Reliability and validity of the SE-HEPA: examining physical activity--and healthy eating-specific self-efficacy among a sample of preadolescents.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the self-efficacy for healthy eating and physical activity measure (SE-HEPA) for preadolescents. METHOD: The reliability of the measure was examined to determine if the internal consistency of the measure was adequate (i.e., αs > .70). Next, in an effort to determine if a two-factor model was a better fit than a one-factor model, as hypothesized, an exploratory factor analysis in a confirmatory factor analysis framework was used to determine model fit. Additionally, the criterion-related validity of the measure was evaluated by conducting correlational analyses to determine if SE-HEPA scores were associated with preadolescent body mass index. RESULTS: Consistent with the hypotheses, Cronbach's alphas indicated good reliability for the measure (i.e., αs > .70) and factor analyses indicated the two-factor model provided a better fit than the one-factor model. Additionally, correlations revealed a significant relationship between the two factors (i.e., healthy eating, physical activity) and preadolescent body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: The SE-HEPA will allow researchers and clinicians to better understand self-efficacy for behaviors important to weight loss among preadolescents. This could, in turn, inform future efforts aimed at increasing behaviors that promote healthy weight status among this population within the context of family-based weight loss programs.

Relationships among self-efficacy, social support, social problem solving, and self-management in a rural sample living with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Self-management behaviors are important for control of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Therefore, determining factors that promote effective self-management behaviors may be significant for improving the well-being of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This study examined relationships among self-efficacy, social support, social problem solving, and diabetes self-management behaviors. Further, this study evaluated whether social support and social problem solving were mediators of the relationship between self-efficacy and diabetes self-management behaviors in those living with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Using a cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design, data from a convenience sample of 152 rural people living with type 2 diabetes mellitus were examined. Findings indicated that self-efficacy was a strong predictor of diabetes self-management. The effect of social support on diabetes self-management differed among men and women in the sample. Social support and social problem solving were significantly associated with diabetes self-management in men. Neither social support nor social problem solving were mediators of the relationship between self-efficacy and diabetes self-management in this sample. These findings suggest that nurses need to consider implementing interventions to improve patients' self-efficacy and potentially influence diabetes self-management.

The relationship between self-efficacy for behaviors that promote healthy weight and clinical indicators of adiposity in a sample of early adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Examine the relationship between self-efficacy and various measures of adiposity in a sample of teens. METHODS: A total of 132 teens were selected from schools participating in an existing research study titled Teen Eating and Activity Mentoring in Schools (TEAMS). Teens completed demographic questionnaires and healthy eating-specific and physical activity-specific measures of self-efficacy. Waist circumference (WC), triceps skinfold thickness (TSF), and body mass index (BMI) percentile scores were also obtained. RESULTS: Regression analyses indicated that healthy eating-specific and physical activity-specific measures of self-efficacy predicted WC and TSF. ANOVA revealed significant differences in healthy eating-specific self-efficacy levels between students of recommended weight and overweight/obese status. Supplemental analyses showed significant negative relationships between a student's ideal BMI ratio and self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Because self-efficacy may be amenable to change, these findings could inform future efforts aimed at increasing behaviors that promote healthy weight status among early adolescents.

The PedsQL™ Oral Health Scale in Iranian children: reliability and validity.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of the study was to translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL™) Oral Health Scale in over 1000 Iranian children. METHODS: A standard forward and backward translation procedure was used to convert the US English dialect version of the PedsQL™ Oral Health Scale into the Iranian language (Persian). The Iranian version of the PedsQL™ Oral Health Scale, in combination with the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales, was then subsequently administered to 1053 Iranian children and 1026 parents. The reliability of the PedsQL™ Oral Health Scale was evaluated using internal consistency and test-retest methods. Known-groups discriminant validity, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the Oral Health and the four Generic Core Scales combined, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the Oral Health Scale alone were conducted. The Benjamini-Hochberg procedure was used to correct P-values for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Good to excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities were demonstrated. The PedsQL™ Oral Health Scale demonstrated discriminant validity for subgroups of children across different decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index categories and gender. The EFA supported the a priori factor model of the combined five scales. The CFA analysis confirmed the unidimensional factor structure of the Oral Health Scale. CONCLUSIONS: The PedsQL™ Oral Health Scale demonstrated excellent psychometric properties in combination with the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales. These five scales combined can be utilized to assess the multidimensional oral-health-related quality of life of Iranian children.

Examination of adolescents' screen time and physical fitness as independent correlates of weight status and blood pressure.

Physical fitness performance is an important health correlate yet is often unrelated to sedentary behaviour in early adolescence. In this study, we examined the association of sedentary behaviour (i.e. screen time) with weight-related health markers and blood pressure, after controlling for cardiorespiratory fitness performance. American middle school students (N = 153, 56% females) aged 11-15 years (mean 12.6 years, s = 0.5) completed assessments of cardiorespiratory fitness performance, screen time, weight status (BMI percentile, waist-to-height ratio), and blood pressure. Multivariate analysis of covariance, controlling for cardiorespiratory fitness performance, found those who met the daily recommendation of 2 h or less of screen time (n = 36, 23.5%) had significantly lower BMI (p < 0.05) and systolic blood pressure (p < 0.01) compared with those who exceeded this recommendation. Findings suggest specific intervention programmes may be designed to target both cardiorespiratory fitness and sedentary behaviours to maximize early adolescent health because these behaviours are likely to have unique and independent effects on youth health markers.

Physician identification and management of psychosocial problems in primary care.

Often the burden of identifying children with behavioral or developmental problems is left up to the primary care physician (PCP). However, previous literature shows that PCPs consistently underidentify children with developmental/behavioral problems in pediatric primary care. For the current study, questionnaires containing three vignettes followed by questions addressing common psychosocial problems, general questions about their practice and training, and the Physician Belief Scale were distributed to physicians. Results indicated that physicians were better at identifying severe problems, had more difficulty identifying psychosocial problems with mild symptomatology, and tended to refer to a medical specialist or mental health professional more often for severe problems, depression or a developmental problem. Physicians tended to view treating psychosocial problems favorably.

Examining the influence of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology: an empirical approach.

OBJECTIVE: To empirically examine whether research published in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology (JPP) guides research both within and outside the field of pediatric psychology. METHODS: Articles published in JPP from 2000 to 2004 were evaluated to determine the frequency with which articles in JPP from 2000 influenced subsequent research. Citation rates by other journals were also examined. RESULTS: Articles in JPP from 2000 were frequently cited in subsequent research, but authors rarely cited previous research as being instrumental in the development of their study design. Articles in JPP from 2000 were also frequently cited by outside journals. Specifically, journals classified as "medical and medical subspecialties" had the highest rates of citing JPP articles. CONCLUSIONS: The finding that JPP is cited both within JPP and other journals provides further evidence that pediatric psychology is a thriving interdisciplinary field.