THE EFFECTS OF THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT TRIAL FOR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH INTERVENTION ON PSYCHOSOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASERISK BEHAVIOR AMONG 3RD-GRADE STUDENTS

Purpose. The Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health is a multi-site study of a school-based intervention designed to reduce or prevent the development of risk factors for cardiovascular disease. T he goal was to change (or prevent) related risk behaviors and the psyc hosocial variables that theoretically influence those behaviors. Desig n. A nested design was used in which schools served as the primary uni t of analysis. Twenty-four schools participated at each of four sites (Austin, San Diego, Minneapolis, and New Orleans). Each site had 10 co ntrol and 14 intervention schools. Setting and Subject. Ninety-six sch ools (with more than 6000 students) in the four sites were randomized to three treatment conditions: control, school-based interventions, an d school-plus-family interventions. The sample included approximately equal numbers of males and females and was 67.5% white, 13.9% African- American, 13.9% Hispanic, and 4.7% other. Measures. The psychosocial d eterminants measured included improvements in dietary knowledge, inten tions, self-efficacy, usual behavior, perceived social reinforcement f or healthy food choices, and perceived reinforcement and self-efficacy for physical activity. Results. The findings indicated significant im provements in all the psychosocial determinants measured (p < .0001). The results revealed a greater impact in the school-plus-family interv ention schools for two determinants, usual dietary behavior and intent ions to eat heart-healthy foods. Conclusions. These findings support t heory-based interventions for changing selected psychosocial determina nts of cardiovascular disease risk behavior among children.