Browsing by Subject "Wellness"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
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    Designing a Self-Determination Theory-Based App for a Wellness Behavior Change
    (2020-06) Wicker, Olivia
    Chronic diseases and mental health conditions are a costly and rising health concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic diseases are rapidly growing and are currently the number one cause of death in America (Chronic Diseases in America). In addition, 19.2% of Americans suffer from a mental health illness, according to the National Alliance on Mental Health (“Mental Health By the Numbers | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness”). Many of these diseases are related and can be linked to unhealthy personal behaviors, such as lack of physical activity and poor nutrition (Chronic Diseases in America;“WHO | 2. Background”). Improving these health behaviors could help lower and/or improve many physical and mental conditions. In the last decade, there has been an expansion in health and fitness apps, but that does not translate to improved health behaviors. One concern is there is a lack of regulation and theory implemented in them (Higgins; Herrmann and Kim; Ozdalga et al.). Few apps take the needed step to use behavior change strategies and building self-efficacy and instead only monitor behavior, provide information, and assist with goal setting (Direito et al.; Higgins; Herrmann and Kim; Sullivan and Lachman, Schoeppe et al.). Apps often offer incentive programs that do not show long-term results and are a source of extrinsic motivation (Herrmann and Kim). Rewards and extrinsic motivation can be helpful for starting a program or health change, but intrinsic motivation is needed for behavior maintenance (Pope and Harvey; Sardi et al.). Self-determination theory is a human behavior meta-theory that suggests people become self-determined by three innate needs: autonomy, relatedness, and competence (Ryan and Deci). Building an app around self-determination theory will better promote long-term health changes that the user will be intrinsically motivated to maintain. This thesis proposes a prototype app designed around self-determination theory. Both the user experience and the design of the user interface promote the theory. This is a design-based project intended to explore a way in which the app could be designed. With this approach, the app would have three levels, moving the user towards becoming intrinsically motivated. As the user advances levels, the app assists with and promotes the user’s autonomy, relatedness, and competence. The final level (and goal) of the app should have two effects on the user that work together: assist the user in developing intrinsic motivation to make healthy choices and to discourage reliance on the app to the point of potentially not needing it at all. This will create a long-term change for the user in multiple health and wellness behaviors, which will, in theory, lead to fewer health problems and chronic diseases and a longer, healthier life.
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    From Problem to Promise: An Examination of the Effects of Peer Group Coaching on the Wellbeing of Undergraduate Students
    (2015-05) Sommers, Jayne
    College student mental health has historically been framed as a "crisis"� in need of a solution. Currently, college counseling centers report an inability to meet the demands of students. This study invites a shift in thinking about college student mental health to a focus on student wellbeing. This focus is not meant to replace attention to severe mental health needs of students, but is instead intended to augment the work being done by student affairs staff. Given college students' increasing mental health needs, higher education professionals are obligated to explore additional means of supporting students. The practice of peer coaching has been demonstrated as beneficial to participants in spheres outside of higher education. This mixed methods study sought to examine the experiences of 30 undergraduate students enrolled in a semester-long peer group coaching program. Students who participated in peer group coaching (n = 30) showed significant increases in multiple dimensions of wellbeing as measured by the Ryff (1989) Scales of Psychological Wellbeing and the Social Provisions Scale (Cutrona & Russell, 1987), while a comparison group (n = 34) increased in only one dimension. Analysis of qualitative interview data provided description of the experience of peer group coaching in students' own words, and a third analysis involving both the quantitative and qualitative data provided support for and illumination of the quantitative changes. Overall, the results of this study support the creation of peer coaching groups as one means of addressing the needs of today's undergraduate students.
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    Minutes: Senate Benefits Advisory Committee: Febuary 20, 2003
    (University of Minnesota, 2003-02-20) University of Minnesota: Senate Benefits Advisory Committee
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    Minutes: Senate Benefits Advisory Committee: January 19, 2006
    (University of Minnesota, 2006-01-19) University of Minnesota: Senate Benefits Advisory Committee
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    Minutes: Senate Benefits Advisory Committee: May 1, 2008
    (University of Minnesota, 2008-05-01) University of Minnesota: Senate Benefits Advisory Committee
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    Minutes: Senate Benefits Advisory Committee: May 2, 2002
    (2002-05-02) University of Minnesota: Senate Benefits Advisory Committee
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    Wellness in the Midst of Disease: A Narrative Analysis of Growing Up with Rheumatic Conditions
    (2015-08) Wells, Courtney
    Rheumatic diseases affect approximately 300,000 U.S. children and cause inflammation of cartilage, bones, connective tissues, and internal organs. More than half of these children may experience life-long disability, chronic pain, and potent medication side effects (David et al., 1994; Foster et al., 2003; Hersh, von Scheven, & Yelin, 2011). Due to recent advancements in the treatment of rheumatic conditions, little is known about the long-term physical or psychosocial outcomes of childhood-onset rheumatic conditions (Duffy, 2004). Thus, the primary aim of the present study was to use a developmental and ecological approach to capture rich descriptions of the physical and psychosocial development of young adults living with childhood-onset rheumatic diseases during the transition into adulthood. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 12 young adults (ages 25-35) with childhood-onset rheumatic diseases from rheumatology clinics in the Twin Cities metro area and the Arthritis Foundation. Participants engaged in up to three one-hour long interviews; multiple interviews allowed for increased depth and reflection time. A semi-structured interview guide was used to probe about the experience of growing up with rheumatic diseases, current health status, and coping mechanisms. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and data were coded with the assistance of NVivo software (QSR, 2012). Thematic analysis highlighted commonalities across participant narratives and was guided by the narrative model described by Lieblich, Tuval-Mashiach, and Zilber (1998), as well as Erikson's construct of Vital Involvement (VI: Kivnick & Wells, 2014). Eight categories and 27 themes emerged from the data. Findings from this study have the potential to make significant theoretical and practical contributions to social work, rheumatology, and beyond.
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    Youth and nature: assessing the impact of an integrated wellness curriculum on nature based play and nature appreciation for youth in out-of-school time recreation programming.
    (2009-05) Lewis, Terence Grant , Jr.
    The United States is facing a dilemma related to the wellbeing of today's children and adolescents. Youth, on a broader scale, are increasingly afflicted with what author Richard Louv, in his book Last Child in the Woods (2005), has labeled "nature deficit disorder" (NDD). The NDD phenomenon is considered to have emerged as a result of children and adolescents not having as many direct experiences with or exposure to nature. Estimations are that from the years 1997 to 2003 there was a 50% drop in the number of youth who participated in outdoor activities, including walking, hiking, and fishing ("Mother Nature Knows Best", 2007). Furthermore, only six percent of children age 9 to 13 plays outside on their own (Louv, 2007). Play, however, is considered an essential part of the learning process throughout life and should not be neglected (Rieber, Smith, & Noah, 1998). In addition, there is growing evidence indicating that there are healthy outcomes associated with unstructured play in nature and that although children only play outdoors for limited amounts of time, they enjoy playing outdoors, and given more choice and/or opportunity, many would play outdoors more than they currently do (British Market Research Bureau, 2005; Ericson, 2001; White & Stoecklin, 1998). The purpose of the study was to further investigate the premise that structured integrative health and wellness programs in an out-of-school setting can play a significant role in helping young people adopt physical activity habits and behaviors, as well as influencing dietary choices. This study focused specifically on the evaluation of the Säjai® Wise Kids® Outdoors program to gain an increased comprehension of the effects that may result from intentional out-of-school time programming with wellness and outdoor exploration focus areas. The program was designed to be fun, experiential, and educational in promoting nature based play and nature appreciation in youth ages 6 to11 years of age while teaching them basic wellness concepts. The research design used to evaluate the program's effects is best described as a mixed-methods approach. The study is based on a quasi-experimental, repeated measures design that utilized a collective (multi-site) case study technique with pre-, post- and follow-up assessments. Multiple sources of evidence were used in the study, including surveys, observations, and focus groups with youth and staff. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) served as the theoretical framework as the latent constructs of the TPB have been indicated in the literature as being predictive of behavior related to physical activity and dietary choices. Although program enrollment in the cities of St. Paul and San Francisco totaled 170 participants, 67 youth ages 6 to 13 from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds completed all three phases of data collection. Quantitative measures were administered to assess change in adolescent outcomes related to the latent constructs of the TPB. While results of the quantitative analysis did not show significant differences across the three measures of the study, youth were found to display significantly higher than average means at baseline. This supports the possibility that youth who showed a higher affiliation towards the constructs measured at baseline, as well as at the end of implementation, will have a continued or greater desire or intention to spend time in the outdoors, thus leading to increased physical activity. Triangulation of qualitative and quantitative findings provided further evidence that out-of-school time programs that are intentionally designed to engage youth with concepts focused on wellness and the natural environment, such as Wise Kids® Outdoors, have the ability to serve as a gateway of opportunity for youth to explore and discover a relationship with nature.
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    Youth and nature:aassessing the impact of an integrated wellness curriculum on nature based play and nature appreciation for youth in out-of-school time recreation programming.
    (2009-05) Lewis, Terence Grant , Jr.
    The United States is facing a dilemma related to the wellbeing of today's children and adolescents. Youth, on a broader scale, are increasingly afflicted with what author Richard Louv, in his book Last Child in the Woods (2005), has labeled "nature deficit disorder" (NDD). The NDD phenomenon is considered to have emerged as a result of children and adolescents not having as many direct experiences with or exposure to nature. Estimations are that from the years 1997 to 2003 there was a 50% drop in the number of youth who participated in outdoor activities, including walking, hiking, and fishing ("Mother Nature Knows Best", 2007). Furthermore, only six percent of children age 9 to 13 plays outside on their own (Louv, 2007). Play, however, is considered an essential part of the learning process throughout life and should not be neglected (Rieber, Smith, & Noah, 1998). In addition, there is growing evidence indicating that there are healthy outcomes associated with unstructured play in nature and that although children only play outdoors for limited amounts of time, they enjoy playing outdoors, and given more choice and/or opportunity, many would play outdoors more than they currently do (British Market Research Bureau, 2005; Ericson, 2001; White & Stoecklin, 1998). The purpose of the study was to further investigate the premise that structured integrative health and wellness programs in an out-of-school setting can play a significant role in helping young people adopt physical activity habits and behaviors, as well as influencing dietary choices. This study focused specifically on the evaluation of the Säjai® Wise Kids® Outdoors program to gain an increased comprehension of the effects that may result from intentional out-of-school time programming with wellness and outdoor exploration focus areas. The program was designed to be fun, experiential, and educational in promoting nature based play and nature appreciation in youth ages 6 to11 years of age while teaching them basic wellness concepts.The research design used to evaluate the program's effects is best described as a mixed-methods approach. The study is based on a quasi-experimental, repeated measures design that utilized a collective (multi-site) case study technique with pre-, post- and follow-up assessments. Multiple sources of evidence were used in the study, including surveys, observations, and focus groups with youth and staff. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) served as the theoretical framework as the latent constructs of the TPB have been indicated in the literature as being predictive of behavior related to physical activity and dietary choices. Although program enrollment in the cities of St. Paul and San Francisco totaled 170 participants, 67 youth ages 6 to 13 from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds completed all three phases of data collection. Quantitative measures were administered to assess change in adolescent outcomes related to the latent constructs of the TPB. While results of the quantitative analysis did not show significant differences across the three measures of the study, youth were found to display significantly higher than average means at baseline. This supports the possibility that youth who showed a higher affiliation towards the constructs measured at baseline, as well as at the end of implementation, will have a continued or greater desire or intention to spend time in the outdoors, thus leading to increased physical activity. Triangulation of qualitative and quantitative findings provided further evidence that out-of-school time programs that are intentionally designed to engage youth with concepts focused on wellness and the natural environment, such as Wise Kids® Outdoors, have the ability to serve as a gateway of opportunity for youth to explore and discover a relationship with nature.