Exploring Parental Perceptions of Self-Efficacy, Role Modeling and Factors Contributing to Family Health Practices from an Employer-Provided Family Weight Management Program: A Mixed Methods Study

Parents provide a social learning environment where family nutrition, eating habits and physical activity are largely influenced by and correlated with parental modeling of these behaviors. Increasing self-efficacy is an important component in parents being role models because theoretically, it promotes cognitive change that supports their confidence and ability to modify behaviors that contributes to healthier family practices and biometric outcomes. Phase one of this sequential two-phase study used biometric data (body mass index [BMI], cholesterol, glucose, and blood pressure) from parents (N = 37) participating in their employer’s family wellness initiative as dependent variables. Parental perceptions of nutrition, eating habits, and physical activity related to self-efficacy and role modeling collected via a survey questionnaire served as the independent variables. Correlation analysis indicated significant associations between BMI and nutrition self-efficacy, eating habits self-efficacy and eating habits role modeling. Linear regression analysis showed that nutrition self-efficacy and eating habits role modeling were significant predictors of BMI. A repeated measures t test revealed statistically, attending the family health and weight management program may help participants reduce their BMI, cholesterol, and diastolic blood pressure readings. Phase two used multiple cases (parents, n = 12) that were selected for interviews using purposeful sampling based on their scores reflecting high and low ranges on the self-efficacy and role modeling subscales from the surveys. Each interview was transcribed, coded using the constant comparative method, and individually analyzed for themes. Cross-case synthesis was used to analyze all the cases for commonality and variations. As a result of the findings, participants may be inclined to continue participating in wellness programs because the employer provides opportunities to assist families in their efforts to build confidence and demonstrate role modeling behaviors. The correlations and predictive results in phase one may help substantiate the benefits of participating in the program. Findings from phase two indicated parents acknowledged their role as leaders in creating environments that assist their families in establishing healthy behaviors and voluntarily engaged in this program because it provided assistance and projected them in the right direction for their family to be successful with health and weight management concerns