Improving family health climate, effect of role modeling and maternal support in female students

Jeyran Ostovarfar; Mohammad Hossein Kaveh; Hossein Molavi Vardanjani; Leila Ghahramani; Masoud Karimi; Abdolrahim Asadollahi; Razie Zare

doi:10.1186/s12875-023-02015-7

Improving family health climate, effect of role modeling and maternal support in female students

BMC Prim Care. 2023 Mar 13;24(1):70. doi: 10.1186/s12875-023-02015-7.

Authors

Jeyran Ostovarfar¹, Mohammad Hossein Kaveh², Hossein Molavi Vardanjani¹, Leila Ghahramani³, Masoud Karimi³, Abdolrahim Asadollahi³, Razie Zare⁴

Affiliations

¹ MPH Program, Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Setad Square, Shiraz, Fars, Iran.
² Department of Health Promotion, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. jearanostovarfar@gmail.com.
³ Department of Health Promotion, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
⁴ Department of Industrial & Organizational Psychology, Faculty Education & Psychology, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Girls can use their mother's emotional, informational and behavioral support to perform healthy behaviors due to their constant access to their mothers. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of role modeling and maternal support in the family to improve healthy behaviors and perceived Family Health Climate (FHC) in female students.

Methods: In this educational quasi-experimental study, 261 female students (133 in the intervention group and 128 in the control group) and 223 mothers (109 intervention and 114 control) were selected using the cluster multi-stages sampling method and entered the study. Participants (intervention and control groups) completed the FHC scale at three stages (before intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 2 months after intervention). A training program that comprised 12 sessions for students and six sessions for their mothers using collaborative learning techniques and printed materials was conducted with the experimental group. Also after completing the questionnaire in the follow-up phase, pamphlets and educational videos were given to the control group. Data were analyzed using SPSS20 via a chi-square test, independent t-test, and Repeated Measures ANOVA at a significance level of 0.05.

Results: Before the intervention, there was no significant difference between demographic variables and the score of the FHC scale in both groups (p < 0.05). Immediately and 2 months after the intervention, the experimental group (female students and their mothers) showed a significant increase in dimensions of FHC, including FHC-NU (Family Health Climate-Nutrition) and FHC-PA (Family Health Climate-Physical Activity), compared to the control group (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Educating and informing mothers about the impact of their role modeling on their children, especially girls, can make them more aware of health-oriented behaviors towards their children. Such findings reinforced the importance of focusing on actions to encourage a healthy lifestyle (healthy diet and physical activity) in students with a focus on role modeling and parental support, especially mothers.

Keywords: Family health climate; Mother; Nutrition; Physical activity.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Child
Exercise
Family Health*
Female
Health Behavior
Humans
Mothers* / psychology
Students