Background/Purpose: Over the last 20 years, numerous studies have reported insufficient knowledge and misconceptions in students' healthy behavior knowledge (e.g., Placek et al., 2001). The current study, guided by the public health literature and constructivist theory, sought to update our understanding of students' healthy behavior knowledge.
Method: This was a cross-sectional investigation in a district that used the Fitness for Life Middle School curricular model exclusively for 7th-9th grades. Participants completed one of four forms of a student assessment (with 21 common items and 52 unique items each) from the Fitness for Life Middle School test bank (Corbin et al., 2007). Participants (N=663) were in grades 7-12 (mostly 9th, 86%) at two schools in the Southwestern USA with both genders well represented and various ethnic backgrounds.
Analysis/Results: Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Rasch analysis that set four forms onto the same measurement scale and t-tests using Item Response Theory (IRT) measures. The Rasch model fit the data well with students' knowledge ranging from 1.25 to -2.71 logits (M=-0.92; SD=0.28). Total scores ranged from 2 to 55 (M=21.70; SD=9.05) out of 73. Girls had greater healthy behavior knowledge than boys [t(658) = -2.71, p<.01; Effect Size=.10].
Conclusions: Results suggest that secondary students (mostly junior high) still have many misconceptions or incomplete knowledge regarding healthy behavior content; an important link to developing healthy behaviors (DiLorenzo et al., 1998). Additional steps need to be taken to increase youth healthy behavior knowledge.
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