Baseline Findings and Protocol for the COPE Study: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Improve Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors and Psychosocial Outcomes in High School Adolescents

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to report baseline findings from a National Institute of Nursing Research funded grant to improve the healthy lifestyle behaviors and psychosocial health of high school adolescents from a large southwest metropolitan area.  The study protocol and demographics also will be discussed. 

Methods: Several analyses were conducted on this large sample of teens who were 14 to 17 years of age, including: (1) descriptive analysis on baseline demographics and their parents and (2) t-tests (interval data) and chi-square tests (categorical data) evaluating the differences between the intervention (COPE Healthy Lifestyle TEEN Program) and control (Healthy Teens) groups. 

Results: 779 teens and 440 parents participated in this study.  The majority of teens were Hispanic (67.52%).  Significant teen differences at baseline between groups included BMI percentile, acculturation, television viewing, grade level, and gender.  Significant parent differences at baseline between groups included gender, education level, and percentage on public assistance.  Thirty teachers participated in the study from eleven schools in 55 classrooms.  One hundred and forty-seven overweight and obese teens participated in cholesterol screening. 

 Conclusion: Findings from this study demonstrate the feasibility of a large randomized controlled trial delivered in high schools in both a suburban and urban school district.  Parent recruitment for participation in questionnaires was nearly 50%.  Schools are a practical venue for health promotion interventions.