A Pilot Intervention Designed to Address Behavioral Factors That Place Overweight/Obese Young Children at Risk for Later-Life Obesity. (August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Small, Leigh; Thacker, Leroy; Aldrich, Heather; Bonds-McClain, Darya; Melnyk, Bernadette
• Is Part Of: Western journal of nursing research. Volume 39:Number 8(2017)
• Page Start: 1192
• Page End: 1212
• Publication Date: 2017-08
• Subjects: preschool child -- obesity -- internalizing behaviors -- externalizing behaviors; Nursing -- Research -- Periodicals; Nursing -- Periodicals; Nursing -- Research -- West (U.S.) -- Periodicals; Nursing -- West (U.S.) -- Periodicals; Nursing -- Periodicals; Nursing Research -- Periodicals; Soins infirmiers -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Soins infirmiers -- Périodiques; Soins infirmiers -- Recherche -- États-Unis (Ouest) -- Périodiques; Soins infirmiers -- États-Unis (Ouest) -- Périodiques; Soins infirmiers; Recherche; États-Unis (Ouest); Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 610.730702
• DOI: 10.1177/0193945917708316
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0193-9459

Abstract

The purpose of this pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to intervene with parents of overweight/obese 4- to 8-year-old children to improve child internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Parent–child dyads ( N = 60) were randomly assigned to treatment or comparison conditions. Parents attended four intervention sessions at their child's primary health care office over 3 months. Child behaviors were assessed at 0, 3, 6, and 12 months post intervention. Parental beliefs in their skills/abilities increased in the experimental group parents, but there was no statistical difference between groups at any time. Child externalizing behaviors significantly decreased from baseline to postintervention for both groups ( F = 3.26, p = .020). Post hoc model testing suggests that this change was more pronounced in the intervention group ( F = 0.56, p = .692). Child somatic symptoms significantly decreased over time ( F = 4.55, p = .004), and there were group differences in child depressive behaviors ( F = 6.19, p = .020). These findings suggest that a parent-focused intervention program demonstrated positive preliminary effects on children's behaviors.