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Using school-level interviews to develop a Multisite PE intervention program.
Stacey G Moe1, Julie Pickrel, Thomas L McKenzie
1Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA. moe@epi.umn.edu
Summary
The Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) study used formative research to develop a physical activity intervention for middle school girls. This research informed the intervention design and assessed school policies.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Adolescent Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Adolescent girls experience a significant decline in physical activity.
- School environments play a crucial role in physical activity levels.
- Developing targeted interventions requires understanding school contexts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To inform the development of the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) intervention.
- To gather data on school structure, environment, and physical education practices.
- To align intervention strategies with existing school policies and national standards.
Main Methods:
- Two phases of formative research were conducted in middle schools.
- Phase 1 involved interviewing principals and staff using the School Survey (n=64).
- Phase 2 involved interviewing physical education department heads from selected TAAG schools (n=36).
Main Results:
- Formative research provided essential data for designing a standardized, multicomponent physical activity intervention.
- Findings informed the tailoring of the intervention for six U.S. regions.
- The study summarized the alignment of current school practices with national and state standards.
Conclusions:
- Formative research is critical for developing effective, contextually relevant health interventions for adolescents.
- Understanding school-level factors is key to promoting physical activity in middle school girls.
- The TAAG intervention development was guided by empirical data on school environments and policies.