Get in the GROOVE!

University of Miami

Status: Completed

Conditions: Health Behavior; Prevention Harmful Effects

Treatments: Other: Summer science wellness program emphasizing health education pertaining to nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyle.

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT02187939

20111081

5R25OD010525 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

Get in the GROOVE! will address health disparities impacting underserved youth. Given the alarming rate of overweight and obesity among high school minority youth, the project will focus on middle school with the primary aim of reaching middle school girls before unhealthy habits become firmly ingrained.

The primary aim of the research project is to investigate the impact of two types of summer science enrichment programs (that focus on health and wellness) on middle school girls' self-efficacy, health knowledge, health behaviors, and interest in science. One program will present the curriculum by conventional means (GROOVE condition) while the second program will include the addition of a closed 3-D virtual world environment to reinforce concepts (GROOVE+ condition).

The following hypotheses will be tested in the randomized controlled trial:

1. Upon completion of the summer program, the enhanced summer program GROOVE+ relative to the conventional summer program will result in a) increased self-efficacy for adopting healthy behavior change; b) increased health knowledge; c) enhanced science self-concept; and e) more positive behavior change (e.g., improved nutrition, increased physical activity).
2. At follow-up, the enhanced summer program relative to the conventional summer program will result in further and/or sustained improvements in positive behavior health behaviors and attitudes.

Enrollment: 375 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 11 to 14 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Girls 11-14 years old

Exclusion criteria

Girls are excluded if they are:

• not fluent in English
• enrolled in a special education program at school (other than gifted program) that would interfere with ability to master the material
• have a condition that would preclude their participation in the dance activities of the summer program

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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375 participants in 2 patient groups

Summer wellness program - nutrition & physical activity

Active Comparator group

Description:

The GROOVE condition uses conventional means to address health-related activities and content within the context of a science museum summer enrichment program. The emphasis is on nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyle.

Treatment:

Other: Summer science wellness program emphasizing health education pertaining to nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyle.

Summer program plus virtual world technology

Experimental group

Description:

The GROOVE+ condition enhances the conventional approach to address health-related activities and content within the context of a science museum summer enrichment program by employing technology and a 3-D virtual world as a key educational strategy. The emphasis is on nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyle.

Treatment:

Other: Summer science wellness program emphasizing health education pertaining to nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyle.