Communicating to Engage Middle School Audiences In School Wellness Efforts

Theoretical Background and research questions/hypothesis: With growing attention on strengthening the development and implementation of school wellness policies, effective communication strategies are needed to educate and engage the entire school community in the process.  Middle schools are an important target, as these students often have the ability to choose from a greater array of food and beverage offerings than in elementary school. Parental involvement in school can also change at this time. Using a social marketing approach, this research explored various middle school audiences’ attitudes and beliefs about nutrition and physical activity at their schools and what factors prevent and motivate their involvement in school wellness efforts. 

Methods: Six focus groups (3 formative; 3 evaluative) were conducted with each middle school target audience (42 total groups) to inform the development of and test print and video communication tools. Thirty-six middle school girls, 35 boys, 36 fathers, 36 mothers, and 48 teachers participated in face-to-face focus groups in six states.  Twenty-nine middle school principals and 32 school food service managers participated in telephone focus groups.

Results: Qualitative data analysis procedures uncovered common themes from transcripts and notes.  The key overarching themes included the following: 

• Few focus group respondents could cite a specific example of working together with other middle school audiences to facilitate change, for instance food service managers with teachers or parents with food service managers.
• Communications needed to convey that school wellness was a team effort, and that other audiences were receiving similar materials at the same time. 
• Audiences were most receptive to action steps that they perceived to be within their sphere of control (e.g., the classroom rewards for teachers) and reacted negatively to suggestions that they initiate broader, school-wide efforts. 
• Framing nutrition and physical messages in relation to academic performance was considered motivational across adult audiences. 

Importantly, research among each audience uncovered specific needs to make communicating to that particular audience more effective.  For example, principal and school food service manager respondents wanted acknowledgement of their existing wellness efforts and of examples of “success stories” from other schools.  For many parent respondents, acknowledging middle school as a transitional period for children helped introduce the topic in a relatable way.  Students reacted positively to communications that appealed to their desire to “be their best” and “have a say” in decisions that concern them.   

Conclusions: Print and video communication tools were developed and tested, each featuring messages and “asks” respective to what audiences found relatable, doable and motivational.

Implications for research and/or practice: Focus group participants felt that short (1.5 to 3 minute) videos shown at staff trainings, back-to-school nights and parent organization meetings were an ideal way to introduce the topic and encourage additional follow-up based upon the take-home handout or a post-video discussion.  Students felt that the videos would be most effective when show during student government/leadership organization meetings or during the school’s morning announcements.