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Determinants of positive health behavior in middle childhood

L L Farrand1, C L Cox

  • 1University of Illinois, Chicago, College of Nursing.

Nursing Research
|July 1, 1993
PubMed

Insights

This study examined factors influencing preadolescent health behaviors, finding they are gender-specific and influenced by both fixed background variables and modifiable factors like self-esteem and motivation.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Behavioral Science
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Understanding factors influencing children's health behaviors is crucial for developing effective interventions.
  • Preadolescence is a critical period for establishing lifelong health habits.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify sociodemographic, familial, psychological, and perceptual factors contributing to preadolescent health behaviors.
  • To develop and test models explaining health behaviors in 9- and 10-year-old children.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study utilizing self-report questionnaires.
  • Convenience sample of 260 children (9-10 years old) and their mothers.
  • Statistical modeling to analyze the variance in health behaviors.

Main Results:

  • Health behaviors demonstrated gender specificity.
  • A combination of nonmodifiable background variables and modifiable factors (self-esteem, intrinsic motivation, health perception) explained significant variance.
  • Models explained 53% of variance in girls' behaviors and 63% in boys' behaviors.

Conclusions:

  • Preadolescent health behaviors are complex, influenced by a interplay of fixed and modifiable factors.
  • Interventions should consider gender differences and target modifiable psychological and perceptual elements.
  • Future research can build upon these models to further elucidate health behavior determinants.

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