Raising Healthy Teens

1. Raising Healthy Teens Positive Parenting for Adolescent Health: A Study of Teens in the Twin Cities Metro Area Diane Morehouse, QED Carol McGee Johnson, Multicultural Issues Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

2. Introduction • A unique collaboration of health professionals and educators • Research on parenting practices and ways to support positive parenting of teens • To provide information to help design parent information campaign Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

3. Raising Healthy Teens • Learn what and how parents think about parenting healthy teens • Learn what works in raising healthy teens • Learn what challenges parents face in raising healthy teens • Learn what messages and methods would be effective in a social marketing campaign. Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

4. Methods • Focus groups with parents • Community Advisory Group • Interviews with Key Informants • Mixed method parent surveys Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

5. Community-Based Research • Recognize and respect the wisdom of the community • Delegate responsibility and authority • Provide for mutual benefit Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

6. Community Advisory Group • 9 members • Significant stipends • Four meetings • Broad responsibilities • Advise on study design & methods • Recruit & organize focus groups Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

7. Community Advisory Group Criteria • Respected and well known • Able to see “Big Picture” • Capacity to identify and recruit parents • Know cultural and ethnic communities • Know community-based organizations • Represent various sectors Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

8. Focus Groups • 159 parents – 19 groups • 84% Female • 64% Urban; 36% Suburban • 69% Two-parent families • 35% Caucasian (6 groups) • 21% Hispanic (3 groups) • 19% African-American (4 groups) • 10% American Indian (2 groups) • 10% Hmong (2 groups) Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

9. Study Caveats: • Not intended as a representative sample • Intentional diversity • Engaged parents • Healthy teens Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

10. Finding: Parents Have a Broad, Assets-Based Definition of Health • “What I don’t like about that definition is that it is sort of a deficit model. If you are free of the bad things, you are OK, as opposed to looking at the good things. Yes, that is what I want to keep my kids away from, but by having the sense of belonging and hopefulness and involvement. Those are all positive qualities that would be part of my definition.” Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

11. Finding: Parents Have a Broad, Assets-Based Definition of Health • High self-esteem • Good communication skills • Connected to positive adults • Engagement and activity Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

12. Parents Said: • “I think you have to have all the things we talked about to get to that. To have a healthy child.” Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

13. Finding: Parents Utilize Many Strategies to Impact Health • Maintain open communication • Keep teens busy, active,involved • Hold teens accountable • Checking up Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

14. Parents Said: • “All of a sudden this kid that used to be very open doesn’t say much...I had to learn to be very tuned in...I had to be ready to listen when she was ready to talk.” • “It’s important to keep kids busy and involved.” • “They need to know the consequences of certain behaviors. I think teens know a lot more than we give them credit for.” Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

15. Finding: Communication is Critical • Good communication is the best strategy for motivating teen health • Communication is parents’ biggest challenge • Communication is the skill parents would most like to improve • Communication skills are a healthy asset for teens Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

16. Parents Said: • “You have to create an environment where they feel they can speak and be heard and valued for it.” • “Better communication is what I’d like to change. Sometimes it seems we're never quite going to the same place. In fact it seems we are moving farther apart every day.” Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

17. Finding: Parents Want and Need Help From Other Parents • Parents feel isolated and insecure • Parents are hungry to talk/share • Connections, support and reassurance from experienced parents • Parents want help within their own communities • “Natural Parent Leaders” Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

18. Parents Said: • “Even to know you are not the worst parent in the world. We all have similar issues.” • “We are hungry to be the best we can for our kids, but it doesn’t seem like the resources are there for us as parents.” • “I think that is probably the biggest thing, just to keep connected to other parents.” • “The reality is...we know that we are the real experts. We know what’s worked...” Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

19. Finding: A Variety of Messages for Parents • Accountability -“Parenting With Limits” • Checking Up - “Staying in Their Face” • Communication- “Talk to and Listen to Your Kids” • Role Modeling – “”Model the Behavior You Expect” • Parent Involvement – “Being There is a Big Thing” Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

20. Observation: There are Many Similarities • Communication • Active Involvement • Accountability • Peers • Quality Time • Health as a Positive Construct Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

21. Observation: There are Many Differences • Low income parents sometimes feel powerless • Middle income parents struggle to find a balance between work and family • Upper income parents struggle to balance their expectations and their teens’ well being Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

22. Observation: There are Many Differences • Parents of color, immigrants and non-English speakers face unique challenges • Need to teach good survival skills • Authoritarian parenting style • Anger at systems • Unique challenges for immigrants Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

23. Observation: No “Best” Way to Share Messages • Different messages in different communities • Culturally specific messages in communities of color • Use ethnic media and members of the community in design and delivery • Traditional and non-traditional Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

24. Observation: See Parents as Experts • A Paradigm Shift • Parents value each other over experts • Experts as facilitators and coaches • Experts should build natural parent leaders Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com

25. Observation: A Grassroots Approach • Build parent support networks – making use of natural leaders • Build community alliances to test and deliver a social marketing campaign Diane Morehouse: qed@wwt.net Carol McGee Johnson: CarolMJ7@aol.com