- Title
- Feasibility of the ‘Girls Recreational Activity Support Program using Information Technology’ (GRASP-IT) pilot study: a randomised controlled trial to increase physical activity among older adolescent girls using a social networking website
- Creator
- Kelty, Tracey
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2012
- Description
- Masters Research - Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
- Description
- This study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the Girls Recreational Activity Support Program using Internet Technology (GRASP-IT) intervention. The study involved a group randomised controlled trial for adolescent girls (mean age 15.7+ 1.5 years) recruited from two secondary schools in New South Wales, Australia. The study included an intervention (n = 29) and control (n = 23) group. The 12-week school-based intervention combined six weekly face-to-face sessions, that provided participants with education and participation in physical activity and followed with six weeks utilising a social networking website (Facebook) with the aim to further educate and motivate the participants to increase their physical activity. The study included baseline and 12-week follow-up measurements for physical activity (5 day pedometer step count), height and weight to indicate body mass index (BMI), estimated volume of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) to indicate fitness (measured by the Queen’s College Step Test), as well as self-efficacy and peer support for physical activity (measured by questionnaires). A comprehensive process evaluation which included a questionnaire and focus groups interviews at the intervention school was also conducted. The results of the study indicate that although, the intervention group significantly increased their physical activity (mean 1878 steps/day, p = 0.04) the difference between groups was not significant (p = 0.11, d = 0.8). Other results for secondary outcomes included BMI (p = 0.12, d = -0.5), fitness (p = 0.97, d = 0.1), self-efficacy (p = 0.06, d = 0.8) and peer support (p = 0.16, d = 0.6) all of these results changed over time, however, changes were not statistically significant between groups. The process evaluation and adherence data revealed that, although participants engaged with and enjoyed the face-to-face component of the GRASP-IT intervention, engagement with the on-line component was low. According to the process evaluation the participants were satisfied with the GRASP-IT study however, it is conclusive that the study was not long enough to impact significantly on self-efficacy to significantly increase physical activity in this cohort. The findings suggest the need for additional strategies to engage older adolescent girls to increase physical activity and improve their health and well-being. The school setting played an important role in providing opportunities for girls to be active and future studies need to consider school structures as well as other innovative interventions to engage adolescent girls to participate in physical activity. Interventions that utilise Facebook as a medium for increasing physical activity for adolescent girls require additional strategies to improve and, in particular, address the areas of engagement and compliance toward such online mediums for future success.
- Subject
- physical activity; intervention; adolescent girls
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/929810
- Identifier
- uon:10688
- Rights
- Copyright 2012 Tracey Kelty
- Language
- eng
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