Special Report: Improving Body Image in Middle School

描述(由申请者提供)：我们建议开发一个交互式的、以学校为基础的多媒体程序，以解决青少年对身体的不满(BDIA)，名为特别报告：身体交谈。拟议中的计划将针对12岁至14岁的早期青少年，此时成熟、身体形象和体重问题非常突出。身体不满被认为是导致身体紊乱和有害节食(如饮食失调)的最有力因素之一。通过使用包含引人入胜的视频、音频和图形功能的互动光盘，将通过新闻编辑室的形式提供教育，学生用户与屏幕上的青少年一起创作新闻故事，重点是身体成熟和健康饮食的教育，关于吸引力的文化标准的媒体素养技能，以及身体形象问题。《特别报告：身体对话》采用经验之谈的预防策略，每节45-50分钟，内容包括：(1)带有量身定做的规范反馈的风险评估，(2)基本知识测试，(3)媒体识字练习，(4)有关体重管理和营养的个人相关教育，以及抵制与体重有关的取笑和提高身体满意度的技能培养练习。虽然该计划的目的是在学校提供，但该计划灵活的自给自足的设计将使其易于在其他环境中使用(例如，初级保健办公室、青年中心)。如果这样的计划证明了与传统教育方法相比在减少危险行为方面的有效性，学校管理人员和健康教育工作者可能会认为它是向初中生提供BDIA教育和预防的一种可取和经济高效的方式。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose the development of an interactive, school-based multimedia program that addresses body dissatisfaction in adolescents (BDIA) called Special Report: Body Talk. The proposed program will be designed for early adolescents, ages 12 to 14, when maturation, body image and weight concerns are highly salient. Body dissatisfaction is considered one of the most robust factors in the onset of body disturbances and harmful dieting, such as eating disorders. Through the use of an interactive CD-ROM incorporating engaging video, audio and graphic features, education will be delivered through a newsroom format where student users work with on-screen teens to create news stories focused on education of physical maturation and healthy eating, media literacy skills on cultural standards for attractiveness, and body image issues. Using empirically-sound prevention strategies, Special Report: Body Talk is one 45-50 minute session that will include: (1) risk assessment with tailored normative feedback, (2) basic knowledge test, (3) media literacy awareness exercise, (4) personally relevant education about weight management and nutrition, and skill building exercises to resist weight related teasing and increase body satisfaction. While the program is intended to be offered in school, the flexible self-contained design of the program will allow it to be readily used in other settings (e.g., primary care offices, youth centers). If such a program demonstrated effectiveness in reducing risk behaviors over traditional education approaches, school administrators and health educators would likely view it as a desirable and cost effective way to offer BDIA education and prevention to middle and junior high school students.