Studies to Treat Or Prevent Pediatric Type 2 Diabetes – Fruit, Juice, & Vegetable Self-Efficacy (STOPP-T2D BCM-FJV SE)

Abstract

The Studies to Treat Or Prevent Pediatric Type 2 Diabetes – Fruit, Juice, & Vegetable Self-Efficacy (STOPP-T2D BCM-FJV SE) scale is a specialized psychometric instrument developed for use within the larger STOPP-T2D collaborative research initiative. Sponsored by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), this measure specifically assesses the confidence, or self-efficacy, of middle school-aged youth regarding their ability to consume adequate amounts of fruits, juices, and vegetables. It was utilized as a key component in the primary prevention trial known as HEALTHY, which aimed to mitigate the progression of risk factors associated with pediatric Type 2 Diabetes through comprehensive school-based environmental and behavioral interventions.

Keywords

Self-Efficacy, Nutrition, Dietary Behavior, Fruit and Vegetable Intake, Pediatric Diabetes Prevention, STOPP-T2D, HEALTHY Trial, Middle School Youth, Type 2 Diabetes, adolescents

Authors

Baranowski T, Cooper DM, Harrell J, Hirst K (Principal Investigator), Kaufman FR, Goran M, Resnicow K

Purpose

The primary purpose of the STOPP-T2D BCM-FJV SE scale is to quantify an individual’s belief in their capacity to successfully execute specific dietary behaviors related to the consumption of fruits, juices, and vegetables, particularly within the context of a school-based health intervention. This measure was critical for evaluating the efficacy of the comprehensive intervention implemented in the HEALTHY trial, a major effort sponsored by the NIDDK.

The overall STOPP-T2D initiative was designed to address the increasing incidence of Type 2 Diabetes among youth. The group undertook two major research efforts: a randomized controlled trial (RCT) focused on treatment for adolescents already diagnosed with the condition, and a primary prevention trial (HEALTHY) targeting the maintenance and progression of diabetes risk factors in middle school students. The BCM-FJV SE scale served as a crucial process and outcome measure within the prevention arm, linking intervention exposure to changes in dietary Self-Efficacy, which is a key mediator of behavioral change.

Construct

The scale measures Self-Efficacy, a core construct derived from Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory. Self-Efficacy refers to an individual’s belief in their capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. In the context of the BCM-FJV SE scale, the construct is narrowly focused on dietary confidence, assessing how certain a young person feels about their ability to consume specific healthy food items (fruits, juices, and vegetables) under various potentially challenging environmental or social conditions.

Measuring this construct is vital for diabetes prevention research because Self-Efficacy is a strong predictor of sustained health behavior change. By targeting confidence in fruit and vegetable intake, the scale helps researchers determine whether the HEALTHY intervention successfully fostered the psychological prerequisite necessary for students to maintain healthier eating patterns, thereby reducing long-term risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes.

Validity

Specific detailed validity data (e.g., content validity, construct validity, criterion validity) for the isolated Fruit, Juice, & Vegetable Self-Efficacy subscale are typically embedded within the extensive documentation and publications of the larger STOPP-T2D and HEALTHY trials. Given that the scale was developed by a collaborative group of highly respected academics and utilized within a major NIDDK-sponsored RCT, it is standard practice that the measure underwent rigorous psychometric validation. This validation would likely have included confirmation that the items adequately represent the domain of dietary confidence (content validity) and that the scale correlates appropriately with related measures of behavior (e.g., reported fruit and vegetable consumption) and other theoretical constructs (convergent validity).

Reliability

As a subscale of a major health intervention instrument, the BCM-FJV SE scale would be expected to demonstrate high internal consistency. Reliability analyses, likely involving calculation of Cronbach’s alpha, would have been performed to ensure that the items measuring fruit, juice, and vegetable self-efficacy are internally consistent and stable across administrations. Researchers utilizing this scale in intervention studies rely on high reliability to ensure that observed changes in scores are due to the intervention effects rather than measurement error.

Factor Analysis

Although specific factor analytic results for this precise subscale are not provided in the primary source document, scales designed to measure specific behavioral domains often undergo Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) or Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). This analysis would be necessary to confirm that the items intended to measure self-efficacy regarding fruits, juices, and vegetables load onto a single, distinct factor, separate from other constructs measured within the larger battery of BCM (Behavioral Change Model) scales used in the STOPP-T2D research.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire/Behavioral measure

Format: Typically Likert-type scales measuring confidence (e.g., 5-point scale from “Not at all sure” to “Completely sure”)

Language Available: English (Primary study language)

Population Group: Youth at risk for Type 2 Diabetes

Age Group: Middle school students (approximately 6th through 8th grade, 11–14 years old)

Population Details: The scale was administered to a cohort of students recruited in 6th grade and followed through the end of 8th grade across 42 middle schools at 7 field centers in the U.S. as part of the HEALTHY trial.

Test Methodology: The scale was utilized within a large-scale, school-randomized RCT. The intervention involved multi-disciplinary efforts targeting school nutrition environments, physical activity, and promotional campaigns designed to foster healthy behaviors and awareness among the youth cohort.

Keywords

NIDDK, Pediatric Health, Prevention Trial, Behavioral Change Model, Dietary Confidence, Adolescent Nutrition, Self-Efficacy Scale, Randomized Controlled Trial, Metabolic Syndrome, Obesity

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Information not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Information not provided in source.

Correspondence Address: Correspondence generally directed through the Principal Investigator, K. Hirst, or through the Biostatistics Center at George Washington University, which managed the STOPP-T2D/HEALTHY data.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Permissions for use are typically managed by the STOPP-T2D Prevention Study Group and the NIDDK, which sponsored the development. Researchers should consult the primary study group for licensing details.

Fee: Fee information is not specified; the scale is often available for academic research use upon request and permission from the authors.

Test Year: Developed and utilized around the time of the primary publication (2006) and the launch of the HEALTHY trial.

Reference’s

• Baranowski T, Cooper DM, Harrell J, Hirst K, Kaufman FR, Goran M, Resnicow K; The STOPP-T2D Prevention Study Group. Presence of diabetes risk factors in a large U.S. eighth-grade cohort. Diabetes Care. 2006, 29(2):212-7.
• The original Digital Object Identifier (DOI) for the scale documentation is https://dx.doi.org/10.13072/midss.281.
• Further documents related to the STOPP-T2D / HEALTHY trials are referenced at the George Washington University Biostatistics Center website.

Items of the Studies to Treat Or Prevent Pediatric Type 2 Diabetes – Fruit, Juice, & Vegetable Self-Efficacy (STOPP-T2D BCM-FJV SE)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The specific items comprising the Studies to Treat Or Prevent Pediatric Type 2 Diabetes – Fruit, Juice, & Vegetable Self-Efficacy (STOPP-T2D BCM-FJV SE) scale were not provided in the source documentation. Researchers should refer to the full STOPP-T2D / HEALTHY documentation or contact the authors for the complete instrument items.