Activity-related parenting practices : development of the parenting related to activity measure (PRAM) and links with mothers' eating psychopathology and compulsive exercise beliefs

This is a two-study paper that developed a measure to assess parenting practices related to children's physical activity and explored maternal predictors of such parenting practices. Study 1: A self-report measure of parents' activity-related practices (the Parenting Related to Activity Measure) was developed, and a principal component analysis was carried out using data from 233 mothers of 4.5- to 9-year-old children. The results supported a six-factor model and yielded the following subscales: Responsibility/monitoring; Activity regulation; Control of active behaviours; Overweight concern; Rewarding parenting; and Pressure to exercise. Study 2: Mothers (N = 170) completed the Parenting Related to Activity Measure, alongside measures of eating psychopathology and compulsive exercise, to identify predictors of activity-related parenting practices. Mothers' eating psychopathology and exercise beliefs predicted activity parenting practices with their sons and daughters, but different predictors were seen for mothers of daughters versus sons. Mothers' eating and exercise attitudes are important predictors of their activity-related parenting practices, particularly with girls. Identifying early interactions around activity/exercise could be important in preventing the development of problematic beliefs about exercise, which are often a key symptom of eating disorders. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association

Parental perceptions of technology and technology-focused parenting: Associations with youth screen time

In the present study we propose a model linking parental perceptions of technology to technology-related parenting strategies to youth screen time, and, finally, to internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. Participants were 615 parents drawn from three community samples of families with children across three developmental stages: young childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. The model was tested at each stage with the strongest support emerging in the young childhood sample. One component of parental perceptions of technology, perceived efficacy, was related to technology-related parenting strategies across developmental stages. However, the association of these strategies to child screen time and, in turn, problem behaviors, diminished as children increased in age. Implications for intervention are considered

Activity-related parenting practices: development of the parenting related to activity measure (PRAM) and links with mothers' eating psychopathology and compulsive exercise beliefs

This is a two-study paper that developed a measure to assess parenting practices related to children's physical activity and explored maternal predictors of such parenting practices. Study 1: A self-report measure of parents' activity-related practices (the Parenting Related to Activity Measure) was developed, and a principal component analysis was carried out using data from 233 mothers of 4.5- to 9-year-old children. The results supported a six-factor model and yielded the following subscales: Responsibility/monitoring; Activity regulation; Control of active behaviours; Overweight concern; Rewarding parenting; and Pressure to exercise. Study 2: Mothers (N = 170) completed the Parenting Related to Activity Measure, alongside measures of eating psychopathology and compulsive exercise, to identify predictors of activity-related parenting practices. Mothers' eating psychopathology and exercise beliefs predicted activity parenting practices with their sons and daughters, but different predictors were seen for mothers of daughters versus sons. Mothers' eating and exercise attitudes are important predictors of their activity-related parenting practices, particularly with girls. Identifying early interactions around activity/exercise could be important in preventing the development of problematic beliefs about exercise, which are often a key symptom of eating disorders

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing two Cognitive-Behavioral Programs for Adolescent Girls with Subclinical Depression: A School-Based Program (Op Volle Kracht) and a Computerized Program (SPARX)

Limited research has indicated the effectiveness of the school-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) prevention program ‘Op Volle Kracht (OVK)’ and the computerized CBT program ‘SPARX’ in decreasing depressive symptoms. Therefore, a randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of OVK and SPARX was conducted among Dutch female adolescents (n = 208, mean age = 13.35) with elevated depressive symptoms. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: OVK only (n = 50), SPARX only (n = 51), OVK and SPARX combined (n = 56) and a monitoring control condition (n = 51). Participants in the first three conditions received OVK lessons and/or the SPARX game. Depressive symptoms were assessed before interventions started, weekly during the interventions, and immediately after the interventions ended, with follow-up assessments at 3, 6 and 12 months. Intention to treat results showed that depressive symptoms decreased in all conditions (F(12, 1853.03) = 14.62, p < .001), with no difference in depressive symptoms between conditions. Thus, all conditions, including the monitoring control condition, were equally effective in reducing depressive symptoms. Possible explanations for the decrease of depressive symptoms in all conditions are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided. Dutch Trial Register: NTR3737

Maternal Attachment Buffers the Association Between Exposure to Violence and Youth Attitudes About Aggression

The present study examined the relative and cumulative predictive power of parent–child, interparental, and community aggression on youths\u27 perceptions of the acceptability of aggression between peers and siblings. The potential for mother–child attachment to buffer the effects of violence on aggressive attitudes was tested, as well as the link between aggressive attitudes and aggressive behaviors. A diverse sample of 148 children (ages 9–14) completed measures of interparental, parent–child, and community aggression; a measure of mother–child attachment quality; and a measure of aggressive behaviors. Participants also rated the acceptability of aggressive interactions between two peers and two siblings in written vignettes. Mothers completed a measure of their child\u27s aggressive behaviors. Youths\u27 violence exposure was related to perceptions of aggression as more acceptable, with parent–child aggression having the only unique association. Maternal attachment buffered the relation between exposure to community violence and perceived acceptability of aggression, which predicted decreased aggression. When exposed to high levels of community violence, youths with more secure maternal attachment perceived aggression as less acceptable than youths with less secure attachment and, in turn, displayed fewer aggressive behaviors. Interventions that focus on strengthening the caregiver–child relationship in children exposed to violence may reduce aggressive behaviors by interrupting the development of aggressive attitudes

The psychological determinants of healthy eating and physical activity among adolescents in Dubai

A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of PhilosophyThis research examined the psychosocial factors influencing physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake behaviour, intentions and health cognitions in secondary school children in the United Arab Emirates. Study 1 examined the prediction of Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991) and Prototype/Willingness Model (Gibbons and Gerrard, 1995) on behaviour, intentions and cognitions in 536 secondary school students. Findings indicated that attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and prototype perceptions accounted for a significant proportion of behavioural intentions, after controlling for parental behaviour. Prototype variables, especially similarity, improved the predicting validity of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Some differences between age and gender were noted. Prototype similarity appeared to be the strongest predictor of behavioural intentions out of the prototype measures. Study 2 tested the effectiveness of an action planning intervention (Gollwitzer, 1993) and image intervention (Gibbons and Gerrard,1995) in 188 secondary school students. A longitudinal design was employed collecting data over 6 months measuring behaviour, behavioural interventions and components from the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Prototype/Willingness Model. Participants in the action‐planning group were asked to form specific implementation intentions of physical activity and fruitand vegetable intake. Participants in the image group were asked to consider favourable behaviour specific prototype and describe them. Findings revealed no significant intervention effects on intentions or behaviour. Some significant effects were seen on health cognitions across time points and conditions. Study 3 explored knowledge, outcome expectations, facilitators and social modelling, drawing from Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986) by conducting 8 semistructured focus group interviews (N=40). Emerging themes were: ‘Knowledge of physical activity’, ‘Impact on health, wellbeing and physical appearance’, ‘Having fun together’, ‘Important role models’ ‘Knowledge of healthy eating’, ‘Physical and psychological rewards’, ‘Availability and appearance’ and ‘Sometimes yummy and sometimes yucky’. Findings highlighted enjoyment and social factors as strong influences of physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake. The overall findings provided some evidence for future implications and further quantitative and qualitative approaches were recommended to further establish the influential factors of children’s healthy eating and physical activity habits in the Middle East

The Effect of Parental Smoking on Preadolescents’ Implicit and Explicit Perceptions of Smoking-related Cues

Children of smokers are significantly more likely to experiment with cigarettes and become habitual smokers than children of nonsmokers. The current study examined the effect of parental smoking on children’s implicit and explicit responses toward smoking behavior and smoking-related cues with the goal of identifying potential mechanisms for this relationship. A sample of 8–12-year-old children of smokers (n = 57) and children of nonsmokers (n = 86) completed a dot probe task to assess implicit attentional bias toward smoking cues and the Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP) to assess implicit affective responses to smoking cues. In addition, children indicated their explicit perceptions of smokers and smoking behavior. Results demonstrated that children of smokers showed more sustained implicit attentional bias toward pictures of smoking stimuli presented alone than children of nonsmokers. Overall, participants showed negative implicit affective responses to smoking stimuli regardless of parental smoking. Children of smokers indicated that smokers would experience fewer negative consequences than children of nonsmokers; these relationships were moderated by age. Together, our findings suggest that parental smoking affects the ways that preadolescent children implicitly process smoking cues and their perceptions about smoking and its consequences. These findings help us understand the environmental mechanisms associated with smoking behavior in this vulnerable population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved