Pilot-Testing a Family-Based Intervention to Improve Child Outcomes and Increase Family Activity

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a family-based program to improve physical activity and tobacco outcomes in a small pilot of middle school students and their families.

Detailed Description
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Low income ethnic minority youth tend to be at greater risk for obesity, physical inactivity, high risk behaviors such as tobacco and substance use and resulting cardiovascular and chronic disease. In this study we modified a tobacco and substance use risk prevention program to develop a tailored intervention (Healthy Families DC) that also included promotion of physical activity (PA) for DC middle-school students referred by school staff as over-weight and at risk for problem behaviors. The program included an initial family assessment, a family feedback session with family PA goal setting and 6 phone/text based booster sessions. A pilot study with 18 families, comprised of at least one caregiver and target child, was conducted to examine feasibility, acceptability, and trends in preliminary outcomes such as PA via self-report and accelerometry, health risk behaviors (e.g., tobacco use), health goal setting, and changes in family functioning (e.g., youth positive behaviors, parenting).

Official Title
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Pilot-Testing a Family-Based Intervention to Improve Child Outcomes and Increase Family Activity

Conditions
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Smoking, Overweight, Obesity

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Healthy Families DC Program


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Students aged 12-16 years Attending regular education classes at three urban DC public middle schools. -Students must currently reside with at least one parent or guardian who wishes to also participate in this study. Students and at least one guardian must be fluent in English Exclusion Criteria: Adolescents, who are outside the study age range Patients/parents unable to speak/read English Are wards of the state Not attending regular education classes at the public middle schools -Furthermore, adolescents and guardians not assenting/consenting to be in the study will be excluded.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 12 Years
Maximum Age: 16 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

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 |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Wait-list control<br>Wait-list control. No intervention delivered until post follow-up assessment. Upon completion of the follow-up, the family was offered the full intervention. | |
| Experimental: Healthy Families DC Program<br>Healthy Families DC Program | Behavioral: Healthy Families DC Program<br>* A tailored family-based intervention for health promotion goal setting, substance use prevention, and promotion of physical activity<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Actigraphy-based changes in physical activity from baseline to 8-weeks post-baseline |  | 8-weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Smoking Susceptibility Scale changes from baseline to 8-weeks post-baseline |  | 8 weeks |