Mark J. Kittleson

Friends and Family: Implications for Youth Tractor Safety

Abstract Ajzen and Fishbein’s Theory of Reasoned Action was used to predict adolescents’ behavioral intention regarding safe farm tractor operation. A valid and reliable instrument was developed and was given to 235 Future Farmers of America (FFA) students from 10 schools in Illinois. The single best predictor of adolescents’ behavioral intention was the subjective norm (i.e., the respondents’ perceived behavioral prescriptions of friends and family members). Multiple regression determined that adding behavioral norm to Ajzen and Fishbein’s model significantly improved prediction of adolescents’ behavioral intention regarding safe farm tractor operation. The examples set by others play an important role in determining the behavioral intent of respondents regarding farm tractor safety.

The relationship of parental alcoholism and family dysfunction to stress among college students.

Abstract The relationship between collegiate adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) and adult children from dysfunctional families (ACDFs) was examined to determine whether ACOAs and ACDFs were at greater risk of stress than non-ACOAs and non-ACDFs. The participants were 549 students from a midwestern university. The data collection instruments were the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test, 6-Item Version (CAST-6); the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales, Version II (FACES-II); and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). A substantial proportion of the sample was classified as ACOA, ACDF, or both, and there was considerable overlap between the two groups. Both ACOA and ACDF status were found to be significant predictors of stress, with ACDF status being a better predictor than ACOA status. Possible explanations for the results and implications for collegiate wellness programs are discussed.

Philosophical Trends in Health Education: Implications for the 21st Century

Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore five health education philosophies: cognitive based, decision-making, behavior change, freeing/functioning, and social change. This was done in order to ascertain if there is a single dominant philosophy ascribed to by health educators, and discover any variations in philosophical preferences between health education academicians and practitioners. The Health Education Philosophy Inventory (HEPI) was designed to answer these questions. Through a series of vignettes and a rank order exercise, HEPI determined both philosophical preference within educational settings and philosophical beliefs. Data were collected from a nationwide random sample of health education professionals through a mailed survey. Total response rate of usable inventories was 48.3 percent. Content analysis determined the philosophical preference in educational settings was behavior change, followed by freeing/functioning. The stated philosophical preferences in the rank order exercise wa...

A Content Analysis of Health Education Teaching Strategy/Idea Articles: 1970–1998

Abstract A content analysis of health education teaching strategy/idea articles was conducted to determine the foci and trend of topic areas, teaching activities, target population, instructional objectives, and information about contributing author(s). All of the strategy/idea articles published by the Journal of Health Education (JOHE) (n=390) and the Journal of School Health (JOSH) (n=90) as of December 1998 were analyzed. Intercoder reliability was 92.6% and intracoder reliability was 95.7%. Various health education topics had been covered; however, the topic areas did not change much over nearly three decades. A variety of teaching activities had been introduced in both journals, with JOHE articles being more diverse. Many of the articles in both journals introduced several teaching and learning activities to teach one topic area. Student population was most often targeted. Significantly more JOSH articles than JOHE articles identified instructional objectives and the target population. University faculty members were the major body of contributors. It is recommended that in the future more topic areas should be covered and more population groups should be targeted. Future articles should provide the instructional objectives, identify the target population, and indicate the activity effectiveness. Authors other than university faculty should be encouraged to contribute innovative teaching strategies/ideas.