Papers by Douglas Gentile
Background: School wellness programming is important for promoting academic achievement and healt... more Background: School wellness programming is important for promoting academic achievement and healthy lifestyles in youth; however, research is needed on methods that can help schools implement and sustain programs on their own. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors within and outside the school environment that impacted school capacity for implementation and potential sustainability of wellness programming. Methods: As part of the School Wellness Integration Targeting Child Health (SWITCH®) intervention, elementary school wellness teams (N=30) were guided through a capacity-building process focused on promoting the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors in students. Data on implementation were collected through three standardized surveys and interviews (pre-mid-post) and a post-implementation interview. Indicators of organizational capacity were assessed using the School Wellness Readiness Assessment (SWRA). Paired t-tests were run to assess changes in implementation ...
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 2018
Background (Background, Rationale, Prior Research, and/or Theory): Social Ecological Theory indic... more Background (Background, Rationale, Prior Research, and/or Theory): Social Ecological Theory indicates that context at the micro and macro level plays an important role in our food choices. Therefore, holistic and context-focused food education can help children develop critical thinking skills that lead to healthy food choices in everyday life. Comprehensive food education programs should attend to the importance of nutrition to maintain good health and the role that food plays in our culture, relationships, history, and environment. In order to encourage the implementation of holistic food education, Pilot Light, a Chicago-based non-profit that provides K-12 teachers with food education curriculum and professional development, sought to develop clear Food Education Standards that support such holistic food education. Objective: To convene a group of experts during the Pilot Light Summit to participate in the systematic development and refinement of Food Education Standards that guide the implementation of food education programs in schools. Study Design, Setting, Participants, Intervention: The Pilot Light Food Education Summit convened 25 experts and community members across multiple disciplinary fields (including agriculture, culinary, education, nutrition, and public health) to develop and refine a consensus-based set of Food Education Standards and accompanying K-12 competencies that could be used to implement holistic food education in the classroom. Outcome Measures and Analysis: A set of Food Education Standards, which included a list of 149 competencies in food education, were analyzed and categorized using thematic analysis. Results: Thirty-one themes were derived from the original list of competencies; the most prevalent themes endorsed by Summit participants were food choice, health, food production, food access, and culture. Seven Food Education Standards were developed that encompassed all 31 themes. Conclusions and Implications: The Food Education Standards developed at the Pilot Light Summit provide clear, accessible guidance for educators interested in incorporating holistic food education in the classroom. Pilot Light will incorporate Food Education Standards into its existing programming and encourage further dissemination. Funding: Pilot Light.
BMC Public Health, 2018
Background: There is a need to identify strategies that enhance the implementation of evidence-ba... more Background: There is a need to identify strategies that enhance the implementation of evidence-based school wellness intervention programs in real-world settings. The present study evaluates the feasibility of empowering school wellness leaders to deliver an evidence-based, childhood obesity-prevention program called Switch ™. We specifically evaluated the feasibility of a new implementation framework, based on the robust Healthy Youth Places framework, to increase capacity of school leaders to lead school wellness programming. Methods: The SWITCH (School Wellness Integration Targeting Child Health) implementation process was evaluated in a convenience sample of eight Iowa elementary schools. Teams of three leaders from each school attended an in-person school wellness conference followed by five online webinar sessions delivered by two SWITCH team members. The capacity-building and quality improvement process was designed to empower schools to lead wellness change using methods and concepts from the original 16-week Switch ™ program. School wellness leaders completed checklists on two occasions to assess overall school-level implementation as well as setting-level changes in physical education, classrooms, and the lunchroom. Student acceptability of SWITCH was evaluated by the degree of behavior tracking using an online SWITCH Tracker system that promoted self-monitoring. School acceptability and practicality were assessed through an exit survey completed by school leaders. Results: All school staff reported satisfaction with the SWITCH implementation process. Reports of schooland setting-level implementation were relatively high (2.0 to 2.8 on a 3-point scale) but student engagement, based on use of the online tracking system, varied greatly over time and across schools. Three high implementation schools had average tracking rates exceeding 70% (range: 72-90%) while three low implementation schools had rates lower than 30% (range = 0-23%). Conclusions: This feasibility study supports the utility of the new implementation framework for promoting school and student engagement with SWITCH. Further testing regarding effectiveness and scale-up of this evidence-based school wellness intervention program is warranted.
Pediatrics, Nov 1, 2017
Drs Coyne and Radesky coordinated the workgroup and the initial draft of the manuscript; Mr Colli... more Drs Coyne and Radesky coordinated the workgroup and the initial draft of the manuscript; Mr Collier, Drs Gentile, Linder, Nathanson, Rasmussen, and Reich, and Ms Rogers were involved in writing subsequent drafts of the manuscript; and all authors approve of the manuscript in its final form. The analysis, conclusions, and recommendations contained in each article are solely a product of the individual workgroup and are not the policy or opinions of, nor do they represent an endorsement by Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development or the American Academy of Pediatrics.
BMC Medicine, Sep 18, 2009
Background: Schools are the most frequent target for intervention programs aimed at preventing ch... more Background: Schools are the most frequent target for intervention programs aimed at preventing child obesity; however, the overall effectiveness of these programs has been limited. It has therefore been recommended that interventions target multiple ecological levels (community, family, school and individual) to have greater success in changing risk behaviors for obesity. This study examined the immediate and short-term, sustained effects of the Switch program, which targeted three behaviors (decreasing children's screen time, increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, and increasing physical activity) at three ecological levels (the family, school, and community). Methods: Participants were 1,323 children and their parents from 10 schools in two states. Schools were matched and randomly assigned to treatment and control. Measures of the key behaviors and body mass index were collected at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 6 months post-intervention. Results: The effect sizes of the differences between treatment and control groups ranged between small (Cohen's d = 0.15 for body mass index at 6 months post-intervention) to large (1.38; parent report of screen time at 6 months post-intervention), controlling for baseline levels. There was a significant difference in parent-reported screen time at post-intervention in the experimental group, and this effect was maintained at 6 months post-intervention (a difference of about 2 hours/ week). The experimental group also showed a significant increase in parent-reported fruit and vegetable consumption while child-reported fruit and vegetable consumption was marginally significant. At the 6-month follow-up, parent-reported screen time was significantly lower, and parent and child-reported fruit and vegetable consumption was significantly increased. There were no significant effects on pedometer measures of physical activity or body mass index in the experimental group. The intervention effects were moderated by child sex (for fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, and weight status), family involvement (for fruit and vegetable
Aggressive Behavior, Aug 10, 2012
, the International Society for Research on Aggression appointed a special commission to prepare ... more , the International Society for Research on Aggression appointed a special commission to prepare a report on media violence. Their charge was as follows: "The ISRA Violent Media Effects Commission is charged with the task of producing a public statement on the known effects of exposure to media violence, based on the current state of scientific knowledge. If the Commission finds sufficient evidence of harmful effects, then the Commission's public statement may include public policy recommendations, keeping in mind that effective policies may well differ across countries because of their different legal and cultural traditions and systems. The statement could be an original statement by the Commission, or could be an endorsement or modification of one or more similar statements offered in recent years by other major scientific bodies and/or groups of scientists who have appropriate expertise in the media violence domain. The statement (if sufficiently brief) or an Executive Summary statement (of a longer, more detailed statement) will be published in ISRA's journal Aggressive Behavior and will appear on the ISRA web site. It may also be published in the ISRA Bulletin." What follows is the final report of the Media Violence Commission, delivered in May, 2012. This statement was written by a group of internationally recognized active researchers in the field of media violence to summarize current knowledge about the strength of the link between violent media use and aggression, explain the psychological processes by which violent media may increase the risk of aggressive behavior, and offer practical advice on how parents and policy makers can deal with the issue.
Changing the track in music and misogyny: Listening to music with pro-equality lyrics improves at... more Changing the track in music and misogyny: Listening to music with pro-equality lyrics improves attitudes and behavior toward women.
Aggressive Behavior, Dec 1, 2011
Past research has shown activation of aggressive cognitions in memory after media violence exposu... more Past research has shown activation of aggressive cognitions in memory after media violence exposure, but has not examined priming effects of viewing relational aggression in the media. In the current study, 250 women viewed a video clip depicting physical aggression, relational aggression, or no aggression. Subsequent activation of physical and relational aggression cognitions was measured using an emotional Stroop task. Results indicated priming of relational aggression cognitions after viewing the relationally aggressive video clip, and activation of both physical and relational aggression cognitions after viewing the physically aggressive video clip. Results are discussed within the framework of the General Aggression Model. Aggr. Behav. 38:141-149, 2012.
Psychology of popular media culture, 2016
A controversy exists about the effects of violent video game play, with some studies showing "pos... more A controversy exists about the effects of violent video game play, with some studies showing "positive" effects on spatial attention, others showing "negative" effects on aggression, and others suggesting that there are no important effects. The present study examined neural recruitment during violent videogame play among 13 late adolescent gamers, half of whom habitually played violent games and half of whom habitually played nonviolent games. Participants played a video game in violent and nonviolent modes while undergoing functional MRI scanning. Nonviolent gamers had an increase in emotional response regions when playing the violent game; violent gamers demonstrated an active suppression of these same regions. In addition, nonviolent gamers showed increases in spatial attention, navigation, and cognitive control regions, whereas experienced violent gamers showed no change from baseline. These results provide neurological support for both aggression desensitization and improvements in spatial attention, but not for the hypothesis that violent games have no appreciable effect.
Pediatrics, Nov 1, 2008
Context: Youth worldwide play violent video games many hours per week. Prior research suggests th... more Context: Youth worldwide play violent video games many hours per week. Prior research suggests that such exposure can increase physical aggression. Objective: To determine whether high exposure to violent video games increases physical aggression over time in both high (U.S.) and low (Japan) violence cultures. We hypothesized that amount of exposure to violent video games early in a school year would predict changes in physical aggressiveness assessed later in the school year, even after statistically controlling for sex and prior physical aggressiveness. Design: In three independent longitudinal samples, participants' video game habits and physically aggressive behavior tendencies were assessed at two points in time, separated by three to six months. Participants: Three population-based samples were assessed. One sample consisted of 181 Japanese junior high students ranging in age from 12 to 15 years. A second Japanese sample consisted of 1050 students ranging in age from 13 to 18 years. The third sample consisted of 364 U.S. 3 rd , 4 th , and 5 th graders ranging in age from 9 to 12 years. Results: Habitual violent video game play early in the school year predicted later aggression even after controlling for sex and prior aggressiveness in each sample, ps < .01. Those who played a lot of violent video games became relatively more physically aggressive. Multi-sample structure equation modeling revealed that this longitudinal effect was of a similar magnitude in the U.S. and Japan for similar age youth (Bs = .158 & .139, respectively, ps < .0001), and was smaller (but still significant) in sample that included older youth (B = .075, p < .01). Conclusions: These longitudinal results confirm earlier experimental and cross-sectional studies that had suggested that playing violent video games is a significant risk factor for later physically Longitudinal Effects-3aggressive behavior, and that this violent video game effect on youth generalizes across very different cultures. As a whole, the research strongly suggests reducing the exposure of youths to this risk factor.
Psychology of Violence, 2017
Two studies were conducted to (re)examine whether the strength differential hypothesis-that face-... more Two studies were conducted to (re)examine whether the strength differential hypothesis-that face-to-face bullies are likely to be physically stronger than victims-is valid in the cyberbullying domain. The novel contribution of our research includes testing the relations between the belief that strength is irrelevant for online bullying, online power (technological abilities), and cyberbullying within the theoretical integration of the Barlett and Gentile cyberbullying model and Bandura's self-efficacy theory. Method: Two studies had participant's complete measures of cyberbullying behavior, cyberbullying attitudes, online power, and the belief that strength is irrelevant for online bullying. Study 1 (N ϭ 147) utilized a cross-sectional design with a general adult population, whereas Study 2 (N ϭ 218) employed a short-term longitudinal study of college students. Results: Correlation and regression findings from Study 1 showed that (a) the belief that muscularity is irrelevant for online bullying (but not online power) was associated with more cyberbullying, and (b) this relation was mediated by cyberbullying attitudes. Study 2 replicated these results using a longitudinal path analysis. Conclusion: The current research supports the postulates of the BGCM by confirming the theoretically predicted relations between the belief that muscularity is irrelevant in the online world and cyberbullying behavior through the development of cyberbullying attitudes. Online power, in the form of computer skill, did not show this pattern, suggesting that perceptions of physical strength are more relevant even in the online world, supporting the original strength differential hypothesis.
Family Relations, Jun 1, 2012
Gaming in the Game of Love: Effects of Video Games on Conflict in Couples The current study asses... more Gaming in the Game of Love: Effects of Video Games on Conflict in Couples The current study assessed how playing video games can influence conflict and aggression in relationships. A sample of 1,333 heterosexual couples reported their video game playing habits, conflict regarding the media, and physical and relational aggression (both self and partner directed). Results showed that for men (but not women), time spent playing video games was associated with increased conflict
IGI Global eBooks, 2009
Though video games can produce desirable learning outcomes, such as improved performance in schoo... more Though video games can produce desirable learning outcomes, such as improved performance in school subjects, they also can produce undesirable outcomes, such as increased aggression. Some of the basic learning principles that make video games (particularly violent video games) effective at teaching are discussed in this chapter. A general learning model is presented to explain how video games can produce a variety of effects in their users. This model explains both the immediate, short term effects and cumulative, long term effects of video games. Implications of these principles are discussed in relation to education. The issue of addressing violent video games’ effects on aggression is also examined.
Pediatric Clinics of North America, Jun 1, 2012
This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the a... more This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/copyright
JAMA Pediatrics, May 1, 2014
IMPORTANCE Although several longitudinal studies have demonstrated an effect of violent video gam... more IMPORTANCE Although several longitudinal studies have demonstrated an effect of violent video game play on later aggressive behavior, little is known about the psychological mediators and moderators of the effect. OBJECTIVE To determine whether cognitive and/or emotional variables mediate the effect of violent video game play on aggression and whether the effect is moderated by age, sex, prior aggressiveness, or parental monitoring. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Three-year longitudinal panel study. A total of 3034 children and adolescents from 6 primary and 6 secondary schools in Singapore (73% male) were surveyed annually. Children were eligible for inclusion if they attended one of the 12 selected schools, 3 of which were boys' schools. At the beginning of the study, participants were in third, fourth, seventh, and eighth grades, with a mean (SD) age of 11.2 (2.1) years (range, 8-17 years). Study participation was 99% in year 1. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The final outcome measure was aggressive behavior, with aggressive cognitions (normative beliefs about aggression, hostile attribution bias, aggressive fantasizing) and empathy as potential mediators. RESULTS Longitudinal latent growth curve modeling demonstrated that the effects of violent video game play are mediated primarily by aggressive cognitions. This effect is not moderated by sex, prior aggressiveness, or parental monitoring and is only slightly moderated by age, as younger children had a larger increase in initial aggressive cognition related to initial violent game play at the beginning of the study than older children. Model fit was excellent for all models. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Given that more than 90% of youths play video games, understanding the psychological mechanisms by which they can influence behaviors is important for parents and pediatricians and for designing interventions to enhance or mitigate the effects.
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology
Cultural generality versus specificity of media violence effects on aggression was examined in se... more Cultural generality versus specificity of media violence effects on aggression was examined in seven countries (Australia, China, Croatia, Germany, Japan, Romania, the United States). Participants reported aggressive behaviors, media use habits, and several other known risk and protective factors for aggression. Across nations, exposure to violent screen media was positively associated with aggression. This effect was partially mediated by aggressive cognitions and empathy. The media violence effect on aggression remained significant even after statistically controlling a number of relevant risk and protective factors (e.g., abusive parenting, peer delinquency), and was similar in magnitude to effects of other risk factors. In support of the cumulative risk model, joint effects of different risk factors on aggressive behavior in each culture were larger than effects of any individual risk factor.
Video games have become an incredibly popular and pervasive form of entertainment. Video game use... more Video games have become an incredibly popular and pervasive form of entertainment. Video game use has increased steadily overtime (Rideout, Foehr, &amp; Roberts, 2010) and today 9 out of 10 American children and teens play video games (Gentile, 2009; Gentile &amp; Walsh, 2002). On average, youth play video games for two hours a day (Rideout, Foehr, &amp; Roberts, 2010). However, a significant percentage of males report playing four hours a day or more (e.g., Bailey, West, &amp; Anderson, 2010). This fact that such a large number of children and adolescents frequently play video games makes understanding video game effects on players an important research goal. The rising popularity of video games has brought about an explosion of research on video game effects (Barlett, Anderson, &amp; Swing, 2009). The increasingly large research literature on this topic consistently shows that video game effects are not trivial; significant effects of video game play are found in short-term
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Papers by Douglas Gentile