Resourcefulness, Academic Stress, Dispositional Optimism, and Eating Styles among Fifth and Sixth Graders

Background/Significance: Childhood obesity is a critical health issue worldwide because of its association with adverse health conditions and potentially harmful health consequences in later adulthood. Eating styles that may involve emotional, external, or restrained eating behaviors have been shown to be associated with overweight and obesity and can be influenced by stress, resulting in the use of unhealthy eating styles as a coping strategy. Research in adults has shown that cognitive-behavioral skills constituting resourcefulness are effective for coping with stress and performing health behaviors. However, few studies have examined whether resourcefulness skills are important in children. Purpose: This study examined the associations among academic stress, dispositional optimism, and resourcefulness in relation to eating styles in fifth and sixth graders in Taiwan. Theoretical framework: Rosenbaum’s theory of learned resourcefulness and Zauszniewski’s middle-range theory of resourcefulness and quality of life provided the context for examining the relationships among the study variables. Method: A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional approach was used with a convenience sample of 368 dyads of fifth- and sixth-grade children and their caregivers. Findings: 26.24% of the children were overweight or obese. Children with a higher tendency toward emotional eating had greater academic stress and lower resourcefulness. Children with a higher tendency toward external eating had greater academic stress, lower dispositional optimism, and lower resourcefulness. Children’s restrained eating was associated with greater academic stress and higher dispositional optimism. Additionally, academic stress mediated the relationship between children’s satiety responsiveness and resourcefulness. Children’s resourcefulness mediated the relationships between academic stress and emotional or external eating. Conclusion: Findings generated from this study not only contribute to an understanding of the interrelationships among academic stress, dispositional optimism, resourcefulness, and eating styles of fifth and sixth graders in Taiwan but also provide rich and valuable information for the advancement of the nursing discipline, including clinical practice, health policy, theory development, and nursing education, which will enhance a healthy lifestyle in children and their families. Further research, including the examination of relationships between eating styles and resourcefulness over time, is recommended in larger, more diverse samples.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Nursing

Grantor dc:publisher

Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Wang, Ya-Fen

Contributors dc:contributor

• Zauszniewski, Jaclene A.

• Nursing
• Resourcefulness
• Eating Styles
• Stress
• Dispositional Optimism
• Children

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: some rights reserved. It is licensed for use under a Creative Commons license. Specific terms and permissions are available from this document's record in the OhioLINK ETD Center.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1365168852

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:case1365168852