Pilot Testing of a Media Literacy-Based Curriculum to ... · Pilot Testing of a Media...

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Methods Results Quantitative Analysis Highlights Process Evaluation Overall, the curriculum was implemented as intended; some sections were compressed and would benefit from more time Recommendations gathered to improve recruitment, smooth program kickoff and other logistics Participants YOUTH Pre/Post Paired Differences Construct Mean Difference SD df t Critical Thinking toward Sources Increased -1.24 3.03 54 -3.03** Information Efficacy Increased -0.66 1.81 49 -2.57* *p < .05; **p < .01 This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U. S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2012- 68001-19618. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Project Co-Directors: Erica Weintraub Austin (Lead), Mary Katherine Deen, Jill Armstrong Shultz Project Investigators: Shirley Calodich, Louise Parker, Thomas Power Curriculum Developers: Marilyn Cohen and Barbara Johnson 2015 Extension Team: Dori Babcock, Karen Barale, Brian Brandt, Sandra Brown, Kelsey Condon, Hailey Croci, Missy Cummins, Jennifer Fees, Lauren Hrncirik, Alexandra Kaufman, Jeannie Kiehn, Michelle Lain, Christine Price, Carolyn Russo, Gary Varrella, Margaret Viebrock Project Assistants: Zena Edwards, Davi Kallman, Kit Kaiser, Whitney Stefani Project Specialist: Michelle Kistler Poster Created by: Michelle Kistler Feedback Focus Group Summary Two parent groups and two youth groups Parents reported increased nutrition knowledge and a change in nutrition behaviors at home, and described similar changes with their children Numerous examples provided of out-of-class interactions between parent and child regarding class concepts, particularly nutrition-related behaviors Youth often “held their parents accountable” Youth and parents demonstrated increased awareness of food marketing strategies Parents and youth offered suggestions for clarifying certain concepts and improving certain activities Findings demonstrated the need to amplify parental mediation skills and parent/youth ML skills in lessons Background Situation and Need Media and marketing are major information sources for children about food, and just 1-2 exposures to food ads influence young children Children as young as 9 yrs and adults can gain media literacy (ML) skills No existing program combines youth and parent nutrition and ML education to improve healthy choices Year 3 Objectives To execute a feasibility test of the pilot curriculum To evaluate connections among curriculum measures and outcomes To recalibrate as needed in preparation for field testing ADULT Pre/Post Paired Differences Construct Mean Difference SD df t Critical Thinking toward Content Increased -1.51 2.60 56 -4.38** Critical Thinking toward Sources Increased -2.72 3.34 56 -6.14** Negative Parental Mediation (Critical discussion of media content with child) Increased -1.62 5.78 54 -2.08* Information Efficacy Increased -1.28 2.70 56 -3.58** Advertising Efficacy Increased -1.76 2.12 58 -6.39** Label Reading Increased -2.51 4.30 58 -4.48** Availability of Healthy Foods in Home Increased -1.44 3.14 58 -3.52** Availability of Unhealthy Foods in Home Decreased 1.88 3.83 57 4.23** *p < .05; **p < .01 Qualitative Analysis Pathways to Nutrition Behavior Change Notable change: more parents having pre-cut fresh vegetables available: 63% pre to 78% post Parents used food labels more often to select foods lower in nutrients related to obesity prevention, including: o Calories Those “never “using the label were reduced by 50%, those using it “very often” doubled o Fat Parents using the label at least “sometimes” increased from 58% to 71% o Sodium Those “never” using label for this reduced by more than 50%, while number using it “very often” more than doubled Implications: Moving Forward Future Phases Phase IV: Two consecutive “cycles” of Field Testing Each “cycle” consists of one Parent/Child Treatment Group and one Youth-Only Treatment Group, and Control Groups Six-month and 1-year delayed post-testing for Treatment and Control Groups in Cycle 1; Cycle 2 includes 6-month delayed post-testing Phase V: Dissemination of Results and Distribution of Final Curriculum 2-day curriculum delivery training Scripted, systematic recruitment of family dyads by Extension Team Six-session curriculum developed over the course of past two years Each session included a parent lesson, a youth lesson, and a parent/youth combined lesson Process Evaluation included Implementation Logs, observer notes, and an Educator Focus Group Pre/Post survey design, no control group Qualitative Data included open-ended survey questions and Feedback Focus Groups of participant sample Youth Age n 9 yrs 12 10 yrs 15 11 yrs 18 12 yrs 5 13 yrs 7 14 yrs 2 Gender n Male 21 Female 38 Adults Age n 30-35 12 36-40 15 41-45 18 46-50 11 51-55 3 Relation n Mother 52 Father 6 Other (Aunt) 1 Race/ Ethnicity n White 54 Black, Asian, and/or Native American 8 Hispanic 3 Assistance Programs Received Program SNAPEd Free or Reduced Lunch WIC TANF Medicaid None n 11 16 3 2 12 29 10 Dyads 14 Dyads 14 Dyads 13 Dyads 8 Dyads N = 59 Parent/Child Dyads All Critical Thinking and Efficacy constructs utilized 5-point Likert-type scales (“Strongly Disagree” – “Strongly Agree”); Negative Parental Mediation utilized a 5-point frequency scale (“Not at All” – “Very Often”); Label Reading utilized a 5-point frequency scale (“Never” – “Very Often”); Availability of Healthy and Unhealthy Foods in Home both utilized 5-point frequency scales (“Never” – “Always”). Youth gained first steps toward critical thinking, but need more ML practice to “go the distance” Some wording and layout changes will improve reliability and construct validity in surveys Focus for Revisions Prior to Field Testing Amplify parental mediation and ML skills training for parents Focus more on the “5 Key Questions” for Media Literacy Promising parental gains, but parental gains not yet clearly translating into youth gains Improve sensitivity of measures to tap extent to which youth gains are tied to parent/youth interaction Pilot Testing of a Media Literacy-Based Curriculum to Enhance Youth and Parent Media Skills and Food Behaviors: Year 3 of 5 Erica Weintraub Austin, Jill Armstrong Shultz, Mary Katherine Deen, Marilyn Cohen, Shirley Calodich, Barbara K. Johnson, Louise Parker, Thomas Power

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Page 1: Pilot Testing of a Media Literacy-Based Curriculum to ... · Pilot Testing of a Media Literacy-Based Curriculum to Enhance Youth and Parent Media Skills and Food Behaviors: Year 3

Methods

Results

Quantitative Analysis Highlights

Process Evaluation • Overall, the curriculum was implemented as intended; some sections were compressed and would benefit from more time

• Recommendations gathered to improve recruitment, smooth program kickoff and other logistics

Participants

YOUTH Pre/Post Paired

Differences

Construct† Mean Difference† SD df t

Critical Thinking toward Sources Increased

-1.24 3.03 54 -3.03**

Information Efficacy Increased

-0.66 1.81 49 -2.57*

*p < .05; **p < .01

This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U. S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2012-68001-19618. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U. S. Department of Agriculture.

Project Co-Directors: Erica Weintraub Austin (Lead), Mary Katherine Deen, Jill Armstrong Shultz

Project Investigators: Shirley Calodich, Louise Parker, Thomas Power

Curriculum Developers: Marilyn Cohen and Barbara Johnson

2015 Extension Team: Dori Babcock, Karen Barale, Brian Brandt, Sandra Brown, Kelsey Condon, Hailey Croci, Missy Cummins, Jennifer Fees, Lauren Hrncirik, Alexandra Kaufman, Jeannie Kiehn, Michelle Lain, Christine Price, Carolyn Russo, Gary Varrella, Margaret Viebrock

Project Assistants: Zena Edwards, Davi Kallman, Kit Kaiser, Whitney Stefani

Project Specialist: Michelle Kistler

Poster Created by: Michelle Kistler

Feedback Focus Group Summary

Two parent groups and two youth groups

Parents reported increased nutrition knowledge and a change in nutrition behaviors at home, and described similar changes with their children

Numerous examples provided of out-of-class interactions between parent and child regarding class concepts, particularly nutrition-related behaviors

Youth often “held their parents accountable”

Youth and parents demonstrated increased awareness of food marketing strategies

Parents and youth offered suggestions for clarifying certain concepts and improving certain activities

Findings demonstrated the need to amplify parental mediation skills and parent/youth ML skills in lessons

Background

Situation and Need

Media and marketing are major information sources for children about food, and just 1-2 exposures to food ads influence young children

Children as young as 9 yrs and adults can gain media literacy (ML) skills

No existing program combines youth and parent nutrition and ML education to improve healthy choices

Year 3 Objectives

To execute a feasibility test of the pilot curriculum

To evaluate connections among curriculum measures and outcomes

To recalibrate as needed in preparation for field testing

ADULT Pre/Post

Paired Differences

Construct† Mean Difference† SD df t

Critical Thinking toward Content Increased

-1.51 2.60 56 -4.38**

Critical Thinking toward Sources Increased

-2.72 3.34 56 -6.14**

Negative Parental Mediation (Critical discussion of media content with child) Increased

-1.62 5.78 54 -2.08*

Information Efficacy Increased

-1.28 2.70 56 -3.58**

Advertising Efficacy Increased

-1.76 2.12 58 -6.39**

Label Reading Increased

-2.51 4.30 58 -4.48**

Availability of Healthy Foods in Home Increased

-1.44 3.14 58 -3.52**

Availability of Unhealthy Foods in Home Decreased

1.88 3.83 57 4.23**

*p < .05; **p < .01

Qualitative Analysis

Pathways to Nutrition Behavior Change

Notable change: more parents having pre-cut fresh vegetables available: 63% pre to 78% post

Parents used food labels more often to select foods lower in nutrients related to obesity prevention, including:

o Calories – Those “never “using the label were reduced by 50%, those using it “very often” doubled

o Fat – Parents using the label at least “sometimes” increased from 58% to 71%

o Sodium – Those “never” using label for this reduced by more than 50%, while number using it “very often” more than doubled

Implications: Moving Forward

Future Phases

Phase IV: Two consecutive “cycles” of Field Testing

Each “cycle” consists of one Parent/Child Treatment Group and one Youth-Only Treatment Group, and Control Groups

Six-month and 1-year delayed post-testing for Treatment and Control Groups in Cycle 1; Cycle 2 includes 6-month delayed post-testing

Phase V: Dissemination of Results and Distribution of Final Curriculum

2-day curriculum delivery training

Scripted, systematic recruitment of family dyads by Extension Team

Six-session curriculum developed over the course of past two years

Each session included a parent lesson, a youth lesson, and a parent/youth combined lesson

Process Evaluation included Implementation Logs, observer notes, and an Educator Focus Group

Pre/Post survey design, no control group

Qualitative Data included open-ended survey questions and Feedback Focus Groups of participant sample

Youth

Age n

9 yrs 12

10 yrs 15

11 yrs 18

12 yrs 5

13 yrs 7

14 yrs 2

Gender n

Male 21

Female 38

Adults

Age n

30-35 12

36-40 15

41-45 18

46-50 11

51-55 3

Relation n

Mother 52

Father 6

Other

(Aunt) 1

Race/

Ethnicity n

White 54

Black,

Asian,

and/or

Native

American

8

Hispanic 3

Assistance Programs Received

Program SNAPEd Free or Reduced

Lunch WIC TANF Medicaid None

n 11 16 3 2 12 29

10 Dyads

14 Dyads

14 Dyads

13 Dyads

8 Dyads

N = 59 Parent/Child Dyads

† All Critical Thinking and Efficacy constructs utilized 5-point Likert-type scales (“Strongly Disagree” – “Strongly Agree”);

Negative Parental Mediation utilized a 5-point frequency scale (“Not at All” – “Very Often”);

Label Reading utilized a 5-point frequency scale (“Never” – “Very Often”);

Availability of Healthy and Unhealthy Foods in Home both utilized 5-point frequency scales (“Never” – “Always”).

Youth gained first steps toward critical thinking, but need more ML practice to “go the distance”

Some wording and layout changes will improve reliability and construct validity in surveys

Focus for Revisions Prior to Field Testing

Amplify parental mediation and ML skills training for parents

Focus more on the “5 Key Questions” for Media Literacy

Promising parental gains, but parental gains not yet clearly translating into youth gains

Improve sensitivity of measures to tap extent to which youth gains are tied to parent/youth interaction

Pilot Testing of a Media Literacy-Based Curriculum to Enhance Youth and Parent Media Skills and Food Behaviors: Year 3 of 5 Erica Weintraub Austin, Jill Armstrong Shultz, Mary Katherine Deen, Marilyn Cohen, Shirley Calodich, Barbara K. Johnson, Louise Parker, Thomas Power