Get in the GROOVE!

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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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: 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). 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.

Official Title
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Get in the GROOVE (Girls Realizing Options Through OpenSim Virtual Experiences)!

Conditions
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Health Behavior, Prevention Harmful Effects

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


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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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

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 11 Years
Maximum Age: 14 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Summer wellness program - nutrition & physical activity<br>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. | Other: Summer science wellness program emphasizing health education pertaining to nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyle.<br>* The enhanced virtual world education (GROOVE+) will be compared to conventional approach (GROOVE). Each program is Monday-Friday, 9:30-3:30, for 3 weeks in the summer.<br>|
| Experimental: Summer program plus virtual world technology<br>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. | Other: Summer science wellness program emphasizing health education pertaining to nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyle.<br>* The enhanced virtual world education (GROOVE+) will be compared to conventional approach (GROOVE). Each program is Monday-Friday, 9:30-3:30, for 3 weeks in the summer.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| change in Health Knowledge | Multiple choice questionnaire used to assess participants' health knowledge pertaining to nutrition, physical activity, weight, and lifestyle. The measure will test for the content of the summer program. | pretreatment ( Day1-2) and post treatment (end of 3 week summer session) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| change in Self-efficacy - physical activity | The physical activity self-efficacy support seeking and barriers subscales developed by Saunders, Pate, Felton et al.'s (1997, Preventive Medicine, vol. 26, 241-247) will be used. | pretreatment ( Day1-2) and post treatment (end of 3 week summer session) | 
| change in Self-efficacy - fruit and vegetable consumption | The food-related self-efficacy scale items comes from the work of Reynolds et al. ( 2002, Health Psychology, vol. 21, 51-60) and addresses fruit and vegetable consumption. | pretreatment ( Day1-2) and post treatment (end of 3 week summer session) | 
| change in Self-efficacy - science | Science self-efficacy assesses confidence to master the GROOVE program science components. | pretreatment ( Day1-2) and post treatment (end of 3 week summer session) |