina; Grotta, James C; Morgenstern, Lewis B

2009-01-01

The KIDS (Kids Identifying and Defeating Stroke) Program is a three-year prospective, randomized, controlled, multiethnic school-based intervention study. Program goals include increasing knowledge of stroke signs and treatment and intention to immediately call 911 among Mexican American (MA) and non-Hispanic white (NHW) middle school students and their parents. This article describes the design, implementation and interim evaluation of this theory-based intervention. Intervention students received a culturally appropriate stroke education program divided into four 50-minute classes each year during the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. Each class session also included a homework assignment that involved the students’ parents or other adult partners. Interim-test results indicate that this educational intervention was successful in improving students’ stroke symptom and treatment knowledge and intent to call 911 upon witnessing a stroke compared with controls (p<0.001). We conclude that this school-based educational intervention to reduce delay time to hospital arrival for stroke shows early promise. PMID:18332150

The effect of a healthy lifestyle programme on 8-9 year olds from social disadvantage.

PubMed

Breslin, Gavin; Brennan, Deirdre; Rafferty, Ruth; Gallagher, Alison M; Hanna, Donncha

2012-07-01

This study assessed the efficacy of a school-based healthy lifestyle intervention (Sport for LIFE) for increasing physical activity, decreasing sedentary behaviour, reducing screen time behaviour, encouraging healthy attitudes and behaviour to nutrition, and reducing body mass index (BMI) in 8-9-year-old primary school children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds in Northern Ireland. A non-randomised controlled trial of 416 children from 24 schools took part. Schools were randomly assigned to one of two groups, an intervention or control group with 12 schools in each group. The intervention group received a 12-week school-based programme based on social cognitive theory. At baseline and follow-up, groups completed questionnaires assessing physical activity, screen time behaviour and dietary patterns. On each occasion anthropometric assessments of height and weight were taken. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour were measured by accelerometry. Significant effects were observed for vigorous, moderate and light activity for the intervention group at follow-up. Sedentary behaviour was significantly reduced for the intervention group but not for the control group. No significant effects of the intervention on BMI, screen time behaviour or attitudes to nutrition, with the exception of non-core foods, were shown. The programme was effective in increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour, however no significant changes in screen time behaviour and attitude to nutrition, with the exception of non-core foods, were observed. Future research ideas are offered for tackling low levels of physical activity in children.

Psychiatric comorbidities in adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and their siblings.

PubMed

Yang, Li-Kuang; Shang, Chi-Yung; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen

2011-05-01

Despite high psychiatric comorbidities in adolescents with clinical diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), little is known about psychiatric comorbidities in their siblings. We investigated the psychiatric comorbid conditions in adolescents with ADHD, their siblings, and healthy control subjects from their school. The sample included 136 adolescent probands with ADHD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), diagnostic criteria; 136 siblings (47 affected and 89 unaffected) and 136 age- and sex-matched healthy school control subjects. All participants and their parents received the structured psychiatric interviews for current and lifetime DSM-IV psychiatric disorders of the participants. The rate of ADHD (34.6%) in the siblings of probands with ADHD was about 7 times higher than in the general population. Probands with ADHD were significantly more likely than unaffected siblings (OR 6.38; 95% CI 3.43 to 11.88) and healthy school control subjects (OR 9.60; 95% CI 5.31 to 17.34) to have a DSM-IV psychiatric disorder, including oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), tic disorders, major depressive disorder, specific phobia (more than control subjects only), nicotine use disorder, and sleep disorders. The affected siblings were significantly more likely than healthy school control subjects to have ODD, CD, specific phobia, and to have consumed alcohol (ORs ranging from 2.30 to 20.16). Our findings suggest that siblings of probands with ADHD have increased risks for ADHD and that the affected siblings have more psychiatric comorbidities than healthy school control subjects. It warrants early identification of ADHD symptoms and other psychiatric comorbid conditions as well in siblings of adolescents with ADHD.

Feedback on oral presentations during pediatric clerkships: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Sox, Colin M; Dell, Michael; Phillipi, Carrie A; Cabral, Howard J; Vargas, Gabriela; Lewin, Linda O

2014-11-01

To measure the effects of participating in structured oral presentation evaluation sessions early in pediatric clerkships on students' subsequent presentations. We conducted a single-blind, 3-arm, cluster randomized controlled trial during pediatric clerkships at Boston University School of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Blocks of students at each school were randomly assigned to experience either (1) no formal presentation feedback (control) or a small-group presentation feedback session early in pediatric clerkships in which students gave live presentations and received feedback from faculty who rated their presentations by using a (2) single-item (simple) or (3) 18-item (detailed) evaluation form. At the clerkship end, overall quality of subjects' presentations was rated by faculty blinded to randomization status, and subjects reported whether their presentations had improved. Analyses included multivariable linear and logistic regressions clustered on clerkship block that controlled for medical school. A total of 476 participants were evenly divided into the 3 arms, which had similar characteristics. Compared with controls, presentation quality was significantly associated with participating in detailed (coefficient: 0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.07-0.69) but not simple (coefficient: 0.16; 95% CI: -0.12-0.43) feedback sessions. Similarly, student self-report of presentation improvement was significantly associated with participating in detailed (odds ratio: 2.16; 95% CI: 1.11-4.18] but not simple (odds ratio: 1.89; 95% CI: 0.91-3.93) feedback sessions. Small-group presentation feedback sessions led by faculty using a detailed evaluation form resulted in clerkship students delivering oral presentations of higher quality compared with controls. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

7 CFR 245.8 - Nondiscrimination practices for children eligible to receive free and reduced price meals and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., School Breakfast Program or Special Milk Program or of commodity only schools shall take all actions that... PROGRAMS DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR FREE AND REDUCED PRICE MEALS AND FREE MILK IN SCHOOLS § 245.8 Nondiscrimination practices for children eligible to receive free and reduced price meals and free milk. School Food...

7 CFR 245.8 - Nondiscrimination practices for children eligible to receive free and reduced price meals and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., School Breakfast Program or Special Milk Program or of commodity only schools shall take all actions that... PROGRAMS DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR FREE AND REDUCED PRICE MEALS AND FREE MILK IN SCHOOLS § 245.8 Nondiscrimination practices for children eligible to receive free and reduced price meals and free milk. School Food...

7 CFR 245.8 - Nondiscrimination practices for children eligible to receive free and reduced price meals and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., School Breakfast Program or Special Milk Program or of commodity only schools shall take all actions that... PROGRAMS DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR FREE AND REDUCED PRICE MEALS AND FREE MILK IN SCHOOLS § 245.8 Nondiscrimination practices for children eligible to receive free and reduced price meals and free milk. School Food...

Telescopes in Education: the Little Thompson Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweitzer, A.; Vanlew, K.; Melsheimer, T.; Melsheimer, L.; Rideout, C.; Patterson, T.

1997-12-01

A second observatory of the Telescopes in Education (TIE) project is in the planning stages, with hopes to be in use by fall 1998. The Little Thompson Observatory will be located adjacent to Berthoud High School in northern Colorado. TIE has offered the observatory a Tinsley 18" Cassegrain telescope on a 10-year loan. Local schools and youth organizations will have prioritized access to the telescope until midnight; after that, the telescope will be open to world-wide use by schools via the Internet. The first TIE observatory is a 24" telescope on Mt. Wilson, already booked through July 1998. That telescope has been in use every clear night for the past four years by up to 50 schools per month. Students remotely control the telescope over the Internet, and then receive the images on their local computers. The estimated cost of the Little Thompson Observatory is roughly \\170,000. However, donations of labor and materials have reduced the final price tag closer to \\40,000. Habitat for Humanity is organized to construct the dome, classrooms, and other facilities. Tom and Linda Melsheimer, who developed the remote telescope control system for the University of Denver's Mount Evans Observatory, are donating a similar control system. The formally-trained, all-volunteer staff will be comprised of local residents, teachers and amateur astronomers. Utilities and Internet access will be provided by the Thompson School District.

HEALTHY study school food service revenue and expense report.

PubMed

Treviño, Roberto P; Pham, Trang; Mobley, Connie; Hartstein, Jill; El Ghormli, Laure; Songer, Thomas

2012-09-01

Food service directors have a concern that federal reimbursement is not meeting the demands of increasing costs of healthier meals. The purpose of this article is to report the food option changes and the annual revenues and expenses of the school food service environment. The HEALTHY study was a 3-year (2006 to 2009) randomized, cluster-designed trial conducted in 42 middle schools at 7 field centers. The schools selected had at least 50% of students who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch or who belonged to a minority group. A randomly assigned half of the HEALTHY schools received a school health intervention program consisting of 4 integrated components: nutrition, physical activity, behavioral knowledge and skills, and social marketing. The nutrition component consisted of changing the meal plans to meet 5 nutrition goals. Revenue and expense data were collected from income statements, federal meal records, à la carte sale sheets, school store sale sheets, donated money/food records, and vending machines. Although more intervention schools reached the nutritional goals than control schools, revenues and expenses were not significantly different between groups. The HEALTHY study showed no adverse effect of school food policies on food service finances. © 2012, American School Health Association.

Smoking Prevention for Students: Findings From a Three-Year Program of Integrated Harm Minimization School Drug Education.

PubMed

Midford, Richard; Cahill, Helen; Lester, Leanne; Foxcroft, David R; Ramsden, Robyn; Venning, Lynne

2016-01-01

This study investigated the impact of the Drug Education in Victorian Schools (DEVS) program on tobacco smoking. The program taught about licit and illicit drugs in an integrated manner over 2 years, with follow up in the third year. It focused on minimizing harm, rather than achieving abstinence, and employed participatory, critical-thinking and skill-based teaching methods. A cluster-randomized, controlled trial of the program was conducted with a student cohort during years 8 (13 years), 9 (14 years), and 10 (15 years). Twenty-one schools were randomly allocated to the DEVS program (14 schools, n = 1163), or their usual drug education program (7 schools, n = 589). One intervention school withdrew in year two. There was a greater increase in the intervention students' knowledge about drugs, including tobacco, in all 3 years. Intervention students talked more with their parents about smoking at the end of the 3-year program. They recalled receiving more education on smoking in all 3 years. Their consumption of cigarettes had not increased to the same extent as controls at the end of the program. Their change in smoking harms, relative to controls, was positive in all 3 years. There was no difference between groups in the proportionate increase of smokers, or in attitudes towards smoking, at any time. These findings indicate that a school program that teaches about all drugs in an integrated fashion, and focuses on minimizing harm, does not increase initiation into smoking, while providing strategies for reducing consumption and harm to those who choose to smoke.

Evaluation of alternative school feeding models on nutrition, education, agriculture and other social outcomes in Ghana: rationale, randomised design and baseline data.

PubMed

Gelli, Aulo; Masset, Edoardo; Folson, Gloria; Kusi, Anthoni; Arhinful, Daniel K; Asante, Felix; Ayi, Irene; Bosompem, Kwabena M; Watkins, Kristie; Abdul-Rahman, Lutuf; Agble, Rosanna; Ananse-Baden, Getrude; Mumuni, Daniel; Aurino, Elisabetta; Fernandes, Meena; Drake, Lesley

2016-01-20

'Home-grown' school feeding programmes are complex interventions with the potential to link the increased demand for school feeding goods and services to community-based stakeholders, including smallholder farmers and women's groups. There is limited rigorous evidence, however, that this is the case in practice. This evaluation will examine explicitly, and from a holistic perspective, the simultaneous impact of a national school meals programme on micronutrient status, alongside outcomes in nutrition, education and agriculture domains. The 3-year study involves a cluster-randomised control trial designed around the scale-up of the national school feeding programme, including 116 primary schools in 58 districts in Ghana. The randomly assigned interventions are: 1) a school feeding programme group, including schools and communities where the standard government programme is implemented; 2) 'home-grown' school feeding, including schools and communities where the standard programme is implemented alongside an innovative pilot project aimed at enhancing nutrition and agriculture; and 3) a control group, including schools and households from communities where the intervention will be delayed by at least 3 years, preferably without informing schools and households. Primary outcomes include child health and nutritional status, school participation and learning, and smallholder farmer income. Intermediate outcomes along the agriculture and nutrition pathways will also be measured. The evaluation will follow a mixed-method approach, including child-, household-, school- and community-level surveys as well as focus group discussions with project stakeholders. The baseline survey was completed in August 2013 and the endline survey is planned for November 2015. The tests of balance show significant differences in the means of a number of outcome and control variables across the intervention groups. Important differences across groups include marketed surplus, livestock income, per capita food consumption and intake, school attendance, and anthropometric status in the 2-5 and 5-15 years age groups. In addition, approximately 19 % of children in the target age group received some form of free school meals at baseline. Designing and implementing the evaluation of complex interventions is in itself a complex undertaking, involving a multi-disciplinary research team working in close collaboration with programme- and policy-level stakeholders. Managing the complexity from an analytical and operational perspective is an important challenge. The analysis of the baseline data indicates that the random allocation process did not achieve statistically comparable treatment groups. Differences in outcomes and control variables across groups will be controlled for when estimating treatment effects. ISRCTN66918874 (registered on 5 March 2015).

Sex education attitudes and outcomes among North American women.

PubMed

Williams, Monnica T; Bonner, Laura

2006-01-01

Attitudes and outcomes of sex education received by North American women are examined via an Internet survey (N = 1,400). Mean age was 19.5, with 24% reporting one or more unplanned pregnancies. Women were more satisfied with sex education from informal sources than from parents, schools, and physicians. Those receiving sex education from parents or schools reported fewer pregnancies and abortions. In school, women receiving a combination of contraceptive and abstinence education and those receiving primarily abstinence education were least likely to experience unplanned pregnancy. Religious identification was significantly related to unplanned pregnancy and type of sex education received from parents. These factors seem to play a significant role in reducing unplanned pregnancy and abortion.

Medicaid program; elimination of reimbursement under Medicaid for school administration expenditures and costs related to transportation of school-age children between home and school. Final rule.

PubMed

2007-12-28

Under the Medicaid program, Federal payment is available for the costs of administrative activities "as found necessary by the Secretary for the proper and efficient administration of the State plan." This final rule eliminates Federal Medicaid payment for the costs of certain school-based administrative and transportation activities because the Secretary has found that these activities are not necessary for the proper and efficient administration of the Medicaid State plan and are not within the definition of the optional transportation benefit. Based on these determinations, under this final rule, Federal Medicaid payments will no longer be available for administrative activities performed by school employees or contractors, or anyone under the control of a public or private educational institution, and for transportation from home to school. In addition, this final rule responds to public comments received on the September 7, 2007 proposed rule.

Executive functions and school readiness intervention: Impact, moderation, and mediation in the Head Start REDI program

PubMed Central

BIERMAN, KAREN L.; NIX, ROBERT L.; GREENBERG, MARK T.; BLAIR, CLANCY; DOMITROVICH, CELENE E.

2011-01-01

Despite their potentially central role in fostering school readiness, executive function (EF) skills have received little explicit attention in the design and evaluation of school readiness interventions for socioeconomically disadvantaged children. The present study examined a set of five EF measures in the context of a randomized-controlled trial of a research-based intervention integrated into Head Start programs (Head Start REDI). Three hundred fifty-six 4-year-old children (17% Hispanic, 25% African American; 54% girls) were followed over the course of the prekindergarten year. Initial EF predicted gains in cognitive and social–emotional skills and moderated the impact of the Head Start REDI intervention on some outcomes. The REDI intervention promoted gains on two EF measures, which partially mediated intervention effects on school readiness. We discuss the importance of further study of the neurobiological bases of school readiness, the implications for intervention design, and the value of incorporating markers of neurobiological processes into school readiness interventions. PMID:18606033

Prevalence and Pattern of Executive Dysfunction in School Age Children with Congenital Heart Disease

PubMed Central

Sanz, Jacqueline H.; Berl, Madison M.; Armour, Anna C.; Wang, Jichuan; Cheng, Yao I.; Donofrio, Mary T.

2016-01-01

Objective Executive Function, a set of cognitive skills important to social and academic outcomes, is a specific area of cognitive weakness in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). We evaluated the prevalence and profile of executive dysfunction in a heterogeneous sample of school aged children with CHD, examined whether children with executive dysfunction are receiving school services and support, and identified risk factors for executive dysfunction at school age. Design 91 school aged patients completed questionnaires, including the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) and a medical history questionnaire. An age and gender matched control sample was drawn from a normativedatabase. Results CHD patients had a higher rate of parent reported executive dysfunction (OR=4.37, p<0.0001), especially for working memory (OR=8.22, p<0.0001) and flexibility (OR=8.05, p<0.0001). Those with executive dysfunction were not more likely to be receiving school services (p>0.05). Gender, premature birth (≤37 weeks), and CHD with aortic obstruction were predictive of executive dysfunction, especially for behavior regulation skills. Conclusions School aged children with CHD have an increased prevalence of executive dysfunction, especially problems with working memory and flexibility, and are underserved by the school system. The increased risk for executive dysfunction in those with CHD and prematurity or CHD with aortic obstruction suggests an etiology of delayed brain development in the fetal and neonatal periods, while male gender may increase susceptibility to brain injury. This study highlights the need for regular neurodevelopmental follow up in children with CHD, and a need to better understand mechanisms that contribute to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. PMID:27863079

Prevalence and pattern of executive dysfunction in school age children with congenital heart disease.

PubMed

Sanz, Jacqueline H; Berl, Madison M; Armour, Anna C; Wang, Jichuan; Cheng, Yao I; Donofrio, Mary T

2017-03-01

Executive function, a set of cognitive skills important to social and academic outcomes, is a specific area of cognitive weakness in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). We evaluated the prevalence and profile of executive dysfunction in a heterogeneous sample of school aged children with CHD, examined whether children with executive dysfunction are receiving school services and support, and identified risk factors for executive dysfunction at school age. Ninety-one school aged patients completed questionnaires, including the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) and a medical history questionnaire. An age- and gender- matched control sample was drawn from a normative database. Children with CHD had a higher rate of parent reported executive dysfunction (OR = 4.37, P < .0001), especially for working memory (OR = 8.22, P < .0001) and flexibility (OR = 8.05, P < .0001). Those with executive dysfunction were not more likely to be receiving school services (P > .05). Gender, premature birth (≤37 weeks), and CHD with aortic obstruction were predictive of executive dysfunction, especially for behavior regulation skills. School aged children with CHD have an increased prevalence of executive dysfunction, especially problems with working memory and flexibility, and are underserved by the school system. The increased risk for executive dysfunction in those with CHD and prematurity or CHD with aortic obstruction suggests an etiology of delayed brain development in the fetal and neonatal periods, while male gender may increase susceptibility to brain injury. This study highlights the need for regular neurodevelopmental follow up in children with CHD, and a need to better understand mechanisms that contribute to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Development and effect analysis of web-based instruction program to prevent elementary school students from safety accidents].

PubMed

Chung, Eun-Soon; Jeong, Ihn-Sook; Song, Mi-Gyoung

2004-06-01

This study was aimed to develop a WBI(Web Based Instruction) program on safety for 3rd grade elementary school students and to test the effects of it. The WBI program was developed using Macromedia flash MX, Adobe Illustrator 10.0 and Adobe Photoshop 7.0. The web site was http://www.safeschool.co.kr. The effect of it was tested from Mar 24, to Apr 30, 2003. The subjects were 144 students enrolled in the 3rd grade of an elementary school in Gyungju. The experimental group received the WBI program lessons while each control group received textbook-based lessons with visual presenters and maps, 3 times. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics, and chi2 test, t-test, and repeated measure ANOVA. First, the WBI group reported a longer effect on knowledge and practice of accident prevention than the textbook-based lessons, indicating that the WBI is more effective. Second, the WBI group was better motivated to learn the accident prevention lessons, showing that the WBI is effective. As a result, the WBI group had total longer effects on knowledge, practice and motivation of accident prevention than the textbook-based instruction. We recommend that this WBI program be used in each class to provide more effective safety instruction in elementary schools.

A School-Based, Peer-Led, Social Marketing Intervention To Engage Spanish Adolescents in a Healthy Lifestyle ("We Are Cool"-Som la Pera Study): A Parallel-Cluster Randomized Controlled Study.

PubMed

Aceves-Martins, Magaly; Llauradó, Elisabet; Tarro, Lucia; Moriña, David; Papell-Garcia, Ignasi; Prades-Tena, Jordi; Kettner-Høeberg, Helle; Puiggròs, Francesc; Arola, Lluís; Davies, Amy; Giralt, Montse; Solà, Rosa

2017-08-01

Encouraging adolescents to adopt healthy lifestyles can be challenging. The aim of the "Som la Pera" study was to engage adolescents by applying new strategies to increase both their fruit and vegetable consumption and their physical activity (PA) while reducing their sedentary behavior. In disadvantaged neighborhoods of Reus (Spain), two high schools were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 170 adolescents 13- to 16-year-olds) and two were assigned to the control group (n = 223 adolescents 13- to 16-year-olds). The intervention, which lasted 12 months and spanned 2 academic years (2013-2015), used social marketing (SM) to improve healthy choices. The peer-led strategy involved 5 adolescents who designed and implemented 10 activities as challenges for their 165 school-aged peers. The control group received no intervention. To assess self-reported lifestyles in both groups, the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children Survey was used at baseline and end of study. After 12 months, intervention adolescents showed an increase of 28.9% in ≥1 fruit/day (p < 0.01) and of 18.5% in ≥6 hours/week of PA (p < 0.01) compared with controls. Additionally, intervention group males had an increase of 28.8% in ≥1 vegetable/day (p < 0.01) and of 15.6% in ≤2 hours/day of sedentary activity (p = 0.01) compared with controls. A school-based, peer-led, SM intervention developed by adolescents attending high schools in low-income neighborhoods effectively improved the healthy choices of their school-aged peers, leading to increased fruit consumption and PA in adolescents of both genders. Furthermore, adolescent males were more sensitive to improvements in healthy choices, showing increased vegetable consumption and decreased sedentary behavior.

Silent emergency alarm system for schools and the like

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Read, W. S.; Roberts, V. W. (Inventor)

1973-01-01

An emergency alert system is described. In a school each classroom (or other area) is instrumented with a hidden microphone and receiver tuned to a non-audible frequency. The receivers' outputs are connected to a central display unit in the school's administrative office. Each instructor is provided with a small concealable transmitter which, when hand activated by the instructor upon the occurrance of any emergency, generates a non-audible signal at the receiver's tuned frequency.

Using Text-Messaging in the Secondary Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Kevin; Orthober, Corrie

2011-01-01

To examine the potential uses of and barriers to text-messaging in secondary schools, three classes (66 students) of high school students used their personal mobile phones to receive out of school, course-related text-messages from teachers. Forty-six students (70%) agreed to receive text-messages. Findings indicate that participants found…

'FIFA 11 for Health' for Europe. 1: effect on health knowledge and well-being of 10- to 12-year-old Danish school children.

PubMed

Fuller, Colin W; Ørntoft, Christina; Larsen, Malte Nejst; Elbe, Anne-Marie; Ottesen, Laila; Junge, Astrid; Dvorak, Jiri; Krustrup, Peter

2017-10-01

To modify the 'FIFA 11 for Health' programme to the European situation, and to assess its effects on health knowledge and well-being in Danish school children. A two-cohort study with seven intervention and two control schools. Of the 546 Danish children (boys 269; girls 277) of mean age 11.1 (±0.4) years from five city and four country-side schools, 402 undertook the 'FIFA 11 for Health' programme and 144 acted as controls. As part of each school's PE curriculum, seven intervention schools received a 45 min Play Football period (football skills and 3 vs 3 games) and a 45 min Play Fair period (health issues and football drills) on a weekly-basis for 11 weeks. Control participants continued with their regular school PE activities. Participants completed preintervention and postintervention health knowledge and well-being questionnaires. Overall, health knowledge increase was significantly (p<0.05) greater for the intervention group (11.9%) than the control group (2.6%). Significant (p<0.05) between-group differences were obtained for 8 of 10 health topics (6.1-20.2%) related to physical activity, nutrition, hygiene and well-being. The social dimension of the well-being questionnaire was significantly (p<0.05) improved in the intervention group compared to the control group, but there were no significant between-group effects for the physical, emotional and school dimensions. Positive reporting about the programme was given by 72.4% of the children and only 4.8% reported negatively. The 'FIFA 11 for Health' programme modified for Europe demonstrated positive effects on children's health knowledge and social dimension of well-being, thereby providing evidence that the football-based health education programme can be used effectively within a European school's curriculum to increase physical activity, well-being and health knowledge. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

The Effect of a School-Based Transitional Support Intervention Program on Alternative School Youth's Attitudes and Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelchner, Viki P.; Evans, Kathy; Brendell, Kathrene; Allen, Danielle; Miller, Cassandre; Cooper-Haber, Karen

2017-01-01

This investigation examined the potential impact of a school-based youth intervention program on the attitudes and behavioral patterns of at-risk youth. The sample size used in this study was 52; 24 participants received the school-based intervention and 28 participants did not receive the intervention. A two-group pretest-posttest design approach…

25 CFR 47.3 - How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... EDUCATION UNIFORM DIRECT FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR BUREAU-OPERATED SCHOOLS § 47.3 How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive? The Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP) will... 25 Indians 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much...

25 CFR 47.3 - How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... EDUCATION UNIFORM DIRECT FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR BUREAU-OPERATED SCHOOLS § 47.3 How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive? The Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP) will... 25 Indians 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much...

25 CFR 47.3 - How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... EDUCATION UNIFORM DIRECT FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR BUREAU-OPERATED SCHOOLS § 47.3 How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive? The Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP) will... 25 Indians 1 2012-04-01 2011-04-01 true How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much...

25 CFR 47.3 - How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... EDUCATION UNIFORM DIRECT FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR BUREAU-OPERATED SCHOOLS § 47.3 How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive? The Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP) will... 25 Indians 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much...

25 CFR 47.3 - How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... EDUCATION UNIFORM DIRECT FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR BUREAU-OPERATED SCHOOLS § 47.3 How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much funding it will receive? The Office of Indian Education Programs (OIEP) will... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How does a Bureau-operated school find out how much...

Choices for Whom? The Rhetoric and Reality of the Direct Subsidy Scheme in Hong Kong (1988-2006)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tse, Thomas Kwan-choi

2008-01-01

School choice programs have proliferated around the world since the 1980s. Following this international trend, the Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) was launched in 1991 to revitalize Hong Kong's private school sector. DSS schools receive a similar subsidy per student to that received by aided schools, but they may charge fees and have greater control…

A school based cluster randomised health education intervention trial for improving knowledge and attitudes related to Taenia solium cysticercosis and taeniasis in Mbulu district, northern Tanzania.

PubMed

Mwidunda, Sylvester A; Carabin, Hélène; Matuja, William B M; Winkler, Andrea S; Ngowi, Helena A

2015-01-01

Taenia solium causes significant economic and public health impacts in endemic countries. This study determined effectiveness of a health education intervention at improving school children's knowledge and attitudes related to T. solium cysticercosis and taeniasis in Tanzania. A cluster randomised controlled health education intervention trial was conducted in 60 schools (30 primary, 30 secondary) in Mbulu district. Baseline data were collected using a structured questionnaire in the 60 schools and group discussions in three other schools. The 60 schools stratified by baseline knowledge were randomised to receive the intervention or serve as control. The health education consisted of an address by a trained teacher, a video show and a leaflet given to each pupil. Two post-intervention re-assessments (immediately and 6 months post-intervention) were conducted in all schools and the third (12 months post-intervention) was conducted in 28 secondary schools. Data were analysed using Bayesian hierarchical log-binomial models for individual knowledge and attitude questions and Bayesian hierarchical linear regression models for scores. The overall score (percentage of correct answers) improved by about 10% in all schools after 6 months, but was slightly lower among secondary schools. Monitoring alone was associated with improvement in scores by about 6%. The intervention was linked to improvements in knowledge regarding taeniasis, porcine cysticercosis, human cysticercosis, epilepsy, the attitude of condemning infected meat but it reduced the attitude of contacting a veterinarian if a pig was found to be infected with cysticercosis. Monitoring alone was linked to an improvement in how best to raise pigs. This study demonstrates the potential value of school children as targets for health messages to control T. solium cysticercosis and taeniasis in endemic areas. Studies are needed to assess effectiveness of message transmission from children to parents and the general community and their impacts in improving behaviours facilitating disease transmission.

A School Based Cluster Randomised Health Education Intervention Trial for Improving Knowledge and Attitudes Related to Taenia solium Cysticercosis and Taeniasis in Mbulu District, Northern Tanzania

PubMed Central

Mwidunda, Sylvester A.; Carabin, Hélène; Matuja, William B. M.; Winkler, Andrea S.; Ngowi, Helena A.

2015-01-01

Taenia solium causes significant economic and public health impacts in endemic countries. This study determined effectiveness of a health education intervention at improving school children’s knowledge and attitudes related to T. solium cysticercosis and taeniasis in Tanzania. A cluster randomised controlled health education intervention trial was conducted in 60 schools (30 primary, 30 secondary) in Mbulu district. Baseline data were collected using a structured questionnaire in the 60 schools and group discussions in three other schools. The 60 schools stratified by baseline knowledge were randomised to receive the intervention or serve as control. The health education consisted of an address by a trained teacher, a video show and a leaflet given to each pupil. Two post-intervention re-assessments (immediately and 6 months post-intervention) were conducted in all schools and the third (12 months post-intervention) was conducted in 28 secondary schools. Data were analysed using Bayesian hierarchical log-binomial models for individual knowledge and attitude questions and Bayesian hierarchical linear regression models for scores. The overall score (percentage of correct answers) improved by about 10% in all schools after 6 months, but was slightly lower among secondary schools. Monitoring alone was associated with improvement in scores by about 6%. The intervention was linked to improvements in knowledge regarding taeniasis, porcine cysticercosis, human cysticercosis, epilepsy, the attitude of condemning infected meat but it reduced the attitude of contacting a veterinarian if a pig was found to be infected with cysticercosis. Monitoring alone was linked to an improvement in how best to raise pigs. This study demonstrates the potential value of school children as targets for health messages to control T. solium cysticercosis and taeniasis in endemic areas. Studies are needed to assess effectiveness of message transmission from children to parents and the general community and their impacts in improving behaviours facilitating disease transmission. PMID:25719902

Impact of oral health education on oral hygiene knowledge, practices, plaque control and gingival health of 13- to 15-year-old school children in Bangalore city.

PubMed

D'Cruz, A M; Aradhya, S

2013-05-01

To assess effectiveness of an oral health education (OHE) programme on oral hygiene knowledge, practices, plaque control and gingival health of 13- to 15-year-old school children in Bangalore city. Three schools were randomly selected and assigned to experimental I, experimental II and control groups. At baseline, a 20-item questionnaire was used to assess the oral hygiene knowledge and practices. Clinical examinations (Turesky-Gilmore-Glickman modification of Quigley Hein plaque index; Loe-Silness gingival index) were performed by 2 examiners. OHE was provided by the investigator for experimental groups I (lecture using a PowerPoint presentation) and II (lecture using a PowerPoint presentation with toothbrushing demonstration). Control group did not receive any intervention. Reinforcement was provided for experimental groups at 3 and 6 months. At end of 9 months, questionnaire was administered and clinical examinations were performed. Data were analysed using chi-square, anova and post hoc Tukey's tests. Nine months post-intervention, there was significant improvement in oral hygiene knowledge and practices in experimental groups. There were significant reductions in mean plaque index and gingival index scores in the experimental groups. The control group did not show any significant improvement. Active involvement of school children with reinforcement of OHE can improve oral hygiene knowledge, practices and gingival health and decrease plaque levels. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Gender differences in response to a school-based mindfulness training intervention for early adolescents.

PubMed

Kang, Yoona; Rahrig, Hadley; Eichel, Kristina; Niles, Halsey F; Rocha, Tomas; Lepp, Nathaniel E; Gold, Jonathan; Britton, Willoughby B

2018-06-01

Mindfulness training has been used to improve emotional wellbeing in early adolescents. However, little is known about treatment outcome moderators, or individual differences that may differentially impact responses to treatment. The current study focused on gender as a potential moderator for affective outcomes in response to school-based mindfulness training. Sixth grade students (N = 100) were randomly assigned to either the six weeks of mindfulness meditation or the active control group as part of a history class curriculum. Participants in the mindfulness meditation group completed short mindfulness meditation sessions four to five times per week, in addition to didactic instruction (Asian history). The control group received matched experiential activity in addition to didactic instruction (African history) from the same teacher with no meditation component. Self-reported measures of emotional wellbeing/affect, mindfulness, and self-compassion were obtained at pre and post intervention. Meditators reported greater improvement in emotional wellbeing compared to those in the control group. Importantly, gender differences were detected, such that female meditators reported greater increases in positive affect compared to females in the control group, whereas male meditators and control males displayed equivalent gains. Uniquely among females but not males, increases in self-reported self-compassion were associated with improvements in affect. These findings support the efficacy of school-based mindfulness interventions, and interventions tailored to accommodate distinct developmental needs of female and male adolescents. Copyright © 2018 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of information dissemination using video of indigenous language on 11-12 years children's dental health.

PubMed

Olubunmi, Bankole; Olushola, Ibiyemi

2013-11-01

Videos as a medium of health education are useful tools. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a dental health education video in the Yoruba language (spoken in southwestern Nigeria) targeted at children from the lower socioeconomic class. An interventional study was conducted among 120 children aged 11 and 12 years, randomly selected from three public primary schools in Ibadan, Nigeria. Participants were assigned into three study groups: group 1 watched the video, group 2 received verbal dental health education in the Yoruba language and group 3 were the control. Following this, each participant received a full mouth prophylaxis, and six weeks later, their oral hygiene was assessed using the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index of Greene and Vermillion. A mean debris score of (1.11), (1.04) and (1.57) was recorded for the video, verbal and control groups respectively (p<0.001). The mean calculus index score was lowest among the verbal group (0.56), followed by the video group (0.75) and highest among the control (1.16) (p<0.001). However, multivariate analysis, controlling for child's age and fathers education, revealed that oral hygiene of the participants in the video group was significantly better by 28.6% compared to the control group while in the verbal education group there was an improvement of 23.4 % in contrast to the control. This study demonstrated that a culturally appropriate video in an indigenous language can significantly improve oral hygiene among school children from the lower socioeconomic group in Nigeria.

Back school or brain school for patients undergoing surgery for lumbar radiculopathy? Protocol for a randomised, controlled trial.

PubMed

Ickmans, Kelly; Moens, Maarten; Putman, Koen; Buyl, Ronald; Goudman, Lisa; Huysmans, Eva; Diener, Ina; Logghe, Tine; Louw, Adriaan; Nijs, Jo

2016-07-01

Despite scientific progress with regard to pain neuroscience, perioperative education tends to stick to the biomedical model. This may involve, for example, explaining the surgical procedure or 'back school' (education that focuses on biomechanics of the lumbar spine and ergonomics). Current perioperative education strategies that are based on the biomedical model are not only ineffective, they can even increase anxiety and fear in patients undergoing spinal surgery. Therefore, perioperative pain neuroscience education is proposed as a dramatic shift in educating patients prior to and following surgery for lumbar radiculopathy. Rather than focusing on the surgical procedure, ergonomics or lumbar biomechanics, perioperative pain neuroscience education teaches people about the underlying mechanisms of pain, including the pain they will feel following surgery. The primary objective of the study is to examine whether perioperative pain neuroscience education ('brain school') is more effective than classic back school in reducing pain and improving pain inhibition in patients undergoing surgery for spinal radiculopathy. A secondary objective is to examine whether perioperative pain neuroscience education is more effective than classic back school in: reducing postoperative healthcare expenditure, improving functioning in daily life, increasing return to work, and improving surgical experience (ie, being better prepared for surgery, reducing incongruence between the expected and actual experience) in patients undergoing surgery for spinal radiculopathy. A multi-centre, two-arm (1:1) randomised, controlled trial with 2-year follow-up. People undergoing surgery for lumbar radiculopathy (n=86) in two Flemish hospitals (one tertiary care, university-based hospital and one regional, secondary care hospital) will be recruited for the study. All participants will receive usual preoperative and postoperative care related to the surgery for lumbar radiculopathy. The experimental group will also receive perioperative pain neuroscience education comprising one preoperative and one postoperative individual educational session plus an educational booklet. Participants in the control group will receive perioperative back school on top of usual preoperative and postoperative care, comprising one preoperative and one postoperative individual educational session plus an educational booklet. Self-reported pain and endogenous pain modulation (including measurements of simultaneous cortical activation via electroencephalography) will be the primary outcome measures. Secondary outcome measures will include daily functioning, return to work, postoperative healthcare utilisation and surgical experience/satisfaction. Psychological factors will be measured as possible treatment mediators. All assessments will take place in the week preceding surgery (baseline), and at 3 days and 6 weeks after surgery. Intermediate and long-term follow-up assessments will take place at 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery. All data analyses will be based on the intention-to-treat principle. Repeated measures AN(C)OVA analyses will be used to evaluate and compare treatment effects. Baseline data, treatment centre, age and gender will be included as covariates. Statistical, as well as clinically, significant differences will be evaluated and effect sizes will be determined. In addition, the numbers needed to treat will be calculated. This study will determine whether pain neuroscience education is worthwhile for patients undergoing surgery for lumbar radiculopathy. It is expected that participants who receive perioperative pain neuroscience education will report less pain and have improved endogenous pain modulation, lower postoperative healthcare costs and improved surgical experience. Lower pain and improved endogenous pain modulation after surgery may reduce the risk of developing postoperative chronic pain. Copyright © 2016 Australian Physiotherapy Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

HEALTHY Study School Food Service Revenue and Expense Report

PubMed Central

Treviño, Roberto P.; Pham, Trang; Mobley, Connie; Hartstein, Jill; El ghormli, Laure; Songer, Thomas

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND Food service directors have a concern that federal reimbursement is not meeting the demands of increasing costs of healthier meals. The purpose of this article is to report the food option changes and the annual revenues and expenses of the school food service environment. METHODS The HEALTHY study was a 3-year (2006 to 2009) randomized, cluster-designed trial conducted in 42 middle schools at 7 field centers. The schools selected had at least 50% of students who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch or who belonged to a minority group. A randomly assigned half of the HEALTHY schools received a school health intervention program consisting of 4 integrated components: nutrition, physical activity, behavioral knowledge and skills, and social marketing. The nutrition component consisted of changing the meal plans to meet 5 nutrition goals. Revenue and expense data were collected from income statements, federal meal records, à la carte sale sheets, school store sale sheets, donated money/food records, and vending machines. RESULTS Although more intervention schools reached the nutritional goals than control schools, revenues and expenses were not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSION The HEALTHY study showed no adverse effect of school food policies on food service finances. PMID:22882105

Effectiveness of a peer-delivered dissonance-based program in reducing eating disorder risk factors in high school girls.

PubMed

Ciao, Anna C; Latner, Janet D; Brown, Krista E; Ebneter, Daria S; Becker, Carolyn B

2015-09-01

This pilot study investigated the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a peer-led dissonance-based eating disorders (ED) prevention/risk factor reduction program with high school girls. Ninth grade girls (n = 50) received the peer-led program within the school curriculum. A quasi-experimental design was used to assess changes in ED risk factors preintervention and postintervention compared with waitlist control. Participants were followed through 3-month follow-up. Peer-leader adherence to an intervention manual tailored for this age group was high. The intervention was rated as highly acceptable, with a large proportion of participants reporting that they enjoyed the program and learned and applied new information. Intervention participants exhibited significantly greater pre-post reductions in a majority of risk-factor outcomes compared to waitlist controls. When groups were combined to assess program effects over time there were significant pre-post reductions in a majority of outcomes that were sustained through 3-month follow-up. This pilot study provides tentative support for the effectiveness of using peer leaders to implement an empirically supported ED risk factor reduction program in a high school setting. Additional research is needed to replicate results in larger, better-controlled trials with longer follow-up. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The effect of a comprehensive handwashing program on absenteeism in elementary schools.

PubMed

Guinan, Maryellen; McGuckin, Maryanne; Ali, Yusef

2002-06-01

Handwashing is one of the most important factors in controlling the spread of micro-organisms and in preventing the development of infections. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a comprehensive handwashing program on absenteeism in elementary grades. Two hundred ninety students from 5 independent schools were enrolled in the study. Each test classroom had a control classroom, and only the test classroom received the intervention (education program and hand sanitizer). Absenteeism data were collected for 3 months. The number of absences was 50.6% lower in the test group (P <.001). The data strongly suggest that a hand hygiene program that combines education and use of a hand sanitizer in the classroom can lower absenteeism and be cost-effective.

A web-based computer-tailored smoking prevention programme for primary school children: intervention design and study protocol

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Although the number of smokers has declined in the last decade, smoking is still a major health problem among youngsters and adolescents. For this reason, there is a need for effective smoking prevention programmes targeting primary school children. A web-based computer-tailored feedback programme may be an effective intervention to stimulate youngsters not to start smoking, and increase their knowledge about the adverse effects of smoking and their attitudes and self-efficacy regarding non-smoking. Methods & design This paper describes the development and evaluation protocol of a web-based out-of-school smoking prevention programme for primary school children (age 10-13 years) entitled ‘Fun without Smokes’. It is a transformation of a postal mailed intervention to a web-based intervention. Besides this transformation the effects of prompts will be examined. This web-based intervention will be evaluated in a 2-year cluster randomised controlled trial (c-RCT) with three study arms. An intervention and intervention + prompt condition will be evaluated for effects on smoking behaviour, compared with a no information control condition. Information about pupils’ smoking status and other factors related to smoking will be obtained using a web-based questionnaire. After completing the questionnaire pupils in both intervention conditions will receive three computer-tailored feedback letters in their personal e-mail box. Attitudes, social influences and self-efficacy expectations will be the content of these personalised feedback letters. Pupils in the intervention + prompt condition will - in addition to the personalised feedback letters - receive e-mail and SMS messages prompting them to revisit the ‘Fun without Smokes’ website. The main outcome measures will be ever smoking and the utilisation of the ‘Fun without Smokes’ website. Measurements will be carried out at baseline, 12 months and 24 months of follow-up. Discussion The present study protocol describes the purpose, intervention design and study protocol of ‘Fun without Smokes’. Expectations are that pupils receiving tailored advice will be less likely to smoke after 24 months in contrast to pupils in the control condition. Furthermore, tailored feedback letters and prompting is expected to be more effective than providing tailored feedback letters only. Trial registration Dutch Trial Register NTR3116 PMID:22490110

Evaluation of a multimodal school-based depression and suicide prevention program among Dutch adolescents: design of a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Gijzen, Mandy W M; Creemers, Daan H M; Rasing, Sanne P A; Smit, Filip; Engels, Rutger C M E

2018-05-10

Since 2010, suicide has been the most important cause of mortality in youth aged 15 to 29 years in the Netherlands. Depression is an important risk factor for suicidal behaviors (i.e., suicide ideation, deliberate self-harm, planning, and suicide attempts) in adolescents. Adolescents who develop depressive symptoms, are also at risk for adult depression. This developmental continuity is especially noticeable in adolescents compared to other age groups; therefore, it is necessary to develop preventive strategies for teens. This study will test a multimodal school-based approach to suicide and depression prevention, which integrates universal and targeted approaches and includes various stakeholders (schools, adolescents, parents, and mental health professionals) simultaneously. We will perform a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) with an intervention and control condition to test the effectiveness of a school-based multimodal stepped-prevention program for depression and suicidal behaviors in adolescents. Adolescents in their second year of secondary education will participate in the study. The participants in the intervention condition will receive the entire multimodal stepped-preventive program comprising early screening and detection of suicidal behaviors and depressive symptoms, a safety net consisting of gatekeepers at school, followed by universal and indicated prevention. The participants in the control condition will undergo only the screening and the safety net of gatekeepers at schools. They will complete assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and 6, 12, and 24-month follow-up. Primary outcome will be suicidal behaviors measured at 12-months follow-up. Additionally, the present study will identify mechanisms that mediate and moderate the program effects and test the effect of the program on various secondary outcomes. If the school-based multimodal stepped-prevention program proves to be effective, it could be implemented in schools on a large scale. The study is registered in the Dutch Trial Register ( NTR6622 ).

A Randomized-Controlled Trial of School-Based Active Videogame Intervention on Chinese Children's Aerobic Fitness, Physical Activity Level, and Psychological Correlates.

PubMed

Lau, Patrick Wing Chung; Wang, Jing Jing; Maddison, Ralph

2016-12-01

Active videogames (AVGs) that require body movements to play offer a novel opportunity to turn a traditionally sedentary behavior into a physically active one. We sought to determine the effect of a school-based AVG intervention on Chinese children's aerobic fitness, physical activity (PA) level, and PA-related psychological correlates. Eighty 8-11-year-old Chinese children (55 males) were recruited from one Hong Kong primary school and were allocated at random to either an AVG intervention or control group. Children in the intervention group played an AVG, Xbox 360, twice per week during after-school hours, each for 60 minutes over 12 weeks in duration. The control group received no intervention. Children's body-mass index (BMI), objective PA, aerobic fitness (maximum oxygen consumption [VO 2max ]), PA task efficacy, barrier efficacy, and enjoyment were assessed. Compared with the control group, significant increases were found in the intervention group in VO 2max [mean and 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.58 (0.74, 2.42) mL/(kg·min)], objective moderate-to-vigorous PA [6.73 (1.70, 11.76) min/day], and total PA [27.19 (9.33, 45.04) min/day], but not for BMI. No significant differences in PA task efficacy, barrier efficacy, and enjoyment were observed. A 12-week (60 minutes × twice per week) school-based AVG intervention can improve Chinese children's aerobic fitness and PA level. These findings indicated that AVGs could be used as an alternative means to engage Chinese children in PA in school setting. However, the treatment effects of AVGs on PA-related psychological correlates and body composition need more investigation.

HPTN 068: A Randomized Control Trial of a Conditional Cash Transfer to Reduce HIV Infection in Young Women in South Africa-Study Design and Baseline Results.

PubMed

Pettifor, Audrey; MacPhail, Catherine; Selin, Amanda; Gómez-Olivé, F Xavier; Rosenberg, Molly; Wagner, Ryan G; Mabuza, Wonderful; Hughes, James P; Suchindran, Chirayath; Piwowar-Manning, Estelle; Wang, Jing; Twine, Rhian; Daniel, Tamu; Andrew, Philip; Laeyendecker, Oliver; Agyei, Yaw; Tollman, Stephen; Kahn, Kathleen

2016-09-01

Young women in South Africa are at high risk for HIV infection. Cash transfers offer promise to reduce HIV risk. We present the design and baseline results from HPTN 068, a phase III, individually randomized trial to assess the effect of a conditional cash transfer on HIV acquisition among South African young women. A total of 2533 young women were randomized to receive a monthly cash transfer conditional on school attendance or to a control group. A number of individual-, partner-, household- and school-level factors were associated with HIV and HSV-2 infection. After adjusting for age, all levels were associated with an increased odds of HIV infection with partner-level factors conveying the strongest association (aOR 3.05 95 % CI 1.84-5.06). Interventions like cash transfers that address structural factors such as schooling and poverty have the potential to reduce HIV risk in young women in South Africa.

Effects of a Science Education Module on Attitudes towards Modern Biotechnology of Secondary School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klop, Tanja; Severiens, Sabine E.; Knippels, Marie-Christine P. J.; van Mil, Marc H. W.; Ten Dam, Geert T. M.

2010-06-01

This article evaluated the impact of a four-lesson science module on the attitudes of secondary school students. This science module (on cancer and modern biotechnology) utilises several design principles, related to a social constructivist perspective on learning. The expectation was that the module would help students become more articulate in this particular field. In a quasi-experimental design (experimental-, control groups, and pre- and post-tests), secondary school students' attitudes (N = 365) towards modern biotechnology were measured by a questionnaire. Data were analysed using Chi-square tests. Significant differences were obtained between the control and experimental conditions. Results showed that the science module had a significant effect on attitudes, although predominantly towards a more supportive and not towards a more critical stance. It is discussed that offering a science module of this kind can indeed encourage students to become more aware of modern biotechnology, although promoting a more critical attitude towards modern biotechnology should receive more attention.

Opting Out of Opting Out: A Natural History of a Policy That Failed.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitz, John; Halpin, David; Power, Sally

This paper uses data drawn from two projects funded by the Economic and Social Research Council of England and Wales. It covers the years 1990-94 and examines the effects of the Education Reform Act, which allowed state schools to "opt out" or leave the control of their Local Education Authority (LEA) and still receive funding. Such…

Effects of an Equine Assisted Activities Program on Youth with Emotional Disturbance: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stebbins, Tira

2012-01-01

This study evaluated the effects of a 10-week Equine Assisted Activities (EAA) program on special education students (aged 9 to 15) identified as Emotionally Disturbed (ED) who were enrolled in an alternative school. A control group of special education students receiving treatment-as-usual was included. The Behavior Assessment Scale for Children,…

How to Improve Adolescent Stress Responses: Insights From Integrating Implicit Theories of Personality and Biopsychosocial Models.

PubMed

Yeager, David S; Lee, Hae Yeon; Jamieson, Jeremy P

2016-08-01

This research integrated implicit theories of personality and the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat, hypothesizing that adolescents would be more likely to conclude that they can meet the demands of an evaluative social situation when they were taught that people have the potential to change their socially relevant traits. In Study 1 (N = 60), high school students were assigned to an incremental-theory-of-personality or a control condition and then given a social-stress task. Relative to control participants, incremental-theory participants exhibited improved stress appraisals, more adaptive neuroendocrine and cardiovascular responses, and better performance outcomes. In Study 2 (N = 205), we used a daily-diary intervention to test high school students' stress reactivity outside the laboratory. Threat appraisals (Days 5-9 after intervention) and neuroendocrine responses (Days 8 and 9 after intervention only) were unrelated to the intensity of daily stressors when adolescents received the incremental-theory intervention. Students who received the intervention also had better grades over freshman year than those who did not. These findings offer new avenues for improving theories of adolescent stress and coping. © The Author(s) 2016.

Longitudinal impact of the Cyber Friendly Schools program on adolescents' cyberbullying behavior.

PubMed

Cross, Donna; Shaw, Thérèse; Hadwen, Kate; Cardoso, Patricia; Slee, Phillip; Roberts, Clare; Thomas, Laura; Barnes, Amy

2016-01-01

Cyberbullying is a major public health problem associated with serious mental, social, and academic consequences for young people. To date, few programs addressing cyberbullying have been developed and empirically tested. The Cyber Friendly Schools (CFS) group-randomized controlled trial measured the longitudinal impact of a whole-school online cyberbullying prevention and intervention program, developed in partnership with young people. Non-government secondary schools in Perth, Western Australia, (N = 35; 3,000+ students) were randomized to an intervention (n = 19) or usual practice control group (n = 16 schools). Students completed online questionnaires in 2010, 2011, and at 1-year follow-up in 2012, measuring their cyberbullying experiences during the previous school term. The intervention group received the program in Grades 8 and 9 (aged 13-14 years). Program effects were tested using two-part growth models. The program was associated with significantly greater declines in the odds of involvement in cyber-victimization and perpetration from pre- to the first post-test, but no other differences were evident between the study conditions. However, teachers implemented only one third of the program content. More work is needed to build teacher capacity and self-efficacy to effectively implement cyberbullying programs. Whole-school cyberbullying interventions implemented in conjunction with other bullying prevention programs may reduce cyber-victimization more than traditional school-based bullying prevention programs alone. Aggr. Behav. 42:166-180, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

School intervention to improve mental health of students in Santiago, Chile: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Araya, Ricardo; Fritsch, Rosemarie; Spears, Melissa; Rojas, Graciela; Martinez, Vania; Barroilhet, Sergio; Vöhringer, Paul; Gunnell, David; Stallard, Paul; Guajardo, Viviana; Gaete, Jorge; Noble, Sian; Montgomery, Alan A

2013-11-01

Depression can have devastating effects unless prevented or treated early and effectively. Schools offer an excellent opportunity to intervene with adolescents presenting emotional problems. There are very few universal school-based depression interventions conducted in low- and middle-income countries. To assess the effectiveness of a school-based, universal psychological intervention to reduce depressive symptoms among adolescents from low-income families. A 2-arm, parallel, cluster, randomized clinical trial was conducted in secondary schools in deprived socioeconomic areas of Santiago, Chile. Almost all students registered in the selected schools consented to take part in the study. A total of 2512 secondary school students from 22 schools and 66 classes participated. Students in the intervention arm attended 11 one-hour weekly and 2 booster classroom sessions of an intervention based on cognitive-behavioral models. The intervention was delivered by trained nonspecialists. Schools in the control arm received the standard school curriculum. Scores on the self-administered Beck Depression Inventory-II at 3 months (primary) and 12 months (secondary) after completing the intervention. There were 1291 participants in the control arm and 1221 in the intervention arm. Primary outcome data were available for 82.1% of the participants. There was no evidence of any clinically important difference in mean depression scores between the groups (adjusted difference in mean, -0.19; 95% CI, -1.22 to 0.84) or for any of the other outcomes 3 months after completion of the intervention. No significant differences were found in any of the outcomes at 12 months. A well-designed and implemented school-based intervention did not reduce depressive symptoms among socioeconomically deprived adolescents in Santiago, Chile. There is growing evidence that universal school interventions may not be sufficiently effective to reduce or prevent depressive symptoms. isrctn.org Identifier: ISRCTN19466209.

The Incredible Years Therapeutic Dinosaur Programme to build social and emotional competence in Welsh primary schools: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Bywater, Tracey; Hutchings, Judy; Whitaker, Christopher; Evans, Ceri; Parry, Laura

2011-02-11

School interventions such as the Incredible Years Classroom Dinosaur Programme targets pupil behaviour across whole classrooms, yet for some children a more intense approach is needed. The Incredible Years Therapeutic Dinosaur Programme is effective for clinically referred children by enhancing social, problem-solving skills, and peer relationship-building skills when delivered in a clinical setting in small groups. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Therapeutic Programme, delivered with small groups of children at high-risk of developing conduct disorder, delivered in schools already implementing the Classroom Programme. This is a pragmatic, parallel, randomised controlled trial.Two hundred and forty children (aged 4-8 years) rated by their teacher as above the 'borderline cut-off' for concern on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and their parents, will be recruited. Randomisation is by individual within blocks (schools); 1:1 ratio, intervention to waiting list control. Twenty schools will participate in two phases. Two teachers per school will deliver the programme to six intervention children for 2-hours/week for 18 weeks between baseline and first follow-up. The control children will receive the intervention after first follow up. Phase 1 comprises three data collection points - baseline and two follow-ups eight months apart. Phase 2 includes baseline and first follow-up.The Therapeutic Programme includes elements on; Learning school rules; understanding, identifying, and articulating feelings; problem solving; anger management; how to be friendly; how to do your best in school. Primary outcomes are; change in child social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Secondary outcomes are; teacher and parent mental wellbeing, child academic attainment, child and teacher school attendance. Intervention delivery will be assessed for fidelity. Intention to treat analyses will be conducted. ANCOVA, effect sizes, mediator and moderator analyses will be applied to establish differences between conditions, and for whom the intervention works best for and why. This trial will provide information on the delivery and effectiveness of a child centred, school-based intervention delivered in small groups of children, at risk of developing more severe conduct problems. The effects on child behaviour in school and home environments, academic attainment, peer interactions, parent and teacher mental health will be assessed. UK Clinical Research Network UKCRNID8615. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN96803379.

Low proportion of high school senior athletes receiving recommended immunizations.

PubMed

Karpinos, Ashley Rowatt; Rizzone, Katherine H; Cribbs, Sarah P; Roumie, Christianne L

2014-05-01

The preparticipation physical evaluation (PPE) often serves as the only preventive health care visit for athletes, but immunization status is not uniformly addressed in such visits. Thus, athletes may not be receiving recommended immunizations. Our aim was to determine the proportion of high school senior athletes who received all recommended immunizations. Our hypothesis was that females would be less likely than males to receive all recommended immunizations given suboptimal human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake. We conducted a cross-sectional survey evaluation of the immunization status of high school senior athletes in Davidson County, TN. The primary composite outcome was receipt of recommended immunizations for tetanus, meningococcal, and seasonal influenza. For females, the primary outcome also included completion of the HPV series. A total of 162 participants, 104 males and 58 females, were included. More males than females received all recommended immunizations (15.4% vs 3.5%; P = 0.02). When HPV immunization was excluded from the composite outcome, there was no difference in the proportion of males and females who received all recommended immunizations (15.4% vs 15.5%; P = 0.98). The odds of receiving all recommended immunizations was 0.14 (95% CI, 0.03-0.72) for females compared with males when adjusted for covariates. Athletes seen at retail-based clinics for their PPE were less likely to receive all recommended immunizations compared with athletes seen in primary care (OR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.02-0.69). Only 1 in 6 high school senior athletes received the recommended tetanus, meningococcal, and influenza immunizations. A lower proportion of females, only 1 in 28, received all recommended immunizations due to the HPV series. Policy changes requiring a review of immunizations at the PPE would benefit many high school athletes.

A cluster randomized control field trial of the ABRACADABRA web-based reading technology: replication and extension of basic findings

PubMed Central

Piquette, Noella A.; Savage, Robert S.; Abrami, Philip C.

2014-01-01

The present paper reports a cluster randomized control trial evaluation of teaching using ABRACADABRA (ABRA), an evidence-based and web-based literacy intervention (http://abralite.concordia.ca) with 107 kindergarten and 96 grade 1 children in 24 classes (12 intervention 12 control classes) from all 12 elementary schools in one school district in Canada. Children in the intervention condition received 10–12 h of whole class instruction using ABRA between pre- and post-test. Hierarchical linear modeling of post-test results showed significant gains in letter-sound knowledge for intervention classrooms over control classrooms. In addition, medium effect sizes were evident for three of five outcome measures favoring the intervention: letter-sound knowledge (d= +0.66), phonological blending (d = +0.52), and word reading (d = +0.52), over effect sizes for regular teaching. It is concluded that regular teaching with ABRA technology adds significantly to literacy in the early elementary years. PMID:25538663

The Experiences of School Nurses Caring for Students Receiving Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion Therapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darby, Wendy

2006-01-01

Diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic disorder in childhood. Today, children with diabetes are receiving new technologically advanced treatment options, such as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy. School nurses are the primary health caregivers of children with diabetes during school hours. Therefore, it is important…

25 CFR 39.215 - Can a school receive funding for any part-time students?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Can a school receive funding for any part-time students? 39.215 Section 39.215 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EDUCATION THE INDIAN SCHOOL EQUALIZATION PROGRAM Administrative Procedures, Student Counts, and Verifications § 39.215...

25 CFR 39.215 - Can a school receive funding for any part-time students?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Can a school receive funding for any part-time students? 39.215 Section 39.215 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR EDUCATION THE INDIAN SCHOOL EQUALIZATION PROGRAM Administrative Procedures, Student Counts, and Verifications § 39.215...

Supporting Students in Foster Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmieri, Lauren E.; La Salle, Tamika P.

2017-01-01

Students living in foster care are at risk for experiencing many challenges in school, spanning domains of social-emotional, behavioral, and academic functioning. They are twice as likely to be absent from school and to have received and out-of-school suspension and up to three and a half times more likely to receive special education services.…

75 FR 1041 - Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Overview Information; Grants for the Integration of Schools...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-08

... received or receives a grant under the Department of Education's Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) program (CFDA 84.184E), formerly known as the Emergency Response and Crisis Management... prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services to students. (2) Enhancing the availability of crisis...

Effects of the Informed Health Choices primary school intervention on the ability of children in Uganda to assess the reliability of claims about treatment effects: a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Nsangi, Allen; Semakula, Daniel; Oxman, Andrew D; Austvoll-Dahlgren, Astrid; Oxman, Matt; Rosenbaum, Sarah; Morelli, Angela; Glenton, Claire; Lewin, Simon; Kaseje, Margaret; Chalmers, Iain; Fretheim, Atle; Ding, Yunpeng; Sewankambo, Nelson K

2017-07-22

Claims about what improves or harms our health are ubiquitous. People need to be able to assess the reliability of these claims. We aimed to evaluate an intervention designed to teach primary school children to assess claims about the effects of treatments (ie, any action intended to maintain or improve health). In this cluster-randomised controlled trial, we included primary schools in the central region of Uganda that taught year-5 children (aged 10-12 years). We excluded international schools, special needs schools for children with auditory and visual impairments, schools that had participated in user-testing and piloting of the resources, infant and nursery schools, adult education schools, and schools that were difficult for us to access in terms of travel time. We randomly allocated a representative sample of eligible schools to either an intervention or control group. Intervention schools received the Informed Health Choices primary school resources (textbooks, exercise books, and a teachers' guide). Teachers attended a 2 day introductory workshop and gave nine 80 min lessons during one school term. The lessons addressed 12 concepts essential to assessing claims about treatment effects and making informed health choices. We did not intervene in the control schools. The primary outcome, measured at the end of the school term, was the mean score on a test with two multiple-choice questions for each of the 12 concepts and the proportion of children with passing scores on the same test. This trial is registered with the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry, number PACTR201606001679337. Between April 11, 2016, and June 8, 2016, 2960 schools were assessed for eligibility; 2029 were eligible, and a random sample of 170 were invited to recruitment meetings. After recruitment meetings, 120 eligible schools consented and were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=60, 76 teachers and 6383 children) or control group (n=60, 67 teachers and 4430 children). The mean score in the multiple-choice test for the intervention schools was 62·4% (SD 18·8) compared with 43·1% (15·2) for the control schools (adjusted mean difference 20·0%, 95% CI 17·3-22·7; p<0·00001). In the intervention schools, 3967 (69%) of 5753 children achieved a predetermined passing score (≥13 of 24 correct answers) compared with 1186 (27%) of 4430 children in the control schools (adjusted difference 50%, 95% CI 44-55). The intervention was effective for children with different levels of reading skills, but was more effective for children with better reading skills. The use of the Informed Health Choices primary school learning resources, after an introductory workshop for the teachers, led to a large improvement in the ability of children to assess claims about the effects of treatments. The results show that it is possible to teach primary school children to think critically in schools with large student to teacher ratios and few resources. Future studies should address how to scale up use of the resources, long-term effects, including effects on actual health choices, transferability to other countries, and how to build on this programme with additional primary and secondary school learning resources. Research Council of Norway. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

School-based obesity prevention interventions for Chilean children during the past decades: lessons learned.

PubMed

Kain, Juliana; Uauy, Ricardo; Concha, Fernando; Leyton, Bárbara; Bustos, Nelly; Salazar, Gabriela; Lobos, Luz; Vio, Fernando

2012-07-01

Obesity in Chilean children has increased markedly over the past decades. School-based obesity prevention interventions have been launched by the Ministry of Health and academic groups to tackle this condition. We summarize the main characteristics of the interventions that we have conducted and reflect on the lessons learned. Since 2002, we conducted 1 pilot study, a 2-y controlled intervention including 6- to 12-y-old children (Casablanca), another pilot study, and a 2-y controlled intervention including teachers and their 4- to 9-y-old students (Macul). Both interventions consisted of training teachers to deliver contents on healthy eating, increasing physical education classes, and, additionally in Macul, teachers participated in a wellness program. BMI Z-score and obesity prevalence were compared among children in intervention and control schools by year and among students of intervention and control teachers. In the Casablanca study, the impact was greatest on the younger children during the first school year when the study received the full funding that was required. In Macul, although intervention teachers exhibited improvements in anthropometry and blood measures, the impact on the children was not related to their results. The main lessons learned from these experiences are random allocation of schools, although methodologically desirable, is not always possible; participation of parents is very limited; obesity is not recognized as a problem; and increasing physical activity and implementing training programs for teachers is difficult due to an inflexible curriculum and lack of teachers' time. Unless these barriers are overcome, obesity prevention programs will not produce positive and lasting outcomes.

School-Based Obesity Prevention Interventions for Chilean Children During the Past Decades: Lessons Learned12

PubMed Central

Kain, Juliana; Uauy, Ricardo; Concha, Fernando; Leyton, Bárbara; Bustos, Nelly; Salazar, Gabriela; Lobos, Luz; Vio, Fernando

2012-01-01

Obesity in Chilean children has increased markedly over the past decades. School-based obesity prevention interventions have been launched by the Ministry of Health and academic groups to tackle this condition. We summarize the main characteristics of the interventions that we have conducted and reflect on the lessons learned. Since 2002, we conducted 1 pilot study, a 2-y controlled intervention including 6- to 12–y-old children (Casablanca), another pilot study, and a 2-y controlled intervention including teachers and their 4- to 9–y-old students (Macul). Both interventions consisted of training teachers to deliver contents on healthy eating, increasing physical education classes, and, additionally in Macul, teachers participated in a wellness program. BMI Z-score and obesity prevalence were compared among children in intervention and control schools by year and among students of intervention and control teachers. In the Casablanca study, the impact was greatest on the younger children during the first school year when the study received the full funding that was required. In Macul, although intervention teachers exhibited improvements in anthropometry and blood measures, the impact on the children was not related to their results. The main lessons learned from these experiences are random allocation of schools, although methodologically desirable, is not always possible; participation of parents is very limited; obesity is not recognized as a problem; and increasing physical activity and implementing training programs for teachers is difficult due to an inflexible curriculum and lack of teachers’ time. Unless these barriers are overcome, obesity prevention programs will not produce positive and lasting outcomes. PMID:22798002

Cognitive-Functional (Cog-Fun) Dyadic Intervention for Children with ADHD and Their Parents: Impact on Parenting Self-Efficacy.

PubMed

Hahn-Markowitz, Jeri; Berger, Itai; Manor, Iris; Maeir, Adina

2018-03-01

The family context of children with ADHD plays a role in intervention outcomes, especially when parents are involved in treatment. Parental participation in evidence-based treatment for ADHD may play a role in improving their own parenting self-efficacy (PSE) as well as child outcomes. This study examined the impact of Cognitive-Functional (Cog-Fun) intervention in occupational therapy (OT) for school-aged children with ADHD, on PSE. In this randomized controlled trial with crossover design, 107 children were allocated to intervention and waitlist control groups. Intervention participants (n = 50) received Cog-Fun after baseline assessment and waitlist controls (n = 49) received treatment 3 months later. Intervention participants received 3-month follow-up assessment. Treatment included 10 parent-child Cog-Fun weekly sessions. PSE was assessed with the Tool to measure Parenting Self-Efficacy (TOPSE). All children who began treatment completed it. Mixed ANOVA revealed significant Time x Group interaction effects on TOPSE scales of Play and Enjoyment, Control, Self-Acceptance, Knowledge and Learning and Total score, which showed significant improvement with moderate treatment effects for the intervention group. Results were replicated in the control group after crossover. The findings of this study suggest that Cog-Fun OT intervention may be effective for improving aspects of PSE among parents of children with ADHD.

Effectiveness of antismoking media messages and education among adolescents in Malaysia and Thailand: findings from the international tobacco control southeast Asia project.

PubMed

Zawahir, Shukry; Omar, Maizurah; Awang, Rahmat; Yong, Hua-Hie; Borland, Ron; Sirirassamee, Buppha; Fong, Geoffrey T; Hammond, David

2013-02-01

Finding ways to discourage adolescents from taking up smoking is important because those who begin smoking at an earlier age are more likely to become addicted and have greater difficulty in quitting. This article examined whether anti smoking messages and education could help to reduce smoking susceptibility among adolescents in two Southeast Asian countries and to explore the possible moderating effect of country and gender. Data came from Wave 1 of the International Tobacco Control Southeast Asia Project (ITC-SEA) survey conducted in Malaysia (n = 1,008) and Thailand (n = 1,000) where adolescents were asked about receiving antismoking advice from nurses or doctors, being taught at schools about the danger of smoking, noticing antismoking messages, knowledge of health effects of smoking, beliefs about the health risks of smoking, smoking susceptibility, and demographic information. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests and logistic regression models. Overall, significantly more Thai adolescents reported receiving advice from their nurses or doctors about the danger of smoking (p < .001), but no country difference was observed for reported antismoking education in schools and exposure to antismoking messages. Multivariate analyses revealed that only provision of antismoking education at schools was significantly associated with reduced susceptibility to smoking among female Malaysian adolescents (OR = 0.26). Higher knowledge of smoking harm and higher perceived health risk of smoking were associated with reduced smoking susceptibility among Thai female (OR = 0.52) and Malaysian male adolescents (OR = 0.63), respectively. Educating adolescents about the dangers of smoking in schools appears to be the most effective means of reducing adolescents' smoking susceptibility in both countries, although different prevention strategies may be necessary to ensure effectiveness for male and female adolescents.

Effectiveness of Antismoking Media Messages and Education Among Adolescents in Malaysia and Thailand: Findings From the International Tobacco Control Southeast Asia Project

PubMed Central

Zawahir, Shukry

2013-01-01

Introduction: Finding ways to discourage adolescents from taking up smoking is important because those who begin smoking at an earlier age are more likely to become addicted and have greater difficulty in quitting. This article examined whether anti smoking messages and education could help to reduce smoking susceptibility among adolescents in two Southeast Asian countries and to explore the possible moderating effect of country and gender. Methods: Data came from Wave 1 of the International Tobacco Control Southeast Asia Project (ITC-SEA) survey conducted in Malaysia (n = 1,008) and Thailand (n = 1,000) where adolescents were asked about receiving antismoking advice from nurses or doctors, being taught at schools about the danger of smoking, noticing antismoking messages, knowledge of health effects of smoking, beliefs about the health risks of smoking, smoking susceptibility, and demographic information. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests and logistic regression models. Results: Overall, significantly more Thai adolescents reported receiving advice from their nurses or doctors about the danger of smoking (p < .001), but no country difference was observed for reported antismoking education in schools and exposure to antismoking messages. Multivariate analyses revealed that only provision of antismoking education at schools was significantly associated with reduced susceptibility to smoking among female Malaysian adolescents (OR = 0.26). Higher knowledge of smoking harm and higher perceived health risk of smoking were associated with reduced smoking susceptibility among Thai female (OR = 0.52) and Malaysian male adolescents (OR = 0.63), respectively. Conclusions: Educating adolescents about the dangers of smoking in schools appears to be the most effective means of reducing adolescents’ smoking susceptibility in both countries, although different prevention strategies may be necessary to ensure effectiveness for male and female adolescents. PMID:22949569

Promoting Life Skills and Preventing Tobacco Use among Low-Income Mumbai Youth: Effects of Salaam Bombay Foundation Intervention

PubMed Central

Sorensen, Glorian; Gupta, Prakash C.; Nagler, Eve; Viswanath, Kasisomayajula

2012-01-01

Background In response to India's growing tobacco epidemic, strategies are needed to decrease tobacco use among Indian youth, particularly among those who are economically disadvantaged. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a school-based life-skills tobacco control program for youth of low socio-economic status in Mumbai and the surrounding state of Maharashtra. We hypothesized that compared to youth in control schools, youth exposed to the program would have greater knowledge of effects of tobacco use; be more likely to take action to prevent others from using tobacco; demonstrate more positive life skills and attitudes; and be less likely to report tobacco use. Methods/Findings Using a quasi-experimental design, we assessed program effectiveness by comparing 8th and 9th grade students in intervention schools to 8th grade students in comparable schools that did not receive the program. Across all schools, 1851 students completed a survey that assessed core program components in early 2010. The program consisted of activities focused on building awareness about the hazards of tobacco, developing life skills, and advocacy development. The primary outcome measure was self-reported tobacco use in the last 30 days. Findings indicate that 4.1% of 8th grade intervention students (OR = 0.51) and 3.6% of 9th grade intervention students (OR = 0.33) reported using tobacco at least once in the last 30 days, compared to 8.7% of students in the control schools. Intervention group students were also significantly more knowledgeable about tobacco and related legislation, reported more efforts to prevent tobacco use among others, and reported stronger life skills and self-efficacy than students in control schools. Limitations to the study include schools not being randomly assigned to condition and tobacco use being measured by self-report. Conclusions This program represents an effective model of school-based tobacco use prevention that low-income schools in India and other low- and middle-income countries can replicate. PMID:22523567

Effects of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports and fidelity of implementation on problem behavior in high schools.

PubMed

Flannery, K B; Fenning, P; Kato, M McGrath; McIntosh, K

2014-06-01

High school is an important time in the educational career of students. It is also a time when adolescents face many behavioral, academic, and social-emotional challenges. Current statistics about the behavioral, academic, and social-emotional challenges faced by adolescents, and the impact on society through incarceration and dropout, have prompted high schools to direct their attention toward keeping students engaged and reducing high-risk behavioral challenges. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) on the levels of individual student problem behaviors during a 3-year effectiveness trial without random assignment to condition. Participants were 36,653 students in 12 high schools. Eight schools implemented SW-PBIS, and four schools served as comparison schools. Results of a multilevel latent growth model showed statistically significant decreases in student office discipline referrals in SW-PBIS schools, with increases in comparison schools, when controlling for enrollment and percent of students receiving free or reduced price meals. In addition, as fidelity of implementation increased, office discipline referrals significantly decreased. Results are discussed in terms of effectiveness of a SW-PBIS approach in high schools and considerations to enhance fidelity of implementation. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Effects of choice architecture and chef-enhanced meals on the selection and consumption of healthier school foods: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Cohen, Juliana F W; Richardson, Scott A; Cluggish, Sarah A; Parker, Ellen; Catalano, Paul J; Rimm, Eric B

2015-05-01

Little is known about the long-term effect of a chef-enhanced menu on healthier food selection and consumption in school lunchrooms. In addition, it remains unclear if extended exposure to other strategies to promote healthier foods (eg, choice architecture) also improves food selection or consumption. To evaluate the short- and long-term effects of chef-enhanced meals and extended exposure to choice architecture on healthier school food selection and consumption. A school-based randomized clinical trial was conducted during the 2011-2012 school year among 14 elementary and middle schools in 2 urban, low-income school districts (intent-to-treat analysis). Included in the study were 2638 students in grades 3 through 8 attending participating schools (38.4% of eligible participants). Schools were first randomized to receive a professional chef to improve school meal palatability (chef schools) or to a delayed intervention (control group). To assess the effect of choice architecture (smart café), all schools after 3 months were then randomized to the smart café intervention or to the control group. School food selection was recorded, and consumption was measured using plate waste methods. After 3 months, vegetable selection increased in chef vs control schools (odds ratio [OR], 1.75; 95% CI, 1.36-2.24), but there was no effect on the selection of other components or on meal consumption. After long-term or extended exposure to the chef or smart café intervention, fruit selection increased in the chef (OR, 3.08; 95% CI, 2.23-4.25), smart café (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.13-1.87), and chef plus smart café (OR, 3.10; 95% CI, 2.26-4.25) schools compared with the control schools, and consumption increased in the chef schools (OR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.03-0.30 cups/d). Vegetable selection increased in the chef (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.83-3.54), smart café (OR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.46-2.50), and chef plus smart café schools (OR, 7.38, 95% CI, 5.26-10.35) compared with the control schools, and consumption also increased in the chef (OR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.09-0.22 cups/d) and chef plus smart café (OR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.05-0.19 cups/d) schools; however, the smart café intervention alone had no effect on consumption. Schools should consider both collaborating with chefs and using choice architecture to increase fruit and vegetable selection. Efforts to improve the taste of school foods through chef-enhanced meals should remain a priority because this was the only method that also increased consumption. This was observed only after students were repeatedly exposed to the new foods for 7 months. Therefore, schools should not abandon healthier options if they are initially met with resistance. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02309840.

Are race, ethnicity, and medical school affiliation associated with NIH R01 type 1 award probability for physician investigators?

PubMed

Ginther, Donna K; Haak, Laurel L; Schaffer, Walter T; Kington, Raynard

2012-11-01

To analyze the relationship among National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 Type 1 applicant degree, institution type, and race/ethnicity, and application award probability. The authors used 2000-2006 data from the NIH IMPAC II grants database and other sources to determine which individual and institutional characteristics of applicants may affect the probability of applications being awarded funding. They used descriptive statistics and probit models to estimate correlations between race/ethnicity, degree (MD or PhD), and institution type (medical school or other institution), and application award probability, controlling for a large set of observable characteristics. Applications from medical schools were significantly more likely than those from other institutions to receive funding, as were applications from MDs versus PhDs. Overall, applications from blacks and Asians were less likely than those from whites to be awarded funding; however, among applications from MDs at medical schools, there was no difference in funding probability between whites and Asians, and the difference between blacks and whites decreased to 7.8%. The inclusion of human subjects significantly decreased the likelihood of receiving funding. Compared with applications from whites, applications from blacks have a lower probability of being awarded R01 Type 1 funding, regardless of the investigator's degree. However, funding probability is increased for applications with MD investigators and for those from medical schools. To some degree, these advantages combine so that applications from black MDs at medical schools have the smallest difference in funding probability compared with those from whites.

Are Race, Ethnicity, and Medical School Affiliation Associated With NIH R01 Type Award Probability for Physician Investigators?

PubMed Central

Ginther, Donna K.; Haak, Laurel L.; Schaffer, Walter T.; Kington, Raynard

2012-01-01

Purpose To analyze the relationship among NIH R01 Type 1 applicant degree, institution type, and race/ethnicity, and application award probability. Method The authors used 2000–2006 data from the NIH IMPAC II grants database and other sources to determine which individual and institutional characteristics of applicants may affect the probability of applications being awarded funding. They used descriptive statistics and probit models to estimate correlations between race/ethnicity, degree (MD or PhD), and institution type (medical school or other institution), and application award probability, controlling for a large set of observable characteristics. Results Applications from medical schools were significantly more likely than those from other institutions to receive funding, as were applications from MDs versus PhDs. Overall, applications from blacks and Asians were less likely than those from whites to be awarded funding; however, among applications from MDs at medical schools, there was no difference in funding probability between whites and Asians and the difference between blacks and whites decreased to 7.8 percentage points. The inclusion of human subjects significantly decreased the likelihood of receiving funding. Conclusions Compared with applications from whites, applications from blacks have a lower probability of being awarded R01 Type 1 funding, regardless of the investigator’s degree. However, funding probability is increased for applications with MD investigators and for those from medical schools. To some degree, these advantages combine so that applications from black MDs at medical schools have the smallest difference in funding probability compared with those from whites. PMID:23018334

Mental Health Service Use Among Adolescents with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Narendorf, Sarah Carter; Shattuck, Paul T.; Sterzing, Paul R.

2012-01-01

Objective This study examined prevalence and correlates of mental health service use among adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods Data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) was used to examine mental health service use among youth with an ASD (n=920). Nationally representative estimates generalize to students enrolled in the special education autism category. Regression models examined the association of predisposing, enabling, and need factors with service use overall then with receiving these services at school. Results Overall, 46% had used a mental health service in the past year. Of those that received a service, 49% had received it at school. Need variables were the strongest correlates of service use. African American youths, and youths from lower income families were more likely to receive school-based services. Conclusion The school plays a key role in providing services, especially for vulnerable populations. Focused attention on these youths is needed to ensure continuity of care as they leave high school. PMID:21807842

[Results in short term of educational program "parents' school" about family environment].

PubMed

Nuño-Gutiérrez, Bertha Lidia; Alvarez-Nemegyei, José; Madrigal-de León, Eduardo; Martínez-Becerra, Bertha Alicia; Miranda-Moreno, Rosaura

2006-01-01

Evaluation of effect in short term of the parents school program (PSP) about the family environment and the different results between participating and non-participating parents. A cohort study was performed on 112 parents of students from the High School 5 (University of Guadalajara) during six months, 61 parents received the program (intervention group, IG) and 51 were the control group (CG). The program was made in 17 weekly interactive meetings, where the topics were: adolescent psychology and sexuality; parent-children relationship; family communication; self esteem; and addiction prevention. All of these topics were discussed. To evaluate family relationship the key word used was: How is your family relationship? There were found at baseline, a smaller family, and lesser family income in the IG. On the other hand, the CG showed higher scores on satisfaction with the academic and work performance; participation and problem solving; power, money and sex; and life satisfaction. At the end of the program, only 4% subjects of the IG and 59% of the CG were available for assessment. At this point we found that all differences have disappeared except life satisfaction, In addition new differences appeared as: in the control group there was a higher score for children's problems, and satisfaction with life. On the other hand, the IG showed an increased score on professional support searching, a lower score in parent-children communication. Our findings suggest that parents who voluntary received the PSP came from vulnerable families. The program improves the search for Professional support.

An adaptive approach to family-centered intervention in schools: linking intervention engagement to academic outcomes in middle and high school.

PubMed

Stormshak, Elizabeth A; Connell, Arin; Dishion, Thomas J

2009-09-01

This study examined the impact of an adaptive approach to family intervention in public schools on academic outcomes from age 11 to 17. Students were randomly assigned to the three-session Family Check-Up (FCU), which is designed to motivate change in parenting practices by using an assessment-driven approach and strengths-based feedback. All services were voluntary, and approximately 25% of the families engaged in the FCU. Compared with matched controls, adolescents whose parents received the FCU maintained a satisfactory GPA into high school, and intervention engagement was associated with improved attendance. The highest-risk families were the most likely to engage in the family-centered intervention, suggesting the efficacy of integrating supportive services to families in the context of other schoolwide approaches to promote the success and achievement of vulnerable students.

An Adaptive Approach to Family-Centered Intervention in Schools: Linking Intervention Engagement to Academic Outcomes in Middle and High School

PubMed Central

Connell, Arin; Dishion, Thomas J.

2009-01-01

This study examined the impact of an adaptive approach to family intervention in public schools on academic outcomes from age 11 to 17. Students were randomly assigned to the three-session Family Check-Up (FCU), which is designed to motivate change in parenting practices by using an assessment-driven approach and strengths-based feedback. All services were voluntary, and approximately 25% of the families engaged in the FCU. Compared with matched controls, adolescents whose parents received the FCU maintained a satisfactory GPA into high school, and intervention engagement was associated with improved attendance. The highest-risk families were the most likely to engage in the family-centered intervention, suggesting the efficacy of integrating supportive services to families in the context of other schoolwide approaches to promote the success and achievement of vulnerable students. PMID:19390971

Most nocturnal asthma symptoms occur outside of exacerbations and associate with morbidity.

PubMed

Horner, Caroline C; Mauger, David; Strunk, Robert C; Graber, Nora J; Lemanske, Robert F; Sorkness, Christine A; Szefler, Stanley J; Zeiger, Robert S; Taussig, Lynn M; Bacharier, Leonard B

2011-11-01

Although nocturnal awakenings help categorize asthma severity and control, their clinical significance has not been thoroughly studied. We sought to determine the clinical consequences of nocturnal asthma symptoms requiring albuterol (NASRAs) in children with mild-to-moderate persistent asthma outside of periods when oral corticosteroids were used for worsening asthma symptoms. Two hundred eighty-five children aged 6 to 14 years with mild-to-moderate persistent asthma were randomized to receive one of 3 controller regimens and completed daily symptom diaries for 48 weeks. Diary responses were analyzed for the frequency and consequences of NASRAs. NASRAs occurred in 72.2% of participants at least once, and in 24.3% of participants, they occurred 13 or more times. The majority (81.3%) of nocturnal symptoms occurred outside of exacerbation periods and were associated the next day with the following events: albuterol use (56.9% of days preceded by nocturnal symptoms vs 18.1% of days not preceded by nocturnal symptoms; relative risk [RR], 2.3; 95% CI, 2.2-2.4), school absence (5.0% vs 0.3%; RR, 10.6; 95% CI, 7.8-14.4), and doctor contact (3.7% vs 0.2%; RR, 8.8; 95% CI, 6.1-12.5). Similar findings were noted during exacerbation periods (RRs of 1.7 for albuterol use, 5.5 for school absence, and 4.9 for doctor contacts). Nocturnal symptoms did not predict the onset of exacerbations. Nocturnal symptoms requiring albuterol in children with mild-to-moderate persistent asthma receiving controller therapy occurred predominantly outside of exacerbation periods. Despite being poor predictors of exacerbations, they were associated with increases in albuterol use, school absences, and doctor contacts the day after nocturnal symptom occurrences. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Is it safe? Talking to teens with HIV/AIDS about death and dying: a 3-month evaluation of Family Centered Advance Care (FACE) planning – anxiety, depression, quality of life

PubMed Central

Lyon, Maureen E; Garvie, Patricia A; Briggs, Linda; He, Jianping; Malow, Robert; D’Angelo, Lawrence J; McCarter, Robert

2010-01-01

Purpose To determine the safety of engaging HIV-positive (HIV+) adolescents in a Family Centered Advance Care (FACE) planning intervention. Patients and methods We conducted a 2-armed, randomized controlled clinical trial in 2 hospital-based outpatient clinics from 2006–2008 with HIV+ adolescents and their surrogates (n = 76). Three 60–90 minutes sessions were conducted weekly. FACE intervention groups received: Lyon FCACP Survey©, the Respecting Choices® interview, and completion of The Five Wishes©. The Healthy Living Control (HLC) received: Developmental History, Healthy Tips, Future Planning (vocational, school or vocational rehabilitation). Three-month post-intervention outcomes were: completion of advance directive (Five Wishes©); psychological adjustment (Beck Depression, Anxiety Inventories); quality of life (PedsQL™); and HIV symptoms (General Health Self-Assessment). Results Adolescents had a mean age, 16 years; 40% male; 92% African-American; 68% with perinatally acquired HIV, 29% had AIDS diagnosis. FACE participants completed advance directives more than controls, using time matched comparison (P < 0.001). Neither anxiety, nor depression, increased at clinically or statistically significant levels post-intervention. FACE adolescents maintained quality of life. FACE families perceived their adolescents as worsening in their school (P = 0.018) and emotional (P = 0.029) quality of life at 3 months, compared with controls. Conclusions Participating in advance care planning did not unduly distress HIV+ adolescents. PMID:22096382

For a Better LYFE. A Study of the LYFE-"Living for the Young Family through Education"-School Service's Program for Teenaged Parents and Their Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Citizens' Committee for Children of New York, NY.

The Living for the Young Family through Education (LYFE) program is a school-based daycare and support program for adolescent parents and their children in the New York City Public Schools. Infants receive daycare services in the LYFE nursery, usually located in the high school. Parents receive social services provided by a social worker and…

What Are the Perceptions of Ninth Grade Algebra I Teachers Regarding Preparing Their Students for Success on the CAHSEE in Los Angeles County?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwak, Anna B.

2014-01-01

In California, at the time of this study, the CAHSEE determined if a student will graduate with a high school diploma or receive a certificate of completion of high school requirements. Although students may have completed all their high school credits, if they do not pass the CAHSEE, then the student will not receive a high school diploma or a…

Training Teachers to Use Computers: A Case Study of the Summer Training Component of the IBM/ETS Secondary School Computer Education Program. Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stecher, Brian

A training program in computer educationtTested in 89 secondary schools focused on the use of computers as tools in all subject areas. Each school received enough computers and software from IBM to equip a full computer laboratory. The schools were organized into local networks in eight regions and received training and continuing support in these…

Effects of a school-based intervention on active commuting to school and health-related fitness.

PubMed

Villa-González, Emilio; Ruiz, Jonatan R; Mendoza, Jason A; Chillón, Palma

2017-01-05

Active commuting to school has declined over time, and interventions are needed to reverse this trend. The main objective was to investigate the effects of a school-based intervention on active commuting to school and health-related fitness in school-age children of Southern Spain. A total of 494 children aged 8 to 11 years were invited to participate in the study. The schools were non-randomly allocated (i.e., school level allocation) into the experimental group (EG) or the control group (CG). The EG received an intervention program for 6 months (a monthly activity) focused on increasing the level of active commuting to school and mainly targeting children's perceptions and attitudes. Active commuting to school and health-related fitness (i.e., cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness and speed-agility), were measured at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Children with valid data on commuting to school at baseline and follow-up, sex, age and distance from home to school were included in the final analysis (n = 251). Data was analyzed through a factorial ANOVA and the Bonferroni post-hoc test. At follow up, the EG had higher rates of cycling to school than CG for boys only (p = 0.04), but not for walking to school for boys or girls. The EG avoided increases in the rates of passive commuting at follow up, which increased in the CG among girls for car (MD = 1.77; SE = 0.714; p = 0.010) and bus (MD = 1.77; SE = 0.714; p = 0.010) modes. Moreover, we observed significant interactions and main effects between independent variables (study group, sex and assessment time point) on health-related fitness (p < 0.05) over the 6-month period between groups, with higher values in the control group (mainly in boys). A school-based intervention focused on increasing active commuting to school was associated with increases in rates of cycling to school among boys, but not for walking to school or health-related fitness. However, the school-based intervention avoided increases in rates of passive commuting in the experimental group, which were significantly increased in girls of the control group.

A school intervention for mental health literacy in adolescents: effects of a non-randomized cluster controlled trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background “Mental health for everyone” is a school program for mental health literacy and prevention aimed at secondary schools (13–15 yrs). The main aim was to investigate whether mental health literacy, could be improved by a 3-days universal education programme by: a) improving naming of symptom profiles of mental disorder, b) reducing prejudiced beliefs, and c) improving knowledge about where to seek help for mental health problems. A secondary aim was to investigate whether adolescent sex and age influenced the above mentioned variables. A third aim was to investigate whether prejudiced beliefs influenced knowledge about available help. Method This non-randomized cluster controlled trial included 1070 adolescents (53.9% boys, M age14 yrs) from three schools in a Norwegian town. One school (n = 520) received the intervention, and two schools (n = 550) formed the control group. Pre-test and follow-up were three months apart. Linear mixed models and generalized estimating equations models were employed for analysis. Results Mental health literacy improved contingent on the intervention, and there was a shift towards suggesting primary health care as a place to seek help. Those with more prejudiced beleifs did not suggest places to seek help for mental health problems. Generally, girls and older adolescents recognized symptom profiles better and had lower levels of prejudiced beliefs. Conclusions A low cost general school program may improve mental health literacy in adolescents. Gender specific programs and attention to the age and maturity of the students should be considered when mental health literacy programmes are designed and tried out. Prejudice should be addressed before imparting information about mental health issues. PMID:24053381

Pizza Hut, Domino's, and the Public Schools: Making Sense of Commercialization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stark, Andrew

2001-01-01

Describes different types of partnerships between schools and businesses, discussing the benefits of and drawbacks to the commercial aspects of programs like Pizza Hut's, in which children who read a certain number of books receive free pizza, and programs like Dominos', in which schools receive materials or money in return for students buying…

45 CFR 2526.10 - Who is eligible to receive an education award from the National Service Trust?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

.... (b) High school diploma or equivalent. To use an education award, an individual must— (1) Have received a high school diploma or its equivalent; or (2) Be enrolled at an institution of higher education... declaration regarding high school diploma sufficient for disbursement. For purposes of disbursing an education...

45 CFR 2526.10 - Who is eligible to receive an education award from the National Service Trust?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

.... (b) High school diploma or equivalent. To use an education award, an individual must— (1) Have received a high school diploma or its equivalent; or (2) Be enrolled at an institution of higher education... declaration regarding high school diploma sufficient for disbursement. For purposes of disbursing an education...

45 CFR 2526.10 - Who is eligible to receive an education award from the National Service Trust?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

.... (b) High school diploma or equivalent. To use an education award, an individual must— (1) Have received a high school diploma or its equivalent; or (2) Be enrolled at an institution of higher education... declaration regarding high school diploma sufficient for disbursement. For purposes of disbursing an education...

45 CFR 2526.10 - Who is eligible to receive an education award from the National Service Trust?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

.... (b) High school diploma or equivalent. To use an education award, an individual must— (1) Have received a high school diploma or its equivalent; or (2) Be enrolled at an institution of higher education... declaration regarding high school diploma sufficient for disbursement. For purposes of disbursing an education...

45 CFR 2526.10 - Who is eligible to receive an education award from the National Service Trust?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

.... (b) High school diploma or equivalent. To use an education award, an individual must— (1) Have received a high school diploma or its equivalent; or (2) Be enrolled at an institution of higher education... declaration regarding high school diploma sufficient for disbursement. For purposes of disbursing an education...

Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use prevention programs in U.S. schools: a descriptive summary.

PubMed

Kumar, Revathy; O'Malley, Patrick M; Johnston, Lloyd D; Laetz, Virginia B

2013-12-01

This report identifies the prevalence of state, local, and commercially developed substance abuse prevention programs in middle and high schools from 2001 to 2007, using survey data from nationally representative samples of 1,206 schools. Based on school administrators' reports, schools and school districts offer students an average of 1.62 prevention programs during their school years from elementary through high school. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted with school demographic characteristics public versus private, size, population density, region of the country, school race/ethnic composition, and socioeconomic status of the student body (SES) as predictors of total number of programs that students received and of the relative use of local, state, and commercial programs. Schools in the West had significantly fewer prevention programs than those in other regions of the country. Students in predominantly White and in higher SES schools received significantly more prevention programs than students in majority African American, majority Hispanic, or in lower SES affluent schools. The most frequently reported programs that students received were locally developed. D.A.R.E. was the most widely adopted prevention program. Findings from this study suggest that schools often develop their own curriculum to suit their students' needs, and students are exposed to multiple prevention programs through their school years, making it difficult to examine the effectiveness of any single program in preventing and reducing substance use among students.

Middle School Engineering Problem Solving Using Traditional vs. e-PBL Module Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baele, Loren C.

This multiple methods (Denzin, 1978) study investigated two instructional approaches, traditional module and electronic Problem-Based Learning instruction (e-PBL), used within a middle school engineering classroom focused on the variables of engagement, content knowledge, student self-assessment and teacher assessment of problem solving solutions. A non-equivalent group quasi-experimental research design (Creswell, 2015) was used on middle school students (N = 100) between those that received traditional module instruction (n = 51) and e-PBL instruction (n = 49). The qualitative approach of triangulation (Jick, 1979) was used to identify emergent themes for both between and within methods of data analysis on student engagement survey responses, two days of field observations notes, and six student interview transcripts. The quantitative results identified that students who received e-PBL instruction self-reported significantly greater engagement than those who received traditional module instruction. Further, there was a significant interaction effect between engineering content knowledge by group and gender as males who received e-PBL instruction had greater growth of content knowledge scores than males receiving traditional instruction, while females who received traditional instruction had greater growth of content knowledge scores than females in the e-PBL group. Through triangulation of the qualitative data, the emergent themes of the study suggest that hands-on learning produces higher levels of reported engagement independent of instructional method. The emergence of problem solving fatigue developed when both study groups reported a decline in engagement when entering into the final phase of the quantitative study suggesting that too many complex, ill-structured problems in rapid succession may negatively impact student engagement. Although females within the treatment group were most engaged, they did not achieve the knowledge growth of the females in the control group, who were the least engaged. Males presented with e-PBL instruction not only had better engagement, they had the greatest content knowledge growth of any group. Females were likely to have a greater negative difference between self-assessment scores and teacher assessment scores, while males self-assessed themselves closer to the teacher assessment score. Challenges to e-PBL implementation were identified including time, teacher training, and the strict school schedule. A learning management system (LMS) was found to effectively facilitate an e-PBL learning environment.

AMP!: A Cross-site Analysis of the Effects of a Theater-based Intervention on Adolescent Awareness, Attitudes, and Knowledge about HIV.

PubMed

Taggart, Tamara; Taboada, Arianna; Stein, Judith A; Milburn, Norweeta G; Gere, David; Lightfoot, Alexandra F

2016-07-01

AMP! (Arts-based, Multiple component, Peer-education) is an HIV intervention developed for high school adolescents. AMP! uses interactive theater-based scenarios developed by trained college undergraduates to deliver messages addressing HIV/STI prevention strategies, healthy relationships, and stigma reduction towards people living with HIV/AIDS. We used a pre-test/post-test, control group study design to simultaneously assess intervention effect on ninth grade students in an urban county in California (N = 159) and a suburban county in North Carolina (N = 317). In each location, the control group received standard health education curricula delivered by teachers; the intervention group received AMP! in addition to standard health education curricula. Structural equation modeling was used to determine intervention effects. The post-test sample was 46 % male, 90 % self-identified as heterosexual, 32 % reported receiving free or reduced lunch, and 49 % White. Structural models indicated that participation in AMP! predicted higher scores on HIV knowledge (p = 0.05), HIV awareness (p = 0.01), and HIV attitudes (p = 0.05) at the post-test. Latent means comparison analyses revealed post-test scores were significantly higher than pre-test scores on HIV knowledge (p = 0.001), HIV awareness (p = 0.001), and HIV attitudes (p = 0.001). Further analyses indicated that scores rose for both groups, but the post-test scores of intervention participants were significantly higher than controls (HIV knowledge (p = 0.01), HIV awareness (p = 0.01), and HIV attitudes (p = 0.05)). Thus, AMP!'s theater-based approach shows promise for addressing multiple adolescent risk factors and attitudes concerning HIV in school settings.

Behavioural, educational and respiratory outcomes of antenatal betamethasone for term caesarean section (ASTECS trial)

PubMed Central

Stutchfield, Peter Roy; Whitaker, Rhiannon; Gliddon, Angela E; Hobson, Lucie; Kotecha, Sailesh; Doull, Iolo J M

2013-01-01

Objectives To determine whether antenatal betamethasone prior to elective term caesarean section (CS) affects long term behavioural, cognitive or developmental outcome, and whether the risk of asthma or atopic disease is reduced. Design A questionnaire based follow-up of a multicentre randomised controlled trial (Antenatal Steroids for Term Elective Caesarean Section, BMJ 2005). Setting Four UK study centres from the original trial. Participants 862 participants from the four largest recruiting centres, 92% of the original study. 824 (96%) were traced and 799 (93%) were successfully contacted. Fifty-one percent (407/799) completed and returned the questionnaire. The children were aged 8–15 years (median 12.2 years, 52% girls). 386 gave consent to contact schools with 352 (91%) reports received. Main outcome measures Questionnaires including a strengths and difficulties questionnaire, International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood, general health and school performance. Results There were no significant differences between children whose mothers received betamethasone and controls for the mean total strengths and difficulties questionnaire scores and subscores for hyperactivity, emotional symptoms, prosocial behaviour, conduct or peer problems. 25 (12%) children whose mothers received betamethasone had reported learning difficulties compared with 27 (14%) control children. The proportion of children who achieved standard assessment tests KS2 exams level 4 or above for mathematics, English or science was similar as were the rates of ever reported wheeze (30% vs 30%), asthma (24% vs 21%), eczema (34% vs 37%) and hay fever (25% vs 27%). Conclusions Antenatal betamethasone did not result in any adverse outcomes or reduction in asthma or atopy. It should be considered for elective CS at 37–38 weeks of gestation. Trial registration: Original trial was preregistration, the trial publication is BMJ. 2005 Sep 24;331(7518):662. PMID:23424017

A Rights-Based Sexuality Education Curriculum for Adolescents: 1-Year Outcomes From a Cluster-Randomized Trial.

PubMed

Rohrbach, Louise A; Berglas, Nancy F; Jerman, Petra; Angulo-Olaiz, Francisca; Chou, Chih-Ping; Constantine, Norman A

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a rights-based sexuality education curriculum on adolescents' sexual health behaviors and psychosocial outcomes 1 year after participation. Within 10 urban high schools, ninth-grade classrooms were randomized to receive a rights-based curriculum or a basic sex education (control) curriculum. The intervention was delivered across two school years (2011-2012, 2012-2013). Surveys were completed by 1,447 students at pretest and 1-year follow-up. Multilevel analyses examined curriculum effects on behavioral and psychosocial outcomes, including four primary outcomes: pregnancy risk, sexually transmitted infection risk, multiple sexual partners, and use of sexual health services. Students receiving the rights-based curriculum had higher scores than control curriculum students on six of nine psychosocial outcomes, including sexual health knowledge, attitudes about relationship rights, partner communication, protection self-efficacy, access to health information, and awareness of sexual health services. These students also were more likely to report use of sexual health services (odds ratio, 1.37; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-1.78) and more likely to be carrying a condom (odds ratio, 1.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.39-2.80) relative to those receiving the control curriculum. No effects were found for other sexual health behaviors, possibly because of low prevalence of sexual activity in the sample. The curriculum had significant, positive effects on psychosocial and some behavioral outcomes 1 year later, but it might not be sufficient to change future sexual behaviors among younger adolescents, most of whom are not yet sexually active. Booster education sessions might be required throughout adolescence as youth initiate sexual relationships. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pilot evaluation of an adolescent risk and injury prevention programme incorporating curriculum and school connectedness components.

PubMed

Chapman, R L; Buckley, L; Sheehan, M; Shochet, I M

2013-08-01

School connectedness is an important protective factor for adolescent risk-taking behaviour. This study examined a pilot version of the Skills for Preventing Injury in Youth (SPIY) programme, combining teacher professional development (PD) for increasing school connectedness (connectedness component) with a risk and injury prevention curriculum for early adolescents (curriculum component). A process evaluation was conducted on the connectedness component, involving assessments of programme reach, participant receptiveness and initial use, and a preliminary impact evaluation was conducted on the combined connectedness and curriculum programme. The connectedness component was well received by teacher participants, who saw benefits for both themselves and their students. Classroom observation also showed that teachers who received PD made use of the programme strategies. Grade 8 students who participated in the SPIY programme were less likely to report violent behaviour at 6-month follow-up than were control students, and trends also suggested reduced transport injuries. The results of this research support the use of the combined SPIY connectedness and curriculum components in a large-scale effectiveness trial to assess the impact of the programme on students' connectedness, risk-taking and associated injuries.

Reading, writing, and phonological processing skills of adolescents with 10 or more years of cochlear implant experience.

PubMed

Geers, Ann E; Hayes, Heather

2011-02-01

This study had three goals: (1) to document the literacy skills of deaf adolescents who received cochlear implants (CIs) as preschoolers; (2) to examine reading growth from elementary grades to high school; (3) to assess the contribution of early literacy levels and phonological processing skills, among other factors, to literacy levels in high school. A battery of reading, spelling, expository writing, and phonological processing assessments were administered to 112 high school (CI-HS) students, ages 15.5 to 18.5 yrs, who had participated in a reading assessment battery in early elementary grades (CI-E), ages 8.0 to 9.9 yrs. The CI-HS students' performance was compared with either a control group of hearing peers (N = 46) or hearing norms provided by the assessment developer. Many of the CI-HS students (47 to 66%) performed within or above the average range for hearing peers on reading tests. When compared with their CI-E performance, good early readers were also good readers in high school. Importantly, the majority of CI-HS students maintained their reading levels over time compared with hearing peers, indicating that the gap in performance was, at the very least, not widening for most students. Written expression and phonological processing tasks posed a great deal of difficulty for the CI-HS students. They were poorer spellers, poorer expository writers, and displayed poorer phonological knowledge than hearing age-mates. Phonological processing skills were a critical predictor of high school literacy skills (reading, spelling, and expository writing), accounting for 39% of variance remaining after controlling for child, family, and implant characteristics. Many children who receive CIs as preschoolers achieve age-appropriate literacy levels as adolescents. However, significant delays in spelling and written expression are evident compared with hearing peers. For children with CIs, the development of phonological processing skills is not just important for early reading skills, such as decoding, but is critical for later literacy success as well.

Strategies to reduce plate waste in primary schools - experimental evaluation.

PubMed

Liz Martins, Margarida; Rodrigues, Sara Sp; Cunha, Luís M; Rocha, Ada

2016-06-01

To determine and compare the effect of two interventions in reducing the plate waste of school lunches. A between-group analysis was conducted among children from three primary schools: (i) a group receiving intervention A, designed for children and focusing on nutrition education and food waste; (ii) a group receiving intervention B, intended for teachers and focusing on the causes and consequences of food waste; and (iii) a control group with no intervention. For each child, physical weighing of individual meals and leftovers was performed on three non-consecutive weeks at baseline (T0), 1 week (T1, short term) and 3 months (T2, medium term) following the intervention. Plate waste was recorded for a total of 1742 lunches during 14 d over eight different menus. Portuguese public primary schools in the city of Porto. All fourth-grade children (n 212) attending the three preselected schools. After intervention A focusing on nutrition education designed for children, a decrease in soup waste was observed compared with the control group. The effect was greater at T1 (-11·9 (se 2·8) %; P<0·001) than at T2 (-5·8 (se 4·4) %; P=0·103). The plate waste of identical main dishes decreased strongly at T1 (-33·9 (se 4·8) %; P<0·001). However, this effect was not found at T2 (-13·7 (se 3·2) %; P<0·001). After intervention B involving teachers, plate waste decreased at T2 (-5·5 (se 1·9) % for soup; -5·4 (se 2·4) % for identical main dishes). Nutrition education designed for children was more effective in the short than the medium term. Thus, this kind of intervention was not effective in reducing food waste in the medium term. In contrast, an intervention focusing on teachers revealed better results in the medium term than in the short term.

Influence of Disruptive Behavior Disorders on Academic Performance and School Functions of Youths with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

PubMed

Liu, Chao-Yu; Huang, Wei-Lieh; Kao, Wei-Chih; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen

2017-12-01

Childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and comorbid oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder (ODD/CD) are associated with negative school outcomes. The study aimed to examine the impact of ADHD and ODD/CD on various school functions. 395 youths with ADHD (244 with ADHD + ODD/CD and 151 with ADHD only) and 156 controls received semi-structured psychiatric interviews. School functions were assessed and compared between each group with a multiple-level model. The results showed that youths with ADHD had poorer performance across different domains of school functioning. Youths with ADHD + ODD/CD had more behavioral problems but similar academic performance than those with ADHD only. The multiple linear regression models revealed that ADHD impaired academic performance while ODD/CD aggravated behavioral problems. Our findings imply that comorbid ODD/CD may specifically contribute to social difficulties in youths with ADHD. Measures of early detection and intervention for ODD/CD should be conducted to prevent adverse outcomes.

Abacus Training Affects Math and Task Switching Abilities and Modulates Their Relationships in Chinese Children

PubMed Central

Yao, Yuan; Weng, Jian; Hu, Yuzheng; Chen, Feiyan

2015-01-01

Our previous work demonstrated that abacus-based mental calculation (AMC), a traditional Chinese calculation method, could help children improve their math abilities (e.g. basic arithmetical ability) and executive function (e.g. working memory). This study further examined the effects of long-term AMC training on math ability in visual-spatial domain and the task switching component of executive function. More importantly, this study investigated whether AMC training modulated the relationship between math abilities and task switching. The participants were seventy 7-year-old children who were randomly assigned into AMC and control groups at primary school entry. Children in AMC group received 2-hour AMC training every week since primary school entry. On the contrary, children in the control group had never received any AMC training. Math and task switching abilities were measured one year and three years respectively after AMC training began. The results showed that AMC children performed better than their peers on math abilities in arithmetical and visual-spatial domains. In addition, AMC group responded faster than control group in the switching task, while no group difference was found in switch cost. Most interestingly, group difference was present in the relationships between math abilities and switch cost. These results implied the effect of AMC training on math abilities as well as its relationship with executive function. PMID:26444689

Can gynaecology teaching associates provide high quality effective training for medical students in the United Kingdom? Comparative study

PubMed Central

Pickard, Sally; Baraitser, Paula; Rymer, Janice; Piper, Johanna

2003-01-01

Objectives To train laywomen to become professional patients in order to teach medical students speculum and bimanual examination, to assess their effectiveness in this role, and to incorporate this method of teaching into the undergraduate curriculum of a medical school in the United Kingdom. Design Comparative study. Setting Guy's, King's, and St Thomas's School of Medicine, London. Participants 44 medical students trained by gynaecology teaching associates; 48 control students. Main outcome measure Skills in pelvic examination. Results Six laywomen were recruited and all successfully graduated to become gynaecology teaching associates. At assessment 1, in the third week of the reproductive and sexual health block, the mean score achieved by students trained by gynaecology teaching associates was 155, compared with 104 for control group students (difference in mean scores 51 (95% confidence interval 41 to 61), P < 0.001). Similar results were obtained at assessment 2, at the end of the attachment—the mean score for trained students was 148, compared with a mean score of 114 for control group students (difference in mean scores 34 (21 to 46), P < 0.001). Conclusions Laywomen can be trained to teach pelvic examination to medical students in the United Kingdom. Students who receive this training have better skills than students who receive the traditional training alone. PMID:14670887

Abacus Training Affects Math and Task Switching Abilities and Modulates Their Relationships in Chinese Children.

PubMed

Wang, Chunjie; Geng, Fengji; Yao, Yuan; Weng, Jian; Hu, Yuzheng; Chen, Feiyan

2015-01-01

Our previous work demonstrated that abacus-based mental calculation (AMC), a traditional Chinese calculation method, could help children improve their math abilities (e.g. basic arithmetical ability) and executive function (e.g. working memory). This study further examined the effects of long-term AMC training on math ability in visual-spatial domain and the task switching component of executive function. More importantly, this study investigated whether AMC training modulated the relationship between math abilities and task switching. The participants were seventy 7-year-old children who were randomly assigned into AMC and control groups at primary school entry. Children in AMC group received 2-hour AMC training every week since primary school entry. On the contrary, children in the control group had never received any AMC training. Math and task switching abilities were measured one year and three years respectively after AMC training began. The results showed that AMC children performed better than their peers on math abilities in arithmetical and visual-spatial domains. In addition, AMC group responded faster than control group in the switching task, while no group difference was found in switch cost. Most interestingly, group difference was present in the relationships between math abilities and switch cost. These results implied the effect of AMC training on math abilities as well as its relationship with executive function.

A Comparison of Service Delivery Models for Special Education Middle School Students Receiving Moderate Intervention Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones-Mason, Keely S.

2012-01-01

In an effort to improve academic performance for students receiving special education services, a large urban school district in Tennessee has implemented Integrated Service Delivery Model. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of students receiving instruction in self-contained classrooms to the performance of students…

School-Parent-Community Partnerships: The Experience of Teachers Who Received the Queen Rania Award for Excellence in Education in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obeidat, Osamha M.; Al-Hassan, Suha M.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine and understand the school-parents-community partnerships created by teachers who received the Queen Rania Award for Excellence in Education. This study analyzes the applications of the 28 teachers who received the Award in 2007 and addresses three questions: How do teachers who received the Queen Rania Award…

Benefits and costs of Channel One in a middle school setting and the role of media-literacy training.

PubMed

Austin, Erica Weintraub; Chen, Yi-Chun Yvonnes; Pinkleton, Bruce E; Quintero Johnson, Jessie

2006-03-01

Channel One is a public-affairs program that includes 10 minutes of news and 2 minutes of paid product advertising or public service announcements. Advocates assert that it increases public-affairs knowledge, but critics charge that it garners a captive audience for teen-targeted advertising. This experiment analyzed the differential effects of Channel One depending on whether early-adolescent viewers received a media-literacy lesson in conjunction with viewing the program. Outcomes included perceptions of Channel One news programming, recall of program content and advertising, materialism, and political efficacy. Researchers used a posttest-only field experiment (N = 240) of seventh- and eighth-grade students using random assignment to conditions. Conditions included a control group, a group that received a fact-based lesson, and a group that received the same lesson content using a more emotive teaching style. It was expected that the emotion-added lesson condition would be more effective than the logic-only lesson condition because of its motivational component. On average, students remembered more ads from Channel One than news stories. Participants in the control group remembered fewer news stories than did the groups that received the lessons. Students reported having purchased during the preceding 3 months an average of 2.5 items advertised on the program. Both fact-based and affect-added training increased student skepticism toward advertisers. As expected, student liking of the program enhanced their learning from it and was associated with higher levels of political efficacy. Students held misconceptions about the role of their school in the production of Channel One. The use of Channel One by schools can have benefits, but these come with risk that some may consider unacceptable. On the positive side, student liking of the program was associated with their political efficacy. Although those who responded positively to program content and presentation style learned more from it, they also tended to want things that they saw in the advertisements. The data therefore show that the program can provide some benefits to young adolescents, but the results also provide justification for concerns about the commercialization of the classroom.

A current picture of asthma diagnosis, severity, and control in a low-income minority preteen population.

PubMed

Clark, Noreen M; Dodge, Julia A; Shah, Smita; Thomas, Lara J; Andridge, Rebecca R; Awad, Daniel

2010-03-01

Asthma severity, control, type of medical regimen provided, and compliance with it are not well understood in minority patients at the transition stage from childhood to adolescence. Describe the level of asthma severity and control and the clinical regimens provided to a large population of low-income, African American children at this developmentally significant period. Parents of 1292 children with asthma among 6827 preteens in 19 middle schools in predominantly African American (94%), low-income neighborhoods in Detroit, Michigan, were enrolled in the study. Data were collected through self-administered survey and telephone interviews and were useable for 936 participants. Study queries related to demographics, asthma symptoms, and medication use. Mixed effects models with a random intercept for school were used to determine severity and control and the association of medical regimens to these. Sixty-seven percent of children with probable asthma had received a physician's diagnosis. Being female was associated with being undiagnosed (p = .02). Forty-seven with no diagnosis had persistent asthma and 10% of these were classified as severe. Sixty-eight percent with a diagnosis and asthma medicine prescriptions were not controlled. Compliant use of controller medicine was associated with poorer asthma control compared to noncompliant controller users (p = .04) and reliever-only users (p < .001). Thirty-nine percent of children had controller medicine; of those 40% were not compliant with controller use; 9% nebulized their controller medicine. Care provided low-income minority children at an important stage in their development was not consistent with guidelines for asthma control. Therapy choices for treatment did not account for the actual level of their symptoms. Lack of an asthma diagnosis was significant in the population. Adolescent girls were at risk for not receiving a diagnosis. Patient compliance with asthma regimens was limited. Both clinician and patient education regarding effective asthma management appears needed regarding preteens in low-income minority communities.

Non-surgical treatment of hip osteoarthritis. Hip school, with or without the addition of manual therapy, in comparison to a minimal control intervention: Protocol for a three-armed randomized clinical trial

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Hip osteoarthritis is a common and chronic condition resulting in pain, functional disability and reduced quality of life. In the early stages of the disease, a combination of non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment is recommended. There is evidence from several trials that exercise therapy is effective. In addition, single trials suggest that patient education in the form of a hip school is a promising intervention and that manual therapy is superior to exercise. Methods/Design This is a randomized clinical trial. Patients with clinical and radiological hip osteoarthritis, 40-80 years of age, and without indication for hip surgery were randomized into 3 groups. The active intervention groups A and B received six weeks of hip school, taught by a physiotherapist, for a total of 5 sessions. In addition, group B received manual therapy consisting of joint manipulation and soft-tissue therapy twice a week for six weeks. Group C received a self-care information leaflet containing advice on "live as usual" and stretching exercises from the hip school. The primary time point for assessing relative effectiveness is at the end of the six weeks intervention period with follow-ups after three and 12 months. Primary outcome measure is pain measured on an eleven-point numeric rating scale. Secondary outcome measures are the hip dysfunction and osteoarthritis outcome score, patient's global perceived effect, patient specific functional scale, general quality of life and hip range of motion. Discussion To our knowledge this is the first randomized clinical trial comparing a patient education program with or without the addition of manual therapy to a minimal intervention for patients with hip osteoarthritis. Trial registration ClinicalTrials NCT01039337 PMID:21542914

Non-surgical treatment of hip osteoarthritis. Hip school, with or without the addition of manual therapy, in comparison to a minimal control intervention: protocol for a three-armed randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Poulsen, Erik; Christensen, Henrik W; Roos, Ewa M; Vach, Werner; Overgaard, Søren; Hartvigsen, Jan

2011-05-04

Hip osteoarthritis is a common and chronic condition resulting in pain, functional disability and reduced quality of life. In the early stages of the disease, a combination of non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment is recommended. There is evidence from several trials that exercise therapy is effective. In addition, single trials suggest that patient education in the form of a hip school is a promising intervention and that manual therapy is superior to exercise. This is a randomized clinical trial. Patients with clinical and radiological hip osteoarthritis, 40-80 years of age, and without indication for hip surgery were randomized into 3 groups. The active intervention groups A and B received six weeks of hip school, taught by a physiotherapist, for a total of 5 sessions. In addition, group B received manual therapy consisting of joint manipulation and soft-tissue therapy twice a week for six weeks. Group C received a self-care information leaflet containing advice on "live as usual" and stretching exercises from the hip school. The primary time point for assessing relative effectiveness is at the end of the six weeks intervention period with follow-ups after three and 12 months.Primary outcome measure is pain measured on an eleven-point numeric rating scale. Secondary outcome measures are the hip dysfunction and osteoarthritis outcome score, patient's global perceived effect, patient specific functional scale, general quality of life and hip range of motion. To our knowledge this is the first randomized clinical trial comparing a patient education program with or without the addition of manual therapy to a minimal intervention for patients with hip osteoarthritis. ClinicalTrials NCT01039337.

Effectiveness of Using Computer-Assisted Supplementary Instruction for Teaching the Mole Concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yalçinalp, Serpil; Geban, Ömer; Özkan, Ilker

This study examined the effect of computer-assisted instruction (CAI), used as a problem-solving supplement to classroom instruction, on students' understanding of chemical formulas and mole concept, their attitudes toward chemistry subjects, and CAI. The objective was to assess the effectiveness of CAI over recitation hours when both teaching methods were used as a supplement to the traditional chemistry instruction. We randomly selected two classes in a secondary school. Each teaching strategy was randomly assigned to one class. The experimental group received supplementary instruction delivered via CAI, while the control group received similar instruction through recitation hours. The data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance and t-test. It was found that the students who used the CAI accompanied with lectures scored significantly higher than those who attended recitation hours, in terms of school subject achievement in chemistry and attitudes toward chemistry subjects. In addition, there was a significant improvement in the attitudes of students in the experimental group toward the use of computers in a chemistry course. There was no significant difference between the performances of females versus males in each treatment group.Received: 26 April 1994; Revised: 6 April 1995;

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Cogmed Working Memory Training in School-Age Children with ADHD: A Replication in a Diverse Sample Using a Control Condition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chacko, A.; Bedard, A. C.; Marks, D. J.; Feirsen, N.; Uderman, J. Z.; Chimiklis, A.; Rajwan, E.; Cornwell, M.; Anderson, L.; Zwilling, A.; Ramon, M.

2014-01-01

Background: Cogmed Working Memory Training (CWMT) has received considerable attention as a promising intervention for the treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. At the same time, methodological weaknesses in previous clinical trials call into question reported efficacy of CWMT. In particular, lack of equivalence…