Dance Interventions
My initiative project created two different interventions, a liturgical dance group and a support group targeted at African American women. This project was 6-week long randomized study and tested the change in the participant’s thoughts on both adequate physical activity and dietary requirements. Both intervention targeted social and cultural values. The study used surveys at the beginning and at the end to determine the effectiveness of the interventions by the results of the individual surveys. Though, using biomarkers would have been ideal to display the outcomes of these interventions. This study was restricted to 6 weeks, which is not enough time to collect adequate bio markers. Therefore, using the stages of change to measure the outcomes
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was the most effective alternative. The stages of change is a model that evaluates person’s readiness to act on a new behavior such as eating healthier or engaging in physical activities.
The two interventions focused on promoting healthier dietary and physical lifestyles in African American women. Executing these initiatives was a part of reducing obesity and overall, many chronic diseases in this community of women. Using liturgical dance as a vital component connected physical activity with passion. On the other hand, support group activity created a safe and spiritual space for women in similar circumstances to learn different ways to eat healthier and exercise based on their specific lifestyles. My hope in this study was to determine which intervention created the most change in these women. Change is defined as the women’s self-professed levels of change from the beginning of the intervention to the end, based on the answers to the surveys.
The support group was facilitated by Dr. Pamela Henderson and at times by Pastor Faye August. These meetings consisted of active and engaging activities teaching on proper nutrition including portions sizes, reading labels and shopping healthy on a budget. This intervention consisted of teaching the women, allowing them to practice some of the skills taught and opening up room for dialogue so that alternatives could be found.
The liturgical group was taught by Yvonne Hamisi with the help of a dance coach, Teinya Thompson. These classes consisted of me teaching the group different choreographies. The aim was to teach and master 2 songs.
Participants
I recruited a group of 20 African American women. They are all members of Glory of God Ministries Inc. The age of the groups ranged between 22-60 years old with the average age being 35. 18 of the women reported to be in a relationship and 2 were single. 15 of the women had children ranging from 1-7. 5 women reported no children.
The subjects were selected through announcements I made and flyers I made asking African American women to participate in a health project.
I collected signatures at the end of church services and held a meeting 2 months before the start of my study to observe committed participants. I randomly placed each woman in the dance group or support group. At the first meetings of both interventions, I gave a baseline survey to each participant in which I assigned them numbers for confidentiality. I used a survey already created by… and therefore the key to analyzing the surveys were given. These women were then given a survey at the end. The questions consisted of 6 stages. The stages of each woman was determined by the responses on the questions. Stages included the pre contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and the maintenance …show more content…
stages.
Stage one is pre-contemplation, where the person does not see the problem and therefore resists change.
Second is the contemplation stage, where a person takes notice of the problem at hand and struggles to take accountability for their actions that contribute to the issue. In this second stage, a person begins to think about solving the issue though they don’t have a definite plan of action. The third level is the preparation stage, where action begins to be planned and changes are being thought of. Following the third stage is the fourth of the action stage. This fourth stage is where people modify or even change their behavior. They take the plans made in the prepatory stage and apply them. Lastly, the maintenance stage is the sixth level. This stage is one that never really ends. This stage is for the rest of their lives in order to maintain the changes made within this
issue.
The survey I used comes from a survey used by …The author of the survey prepared it such a way where specific questions are directed for each stage. Therefore, how a participant for example answers question 1,3 and 9 will determine if they are in the precontemplation stage. It is very difficult for a participant to be placed in more than one one stage because of their responses. The questions are ordered in this format:
was the most effective alternative. The stages of change is a model that evaluates person’s readiness to act on a new behavior such as eating healthier or engaging in physical activities.
The two interventions focused on promoting healthier dietary and physical lifestyles in African American women. Executing these initiatives was a part of reducing obesity and overall, many chronic diseases in this community of women. Using liturgical dance as a vital component connected physical activity with passion. On the other hand, support group activity created a safe and spiritual space for women in similar circumstances to learn different ways to eat healthier and exercise based on their specific lifestyles. My hope in this study was to determine which intervention created the most change in these women. Change is defined as the women’s self-professed levels of change from the beginning of the intervention to the end, based on the answers to the surveys.
The support group was facilitated by Dr. Pamela Henderson and at times by Pastor Faye August. These meetings consisted of active and engaging activities teaching on proper nutrition including portions sizes, reading labels and shopping healthy on a budget. This intervention consisted of teaching the women, allowing them to practice some of the skills taught and opening up room for dialogue so that alternatives could be found.
The liturgical group was taught by Yvonne Hamisi with the help of a dance coach, Teinya Thompson. These classes consisted of me teaching the group different choreographies. The aim was to teach and master 2 songs.
Participants
I recruited a group of 20 African American women. They are all members of Glory of God Ministries Inc. The age of the groups ranged between 22-60 years old with the average age being 35. 18 of the women reported to be in a relationship and 2 were single. 15 of the women had children ranging from 1-7. 5 women reported no children.
The subjects were selected through announcements I made and flyers I made asking African American women to participate in a health project.
I collected signatures at the end of church services and held a meeting 2 months before the start of my study to observe committed participants. I randomly placed each woman in the dance group or support group. At the first meetings of both interventions, I gave a baseline survey to each participant in which I assigned them numbers for confidentiality. I used a survey already created by… and therefore the key to analyzing the surveys were given. These women were then given a survey at the end. The questions consisted of 6 stages. The stages of each woman was determined by the responses on the questions. Stages included the pre contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and the maintenance …show more content…
stages.
Stage one is pre-contemplation, where the person does not see the problem and therefore resists change.
Second is the contemplation stage, where a person takes notice of the problem at hand and struggles to take accountability for their actions that contribute to the issue. In this second stage, a person begins to think about solving the issue though they don’t have a definite plan of action. The third level is the preparation stage, where action begins to be planned and changes are being thought of. Following the third stage is the fourth of the action stage. This fourth stage is where people modify or even change their behavior. They take the plans made in the prepatory stage and apply them. Lastly, the maintenance stage is the sixth level. This stage is one that never really ends. This stage is for the rest of their lives in order to maintain the changes made within this
issue.
The survey I used comes from a survey used by …The author of the survey prepared it such a way where specific questions are directed for each stage. Therefore, how a participant for example answers question 1,3 and 9 will determine if they are in the precontemplation stage. It is very difficult for a participant to be placed in more than one one stage because of their responses. The questions are ordered in this format: