Living through the pandemic together: Exploring the associations among couples' communal orientation, self-disclosure, and thriving

The present study tested several pathways detailed in the theory of resilience and relational load (TRRL) in the context of urban couples living together during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifty cohabitating couples completed a baseline assessment and 7 days of daily diaries. Results indicated that, the more an individual or their partner reported being communally oriented within their relationship at baseline, the greater that individual's relational thriving each day. Results also revealed that, the more an individual reported being communally oriented, the more they viewed their partner as engaging in self-disclosure each day. Two indirect effects emerged, such that one's own communal orientation positively predicted their perceptions of their partner's self-disclosure, which in turn predicted greater individual and relational thriving. These findings and their implications for the TRRL, couples' communication, and coping with pandemic-related stress are discussed.

Home Visitation Program Staff Attitudes and Intentions Towards Using Digital Technology to Educate Families About Preventing Early Childhood Obesity: A Qualitative Study.

INTRODUCTION: Home visitation programs that reach families of young children offer a unique opportunity for large-scale early childhood obesity prevention efforts. The objective of this qualitative research was to determine stakeholder attitudes, subjective norms, perceived ease of use and usefulness, behavioral control, and behavioral intentions towards utilizing technology in a home visitation program targeting early childhood obesity prevention. METHODS: Staff from the Florida Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (n = 27) were interviewed individually by a trained research assistant using a semi-structured script based on constructs from the Technology Acceptance Model and Theory of Planned Behavior. Demographic and technology use information were collected. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, with data extracted and coded by two trained researchers using a theoretical thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: Most of the home visiting staff (78%) were white and non-Hispanic and employed for an average of 5 years with the program. Most staff (85%) indicated they were currently using videoconferencing for home visits. Themes and subthemes emerged, including positive attitudes towards technology as a flexible and time-efficient program alternative for childhood obesity prevention with recommendations to keep content short, at a low literacy level, and available in more than one language for ease of use. Participants recommended developing training tutorials to improve program implementation. Internet access and potential social disconnect were cited as concerns for using technology. DISCUSSION: Overall, home visitation staff had positive attitudes and intentions for using technology in home visiting programs with families for early childhood obesity prevention.

Results from the Strong Families Start at Home/Familias Fuertes Comienzan en Casa: feasibility randomised control trial to improve the diet quality of low-income, predominantly Hispanic/Latinx children.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the feasibility, acceptability and results of Strong Families Start at Home, a 6-month pilot trial of a home-based food parenting/nutrition intervention. DESIGN: Pilot randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Participants received six visits with a community health worker trained in motivational interviewing (three home visits, three phone calls); an in-home cooking or reading activity; personalised feedback on a recorded family meal or reading activity; text messages and tailored printed materials. PARTICIPANTS: Parents and their 2-5-year-old child were randomised into intervention (responsive food parenting practices/nutrition) or control (reading readiness) groups. RESULTS: Parents (n 63) were mostly mothers (90 %), Hispanic/Latinx (87 %), born outside the USA (62 %), with household incomes <$25 k (54 %). Despite delivery during COVID-19, 63 % of dyads were retained at 6 months. The intervention was delivered with high fidelity. All parents in the intervention group (n 24) expressed high levels of satisfaction with the intervention, which produced positive treatment effects for whole and total fruit component Healthy Eating Index-2015 scores (point estimate (PE) = 2·14, 95 % CI (0·17, 1·48); PE = 1·71, 95 % CI (0·16, 1·47), respectively) and negative treatment effects for sodium (PE = -2·09, 95 % CI (-1·35, -0·04)). Positive treatment effects also resulted for the following food parenting practices: regular timing of meals and snacks (PE = 1·08, 95 % CI (0·61, 2·00)), reducing distractions during mealtimes (PE = -0·79, 95 % CI (-1·52, -0·19)), using food as a reward (PE = -0·54, 95 % CI (-1·35, -0·04)) and providing a supportive meal environment (PE = 0·73, 95 % CI (0·18, 1·51)). CONCLUSION: Given the continued disparities in diet quality among low-income and diverse families, continued efforts to improve child diet quality in fully powered intervention trials are needed.

Feasibility of online behavioral clinical trials: The future of weight management randomized clinical trials?

Objective: Behavioral weight management trials are traditionally conducted in-person. The COVID-19 shutdown halted in-person operations, forcing investigators to develop new methods for remote treatment and assessment delivery without additional funding for website development or remote equipment. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of remote procedures from an ongoing weight management trial impacted by COVID-19. Methods: Using a quasi-experimental longitudinal design, in-person (pre-COVID) and remote (COVID) treatment and assessment procedures were used. Attendance at in-person versus remote (videoconference) treatment sessions was compared. Acceptability of treatment modalities (in-person vs. remote) was examined via self-report. Validity and reliability were assessed on bathroom scales. Attendance at remote (videoconference + mailed, scales) versus in-person assessment sessions was compared. Finally, exploratory analyses were conducted to determine whether participant characteristics moderated the effects. Results: Remote treatment attendance was significantly better than in-person. Overall, there was no significant difference in modality preference. However, Hispanic (vs. non-Hispanic) individuals had greater preference for remote options and attended more remote treatment sessions. Bathroom scales demonstrated excellent validity and reliability. Adherence to remote and in-person assessment sessions was similar. Conclusions: COVID-19 has provided an opportunity to rethink how we conduct research. Results herein establish an evidence-base to support a paradigm shift to remote clinical trial procedures. Such a shift may enhance diversity in clinical trials.

Relationship quality and objectively measured physical activity before and after implementation of COVID-19 stay-home orders.

In a sample of 28 individuals cohabiting with a partner in NYC, Boston, or Chicago, this study tested whether implementation of stay-home orders to combat the spread of COVID-19 disrupted physical activity and whether high-quality romantic relationships buffered adverse effects. Participants provided FitBit data between February and October, 2020. Stay-home orders were associated with a reduction in daily step counts, B = -1595.72, p = 0.018, increased sedentary minutes, B = 33.75, p = 0.002, and reduced daily minutes of light and moderate physical activity, B = -25.01, p = 0.011; B = -0.72, p = 0.021. No moderation effects emerged.