Adolescent dance program

BELLARMINE UNIVERSITY, LOUISVILLE, KY

Dancing for Health and Wellness: A Community-Based

Approach to Promoting Physical Activity Among

Underprivileged Adolescent Girls

Kristin Hamrick and Laura Stigler DPT Candidates

Dr. Tony Brosky Project Advisor

Dr. Thomas R. Wójcicki Project Advisor


What was the need?

• Dance class unavailable prior to the program

• Verbal interest in a dance course has been

obtained.

• Few fitness classes available to adolescent females

currently.


What is the significance?

• Underprivileged adolescents have a higher risk of

developing obesity.

• Prevalence of obese adolescents in the US has

increased 4.6% to 18.4% over the last 60 years

• Body mass index (BMI) of a child or adolescent

tracks into adulthood, indicating the importance

of early intervention to prevent progression of

chronic diseases


What is the significance? Continued…..

• Physical activity is associated with reducing many of

the health consequences related to physical inactivity

• Adolescents must engage in 60 minutes or more of

moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily.

• Encouraging adolescents to exercise and counter-

balance sedentary behaviors can provide the

necessary means to reduce potential health risks in

the future.


Purpose

Current research examining how dance affects

physical fitness and psychosocial health in

underprivileged adolescent females is limited. The

current study was created to bridge the gap in

literature and explore the physical and

psychosocial changes that occur following the

implementation of a consistent, encouraging, and

fun dance program promoting physical activity for

underprivileged adolescent girls.


The Road to Approval and

Implementation

• Bellarmine University IRB Review Board

• Institutional Review Board For The Protection

of Human Subjects Kentucky Cabinet For Heath

and Family Services

• Meeting with Home of the Innocents for

scheduling and resources


What was our intervention?

• Dance program:

– “a fun and exciting fitness class that includes exercises designed

to complement today’s music, featuring high and low intensity

movements in a group setting.”

– Two Doctor of Physical Therapy students monitored

and provided a dance class for adolescent girls, ages

13-18 years, at Home of the Innocents two times per

week for 6 weeks.

– Pre and post testing of both physical and psychosocial

assessment were obtained.


Who Participated?

• Home of the Innocents

• 27 adolescent girls, ages 13-18 years


Demographics

Participants

(n=27)

Age (years) Race

n (%):

Height

(in)

Weight

(lbs)

RHR

(bpm)

Resting

Systolic BP

(mmHg)

Resting

Diastolic BP

(mmHg)

Mean (SD):

15.26 (1.48)

White:

17 (63)

Mean (SD):

63.76 (1.93)

Mean (SD):

168.69 (48.20)

Mean (SD):

87.89 (13.20)

Mean (SD):

118.50 (7.59)

Mean (SD):

73.05 (10.18)

Black: 9

(33.3)

Median:

155.70

Latino: 1

(3.7)


Participant Descriptors

Classification Number of participants

n (%)

Underweight 0 (0)

Healthy

Weight

5 (25)

Overweight 6 (30)

Obese 9 (45)


Measurements: Psychosocial

• Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale

• Transtheoretical model (TTM)


Measurements: Physical Fitness

• Vital signs

• BMI

Using Fitnessgram protocol:

• One mile jog/run

• 90 degree push-up test

• Curl-up test

• Back-saver Sit and Reach


Procedures and Data Collection

• Surveys were given pre-intervention and Post-

intervention

• Fitness tests were given pre-intervention and

post-intervention.


Fitness Results at Baseline

Participants

(n=20)

Curl ups

Mean (SD)

90 degree

Push-Ups

Mean (SD)

Back Saver

Flexibility

Test (L)

Mean (SD)

Back Saver

Flexibility

Test (R)

Mean (SD)

Mile time

(min)

Mean (SD)

Mile HR

(BPM)

Mean (SD)

Mile Score

Mean (SD)

Pre-testing 12.40 (9.93) 4.00 (3.09) 12.48 (2.15) 11.98 (2.57) 16.49 (4.45) 148. 53 (27.03) 36.61 (11.44)


Psychosocial Measures at

Baseline

Participants

(n=20)

Self- Esteem

Mean (SD)

Self-Efficacy

Mean (SD)

Decisional

Balance-

Positive

Mean (SD)

Decisional

Balance-

Negative

Mean (SD)

15.00 (3.97) 2.73 (0.69) 15.50 (4.58) 9.40 (3.13)


Statistical Analysis

• Cohen d effect size was calculated to compare baseline scores

to post-intervention scores for each test and outcome. Effect

size calculations provide an estimate of strength of the

relationship between the dance and all parameters (self-

esteem, self-efficacy, positive and negative decisional balance,

strength, flexibility, and aerobic capacity).

• Reliability of the psychosocial surveys was calculated to

determine internal reliability of the survey and to determine

the appropriateness of using the surveys with this specific

population.


Effect Sizes of Psychosocial

Outcomes

Participants

(n=8)

Self- Esteem

(d)

Self-Efficacy

(d)

Decisional

Balance- Positive

(d)

Decisional

Balance- Negative

(d)

0.58 0.17 0.09 0.41


Effect Size of Finess Measures

Participants

(n=8)

Curl ups

(d)

90 degree

Push-Ups

(d)

Back Saver

Flexibility

Test (L)

(d)

Back Saver

Flexibility

Test (R)

(d)

Mile time

(min)

(d)

0.94 1.08 0.84 0.69 0.94


Limitations

Limitations of this study include:

• Lack of control group

• Small sample size

• Poor/inconsistent attendance

• Poor inter-rater reliability

• Varying mile jog conditions

• Inconsistent efforts

• Uncontrolled social factors


Observations

• This program had a positive influence on the

adolescents’ self-esteem and approach towards

engagement in physical activity.

• Program promoted within group social connections and

support

• Signs of improved health consciousness and efforts

towards change

• Program continued post intervention period due to

group enjoyment


Conclusion

• Results about the effects of dance on the physical fitness and

psychosocial health of underprivileged adolescent girls are

inconclusive due to several logistical and methodological constraints.

• Descriptive data highlight the need to develop sophisticated

behavioral interventions aimed at targeting the health and well-being

of this under-studied, at-risk population

• Results of improved self-esteem and physical fitness indicate a

positive response to the intervention provided.

• Study provides valid descriptive data and stands as a great pilot study

for working with such a unique and difficult to study population.


Questions

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Adolescent dance program

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