Clinical trial NCT02187939: Get in the GROOVE!
Official title: Get in the GROOVE (Girls Realizing Options Through OpenSim Virtual Experiences)!
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Health Behavior
Prevention Harmful Effects
Lead sponsor: University of Miami
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science (formerly known as Miami Science Museum)
name: New York Hall of Science
name: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
First posted: 2014-07-11
Enrollment: 375
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 11
Maximum age (years): 14
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: 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.


Eligibility criteria: 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

Primary outcomes:
measure: change in Health Knowledge
timeFrame: pretreatment ( Day1-2) and post treatment (end of 3 week summer session)
Secondary outcomes:
measure: change in Self-efficacy - physical activity
timeFrame: pretreatment ( Day1-2) and post treatment (end of 3 week summer session)
measure: change in Self-efficacy - fruit and vegetable consumption
timeFrame: pretreatment ( Day1-2) and post treatment (end of 3 week summer session)
measure: change in Self-efficacy - science
timeFrame: pretreatment ( Day1-2) and post treatment (end of 3 week summer session)
Other outcomes:
measure: change in health behaviors
timeFrame: pretreatment ( Day1-2), post treatment (end of 3 week summer session), and up to a year follow-up
measure: change in Science attitudes and aspirations
timeFrame: pretreatment ( Day1-2), post treatment (end of 3 week summer session), and up to a year follow-up
measure: change in Family and participant habits
timeFrame: pretreatment ( Day1-2), post treatment (end of 3 week summer session - for participant only), and up to a year follow-up
measure: change in Pedometer activity
timeFrame: Participants will be given a pedometer to wear during the 3 week summer program period
measure: Change in eating behavior
timeFrame: Up to 4 assessments will occur over the 3 week program.
measure: change in Presence
timeFrame: up to 3 times during the GROOVE+ condition
Locations:
city: Miami
country: United States
facility: Patricia and Phillip Museum of Science
state: Florida
city: Queens
country: United States
facility: New York Hall of Science
state: New York
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Miami
name: Patrice G Saab, Ph.D.
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: