Search

Objectives: This paper explores the factors influencing the involvement of health-promoting Taiwanese elementary schools in school-family partnership. Methods: The study design was cross-sectional. A stratified random sample was used, according to the size of the districts and individual schools, to select participants from 2,675 primary schools in Taiwan. A total of 584 participants were recruited and the response rate was 67% (n=391). Structured questionnaires including items on demographics, predisposing factors, reinforcing factors, enabling factors, and involvement in school-family partnership, were used to collect data. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and hierarchy regression, and p < .05 was considered statistically significant. The research framework was based on the PRECEDE-PROCEED model. Results: The demographics, predisposing factors, reinforcing factors, and enabling factors were the major factors affecting school involvement in school-family partnership, accounting for 46.4% of the total variance for involvement in school-family partnership. The demographics, predisposing factors, reinforcing factors, and enabling factors can divided for 4.4%, 13.2%, 20.3% & 8.6% of the total variances. Conclusions: The availability of helpful resources, supportive policymaking, supportive principal, colleagues, and perceived efficacy of school-family partnership, can successfully enhanced school involvement in school-family partnership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a teaching module about healthy dietary behaviors based on the Transtheoretical Model and Problem-based Learning on elementary school students in Taiwan. This module was expected to increase students' awareness about dietary and health issues, dietary knowledge, outcome expectancy, reinforcement and management skills, social support, self-efficacy, and healthy dietary behaviors. Methods: A nonequivalent experimental-control group design was used with 5th grade classes from two elementary schools in Ilan County. The experimental group received instruction in healthy eating during the intervention period, while the control group received no intervention during the same period. Evaluations of formation, process, and outcome were done with questionnaire surveys to collect quantitative data. A closed-ended pretest-posttest questionnaire and another closedended follow-up test questionnaire were used to evaluate the outcome effects. Results: The results supported the hypothesis that this module could produce a positive increase in students' awareness about dietary and health issues, dietary knowledge, reinforcement and management skills, self-efficacy, and healthy dietary behaviors. A follow-up test provided support for continued educational effects on students' healthy dietary behaviors. Conclusions: The results of this study provide a new perspective for future research and teacher training with regard to healthy eating in elementary schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]