The Role of Social Cognitive Theory in Farm‐to‐School‐Related Activities: Implications for Child Nutrition

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Farm-to-school (FTS) programs are gaining attention for many reasons, one of which is the recognition that

Formative Research to Create a Farm‐to‐School Program for High School Students in a Lower Income, Diverse, Urban Community

“…A 6‐item semistructured focus group discussion guide was developed by the project partners. The focus group discussion guide was informed by the SCT and local food perceptions literature and developed with feedback from project partners to ensure the study findings would both add to the literature and be useful to all project stakeholders. Table includes the questions included in the focus group discussion guide as well as the SCT constructs to which the questions are linked.…”

“…We identified only 1 study which has linked FTS programming to behavioral theory. Specifically, Berlin et al provide a descriptive overview of common FTS activities and suggest how these activities might align with constructs from the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). For example, produce taste tests might increase students' self‐efficacy for consuming fruits and vegetables.…”

“…Following this recommendation, this study uses SCT as a framework to examine opportunities to promote consumption of local fruits and vegetables through FTS programming. SCT is frequently used as a basis for youth‐related nutrition interventions because of its applicability to public health nutrition issues …”

“…The SCT includes specific constructs which can be used to explain how people change their behavior and can also be used as a basis for intervention strategies. While only one study has explicitly linked SCT and FTS programming, findings from prior studies do indicate that SCT constructs are relevant for examining perceptions of local produce. In the following sections, we outline the local food literature as it relates to the SCT constructs incorporated in this study.…”

Investigating the Outcomes of a Physical Activity Program offered to Older Adults in South Florida and Understanding the Correlates of Completion

“…Since its development, concepts of SCT have been extensively used by researchers when designing interventions that aim to change behavior (AbuSabha & Achterberg, 1997;Berlin, Norris, Kolodinsky, & Nelson, 2013;Byom & Turkstra, 2012;Marlatt & Gordon, 2005;O'Hea et al, 2009;Puma et al, 2013). Puma et al (2013) applied the concepts of SCT with Piaget's cognitive development theory to maximize likelihood of behavior change in designing an intervention that aims to improve nutritional intake and increase physical activity among students.…”