Special Report: Improving Body Image in Middle School

描述(由申请人提供)： 这个第二阶段的应用程序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)。该计划采用自尊的方法来改善身体形象、营养和体力活动，专为成熟和对身体的担忧高度突出的早期青少年(11至12岁)而设计。BDIA被认为是饮食失调发病的最强有力的危险因素之一，并被认为是引发物质使用和抑郁的危险因素。此外，BDIA和早期节食行为的增加与儿童肥胖率的上升平行。CD-ROM计划目标将通过神秘游戏格式提供；对风险因素评估的响应将为个人用户量身定做计划信息。这六个学习单元将涵盖青春期、营养、体力活动、自尊、关系尊重和媒体素养。第一阶段的试点研究确定了示范计划的可行性，并表明与青春期相关的知识显著增加，即学生在使用该计划后显著提高了他们对青春期问题的知识和意识，(T32=-5.55，p&lt；.0001)，这表明该计划有效地改变了至少一个与BDIA相关的重要维度。拟议的商业应用：目前约90%的儿童和青少年使用计算机，超过80%的儿童和青少年在学校使用计算机，计算机技术代表着公共卫生预防倡议的下一代。这项计划打算在学校提供，但也可以在其他环境中使用(例如，初级保健办公室、青年中心或在家里)。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青少年提供BDIA教育和预防的一种可取的、成本效益高的方式。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase II application proposes the development of an interactive, school-based multimedia program that addresses body dissatisfaction in adolescents (BDIA). Using a self-esteem approach to improve body image, nutrition, and physical activity, the program is designed for early adolescents (ages 11 to 12) when maturation and body concerns are highly salient. BDIA is considered one of the most robust risk factors in the onset of eating disorders, and is implicated as a risk factor in the initiation of substance use and depression. Further, increasing rates of BDIA and the early initiation of dieting behaviors parallels the rising rates of childhood obesity. The CD-ROM program goals will be delivered through a mystery game format; responses to a risk factor assessment tailor program messages to the individual user. The six learning modules will cover puberty, nutrition, physical activity, self-esteem, relational esteem, and media literacy. The Phase I pilot study established the demonstration program's feasibility and indicated a significant increase in puberty-related knowledge, i.e., students significantly improved their knowledge and awareness of puberty issues after using the program, (t32=-5.55, p<.0001 ), suggesting that the program effectively changed at least one important dimension related to BDIA. Proposed Commercial Applications: With about 90 percent of children and adolescents using computers today and over 80 percent using computers at school, computer technology represents the next generation for public health prevention initiatives. This program is intended to be offered in schools, but can be readily used in other settings (e.g., primary care offices, youth centers, or at home). 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, cost effective way to offer BDIA education and prevention to young adolescents.