Associations between parent-adolescent health-related conversations and mealtime media use among Hispanic families.

INTRODUCTION: Whereas parents play an important role in shaping the home environment, it is unknown whether health-related parent-adolescent conversations may be associated with different health-promoting parenting practices, such as limiting adolescent mealtime media use in Hispanic families. METHOD: For this cross-sectional analysis, Hispanic parents (n = 344; 40.4 ± 6.6 years; 89.2% female) of sixth- to eighth-grade adolescents self-reported the frequency of having health- or weight-related conversations with their adolescent child, and the frequency of adolescent mealtime media device use. Spearman's rank correlations were used to assess whether parent-adolescent health-related conversations are associated with mealtime media device use by adolescents. RESULTS: Over 75% of parents reported having conversations about healthy eating and being physically active at least a few times per week. Fewer parents reported having frequent weight-related conversations. Frequency of mealtime media use was low, except for television/movie watching (only 30% of parents reported their child rarely/never watching television during family meals). Having conversations related to the adolescent weighing too much was correlated with the mealtime use of television (r = .207; p < .001), cellphones (r = .134; p = .018), and headphones for music listening (r = .145; p = .010). Conversations about exercising to lose weight were correlated with television/movie watching during mealtimes (r = .129; p = .035). DISCUSSION: Findings suggest the co-occurrence of less health-promoting parenting behaviors, such as focusing on weight-related conversations and allowing the use of media devices during mealtimes. Focusing on health- rather than weight-related parent-adolescent conversations and implementing mealtime media use rules may have the potential to shape a home food environment which ultimately could improve an adolescent's overall health outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Diet Outcomes from a Randomized Controlled Trial Assessing a Parenting Intervention Simultaneously Targeting Healthy Eating and Substance Use Prevention among Hispanic Middle-School Adolescents.

Parents play a significant role in adolescent health behaviors; however, few nutrition interventions for Hispanic adolescents involve parents. This study assessed the effects of a 10-week parenting intervention simultaneously targeting nutrition and substance use prevention. Hispanic parent/6th-8th-grade adolescent dyads (n = 239) were randomized to Families Preparing the New Generation Plus (FPNG+; nutrition/substance use prevention), FPNG (substance use prevention only), or Realizing the American Dream (RAD; academic success control). Surveys assessed diet, alcohol use, substance use intentions, and substance use norms at baseline (T1), immediately post-intervention (T2), and at 16 weeks post-intervention (T3). Latent change modeling assessed diet changes; adolescent substance use outcomes were assessed using effect sizes. Among adolescents, those in FPNG+ increased fruit (+0.32 cup equivalents, p = 0.022) and fiber intake (+1.06 g, p = 0.048) and did not change added sugars intake at T2; those in FPNG and RAD reduced their intake of fruit and fiber (p < 0.05 for both). FPNG+ parents marginally increased fruit/vegetable intake (+0.17 cup equivalents, p = 0.054) and increased whole grains intake (+0.25-ounce equivalents, p < 0.05), in contrast to the reduction among RAD and FPNG parents (p < 0.05). Reductions in added sugar intake at T2 were greater among FPNG and FPNG+ parents relative to RAD parents (p < 0.05). FPNG+ and FPNG had comparable substance use outcomes (i.e., both had lower alcohol use and intentions to use substances relative to RAD). Engaging parents in a nutrition and substance use prevention parenting intervention yielded positive changes in dietary intake and maintained substance use prevention outcomes among their adolescent children.

Qualitative Research on the Perceptions of Factors Influencing Diet and Eating Behaviors Among Primarily Latinx Seventh-Grade Students.

BACKGROUND: Latinx youth are a population of concern, at elevated risk for chronic diseases and with poor adherence to dietary recommendations. OBJECTIVES: To examine Latinx seventh-grade students' perceptions of the factors that influence their diet and eating behaviors. DESIGN: This qualitative research used focus groups and an inductive content analysis approach. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: Five sex-stratified focus groups (three groups with females) with 35 primarily Latinx seventh-grade students were conducted at two local Title 1 public middle schools in a large metropolitan area of the Southwestern United States. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The discussion protocol included questions about participants' food choices, the role of their parents in their diet, and healthy body-related concerns among their peers. ANALYSES: Verbatim transcripts were coded in NVivo 12 on the basis of specificity, extensiveness, and frequency. Themes emerged from group dialogue, detailed conversations, and predominant topics of discussion, and aligned with ecological systems theory. RESULTS: Participants referred to factors influencing Latinx seventh-grade students' eating behaviors at the individual, family, household, and school levels. At the individual level, participants described their eating as unhealthy and perceived it as determined by taste, convenience, ease of preparation, and home availability. Participants expressed concerns about diabetes because of their body weight and family history, and identified those concerns as reasons for acceptance of healthy foods and the desire for parents to model healthy eating behaviors. Family-level factors perceived as influencing dietary behaviors included the role of parents as providers of food and models of unhealthy eating, budget constraints, and availability (or lack thereof) of healthy foods at home. Similarly, the identified school-level factors aligned with availability and quality of foods in that environment. CONCLUSIONS: Family- and household-related factors emerged as important influences on seventh-grade students' dietary behaviors. Future diet interventions should incorporate strategies targeting these multiple-level factors that influence dietary intake for Latinx youth and that address the concerns related to disease risk.

Adaptation process of a culturally congruent parenting intervention for parents of Hispanic adolescents to an online synchronous format.

Adaptations to interventions for specific settings or communities are critical for facilitating successful implementation. The Dynamic Adaptation Process model was applied to systematically assess the adaptation process made to an in-person parenting intervention (FPNG+) prior to its implementation online. This qualitative case study design included meeting notes and interviews completed with project team members. Meeting notes were analyzed using content analysis. Semi-structured interviews regarding project team members' roles on FPNG+ and processes and activities they identified as critical for the adaptation of FPNG+ to an online intervention were analyzed using a deductive-inductive approach. In the formative phase, three primary processes were identified: information gathering to determine if the environment existed for the implementation of an online program; considerations to support the facilitation process of FPNG+ to an online environment, and decision-making to support modifications to FPNG+. The pre-implementation phase consisted of three processes: information shared by the instructional designer to facilitate the delivery of the FPNG+ content online; modifications made to the format of the intervention to meet the cultural needs of Hispanic families and address contextual issues; and iterative efforts to tailor the intervention by the project team. This study used implementation science to distinguish the dynamic processes that occurred across different systems and multiple levels in the project team's effort to modify FPNG+ to an online intervention. The contribution of this study underscores the importance of identifying the processes that facilitate the modifications made to an intervention and the capacity to implement the modified intervention with Hispanic families.

Adaptations to interventions for specific settings or communities are critical for facilitating successful implementation. The Dynamic Adaptation Process model was used to systematically assess the adaptation process made to an in-person parenting intervention (FPNG+) prior to its implementation online. Using a qualitative case study design, meeting notes were analyzed using content analysis; and semi-structured interviews were analyzed using a deductive-inductive approach. In the formative phase, three processes were identified: information gathering to determine if the environment existed for the implementation of an online program; considerations to support the facilitation process of FPNG+ to an online environment, and decision-making to support modifications to FPNG+. The pre-implementation phase consisted of three processes: information shared by the instructional designer to facilitate the delivery of the FPNG+ content online; modifications made to the format of the intervention to meet the cultural needs of Hispanic families and address contextual issues; and iterative efforts to tailor the intervention by the project team. The contribution of this study underscores the importance of identifying the processes that facilitate the changes made to an intervention and the capacity to implement the modified intervention with Hispanic families.

Methods and rationale to assess the efficacy of a parenting intervention targeting diet improvement and substance use prevention among Latinx adolescents.

Latinx adolescents are at higher risk for chronic diseases relative to adolescents of other ethnic groups, in part because of their lack of adherence to diet recommendations and their higher rates of substance use. Given the proximal influence of family factors during the developmental stage of adolescence, parenting interventions may be an effective way to promote healthy nutrition and substance use prevention simultaneously. This article describes the design and theoretical rationale of a study assessing the effects of Families Preparing the New Generation Plus (FPNG Plus), a 10-week culturally-tailored nutrition and substance use prevention parenting program, on diet and substance use outcomes among Latinx middle school students (6th-8th grade). The 3-arm cluster randomized controlled trial compares FPNG Plus (substance use prevention and healthy nutrition), FPNG (substance use prevention only), and a comparison condition (focusing on academic success) in 1494 parent-child dyads from 18 schools, randomized at the school level. Adolescents and parents will complete surveys pre- and post-intervention, and 16-weeks after program participation, regarding diet behaviors, substance use, and parenting practices. A random subsample of 126 dyads (42 from each program), will participate in additional data collection to assess the home food environment, detailed dietary intake (via two 24-h recalls), and provide biomarkers of cardiometabolic risk (blood pressure, total cholesterol and HbA1c). If successful, this study will provide evidence contributing to helping Latinx parents assist their adolescent children develop and maintain long-lasting positive lifestyle behaviors in order to prevent concurrent substance use and diet-related chronic diseases.

Binational Cultural Adaptation of the keepin' it REAL Substance Use Prevention Program for Adolescents in Mexico.

Sharp increases in substance use rates among youth and the lack of evidence-based prevention interventions in Mexico are a major concern. A team of investigators from Mexico and the USA are actively addressing this gap by culturally adapting keepin' it REAL (kiR)-a former US SAMHSA model program-for Mexico. This paper reports on the processes and outcomes of the cultural adaptation of kiR for adolescents in Mexico. Multiple forms of data informed this cultural adaptation, including focus groups with students about gendered and violence experiences with substance use, feedback from teachers who previously implemented the original versions of kiR, lesson fidelity observations, and external expert reviews. The culturally adapted version of kiR integrates Ecological Validity and Cultural Sensitivity Models in the adaptation process. The process encompassed surface structure adaptations, like updating language, graphics, and videos, as well as deep structure adaptation components including cultural norms, attitudes, and beliefs salient among Mexican adolescents. Youth reported receiving alcohol offers from family members, links between substance use and violence, and that shifting gender norms result in more females initiating substance use offers. In adapted kiR activities, students practice navigating substance use offers in these contexts. This approach to cultural adaptation led to a true collaborative between investigators in two countries. This study advances knowledge about how to undertake cultural adaptations of efficacious US-based prevention programs in international settings.