Chapter 5 Baseline Results
5.2 Comparison of the Male Intervention and Control Groups at Baseline
5.2.1 Descriptive statistics
A total of 203 male adolescents participated at baseline. The intervention group consisted of 160 males (78.8%), while the control group consisted of 43 males (21.2%). A comparison of male participants’ age and ethnicity/cultural background are given in Table 10.
The majority of the intervention group was of Caucasian/Northern European (52.8%, n=84) background. The remainder of the intervention participants came from Southern European (23.9%, n=38), Asian (3.1%, n=5), Middle Eastern (8.8%, n=14), Indian or Sri Lankan (1.9%, n=3) and Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander (0.6%, n=1) backgrounds. The control participant sample consisted of only 35% (n=14) of ethnic/cultural backgrounds that fell into the Other subcategory while Caucasian/Northern European represented 65% (n=26) of the sample respectively. No statistically significant differences were found between ethnic/cultural background and the intervention or control groups (χ2(1)=10.29, p=.17).
Table 10
Comparison of Year 7 Participants by Age and Ethnicity/Cultural Background in Control and Intervention Groups at Baseline
Intervention (n=160)
Control (n=43)
Measure Mean SD Mean SD t p
Age (Yrs) 12.42 0.40 12.55 0.35 1.91 .06
% n % n χ2 p
Caucasian/Northern
European 52.5 84 65.0 26 10.29 .17
Other 47.2 75 35.0 14
As a result of low numbers in several of the ethnic/cultural subcategories, most analysis was collapsed into only two combined subcategories, Caucasian/Northern European and Other (including Southern European, Asian, Middle Eastern, Indian or Sri Lankan and Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander).
5.2.2 Baseline surveys
Table 11 compares male control and intervention participants’ dieting behaviours, perceived weight and desired weight at baseline.
Table 11
Comparison of Participants’ Dieting Behaviours, Perceived Weight and Desired Weight by Control and Intervention Group at Baseline
Measure
Intervention (n=160)
Control (n=43)
% n % n χ2 p
Diet
Lose weight 23.4 37 14.0 6 1.48 .22
Gain weight 9.1 14 2.3 1 1.93 .16
Perceived weight
Too thin 9.4 15 11.6 5 0.19 .91
About right 73.8 118 72.1 31
Too fat 16.9 27 16.3 7
Desired weight
A lot heavier 2.5 4 2.3 1 0.90 .93
A little heavier 15.0 24 14.0 6
Same as present 34.4 55 39.5 17
A little lighter 41.3 66 34.9 15
A lot lighter 6.9 11 9.3 4
There were no statistically different results between control and intervention groups for any of the measures.
The results of male participants’ Physical Appearance Scores (0–10), Stunkard Body Figure Perception Scale Scores (rating of 1–9, 1=emaciated, 9=obese) and BMI by intervention and control group are given in Table 12.
Table 12
Comparison of Participants’ Physical Appearance Scores, Stunkard Body Figure Perception Scale Scores and BMI from Control and Intervention Groups at Baseline
Measure
Intervention (n=160)
Control (n=43)
Mean SD Mean SD Fa p
Physical Appearance Score
(0–10)
Self-score 7.28 1.62 7.02 2.12 0.71 .40
Other people score 6.88 1.81 6.87 1.98 0.00 .97 Opposite sex score 6.79 2.02 6.44 2.30 0.92 .34
Mother score 8.96 1.61 8.67 2.10 0.98 .32
Father score 8.66 1.79 8.39 2.20 0.64 .42
Stunkard Scale (1–9)
Self 3.99 1.30 3.87 1.52 0.29 .59
Desired figure 3.57 0.93 3.64 0.81 0.22 .64
Preferred male figure 3.58 0.98 3.78 0.84 1.32 .25 Preferred female figure 3.33 1.05 3.26 0.68 0.17 .68
BMI 20.52 3.59 19.86 3.86 1.07 .30
aF value computed using ANOVA (two tailed).
No significant differences were found in between any of the measures.
Differences in worries and stresses reported by adolescents in the intervention and control groups are shown in Table 13 to Table 16.
Table 13 shows that there were no differences in male participants’ worries and stresses about their new school or fitting in at school at baseline. The results in Table 14 also show no statistically differences in worries and stresses about relationships between intervention and control participants with the exception of the control group males who tended to worry more about their relationship with a girlfriend (χ2(2)=6.33, p=.04).
No statistically significant differences in intervention and control groups worries and stresses about bullying, social interactions and being offered drugs, cigarettes and alcohol, were evident at baseline (see Table 15). As shown in Table 16, there were also no baseline differences between intervention and control groups’ worries and stresses about doing well at sports and other physical activities, time management, body image, pubertal body changes or physical appearance.
Table 13
Comparison of Control and Intervention Participants’ Worries and Stresses Concerning School and Fitting in at School at Baseline
Worries/stresses
Intervention (n=160)
Control (n=43)
Worry a lot Worry a little Do not worry Worry a lot Worry a little Do not worry
% n % n % n % n % n % n χ2 p
New school 4.4 7 50.6 81 45.0 72 11.9 5 47.6 20 40.5 17 3.39 .18
Trying to find new friends 7.5 12 40.6 65 51.9 83 11.9 5 38.1 16 50.0 21 0.84 .66
Fitting in at school 7.5 12 40.9 65 51.6 82 9.5 4 40.5 17 50.0 21 0.18 .91
Not being smart enough 8.8 14 33.1 53 58.1 93 9.5 4 28.6 12 61.9 26 0.32 .85
Doing well at schoolwork 8.2 13 49.1 78 42.8 68 11.9 5 45.2 19 42.9 18 0.62 .74
Table 14
Comparison of Control and Intervention Participants’ Worries and Stresses Concerning Relationships at Baseline
*p<.05
Worries/stresses
Intervention (n=160)
Control (n=43) Worry a
lot
Worry a little
Do not worry
Worry a lot
Worry a little
Do not worry
% n % n % n % n % n % n χ2 p
Being popular and well liked 8.2 13 37.7 60 54.1 86 16.7 9 40.5 17 42.9 18 3.28 .19 Getting along with friends 9.4 15 34.4 55 56.3 90 9.5 4 35.7 15 54.8 23 0.03 .99 Getting along with my girlfriend 15.5 24 33.5 52 51.5 79 28.6 12 16.7 7 54.8 23 6.33 .04*
Getting along with Mum 13.2 21 20.8 33 66.0 105 14.3 6 35.7 15 50.0 21 4.51 .12 Getting along with Dad 13.5 21 19.2 30 67.3 105 11.9 5 31.0 13 57.1 24 2.68 .26 Getting along with my sister or brother 11.0 17 26.5 41 62.6 97 14.3 6 31.0 13 54.8 23 0.89 .64 Getting along with others at home or
others in family 8.9 14 29.7 47 61.4 97 7.1 3 33.3 14 59.5 25 0.27 .87
Getting along with my new teachers 6.9 11 36.3 58 56.9 91 11.9 5 35.7 15 52.4 22 1.19 .55 Being left out of groups of friends at
school 17.0 27 45.3 72 37.7 60 11.9 5 40.5 17 47.6 20 1.53 .47
Table 15
Comparison of Control and Intervention Participants’ Worries and Stresses Concerning Bullying, Social Interactions and being Offered Drugs, Cigarettes and Alcohol at Baseline
Worries/stresses
Intervention
(n=160) Control
(n=43) Worry a
lot
Worry a little
Do not worry
Worry a lot
Worry a little
Do not worry
% n % n % n % n % n % n χ2 p
Sorting out and practicing my
spiritual beliefs 7.6 12 24.7 39 67.7 107 7.1 3 28.6 12 64.3 27 0.26 .88
Being offered drugs, cigarettes or
alcohol 42.8 68 25.2 40 32.1 51 26.2 11 26.2 11 47.6 20 4.61 .10
Being teased at school 22.2 35 32.9 52 44.9 71 14.3 6 35.7 15 50.0 21 1.26 .53 Being called names at school 22.0 35 28.9 46 49.1 78 11.9 5 31.0 13 57.1 24 2.18 .34 Being bullied physically and pushed
around at school 26.9 43 33.1 53 40.0 64 19.0 8 26.2 11 54.8 23 3.00 .22
Cyberbullying on MSN, text
messages, email etc. 11.9 19 23.8 38 64.4 103 7.1 3 19.0 8 73.8 31 1.45 .48 Being too competitive at school 6.3 10 27.0 43 66.7 106 7.1 3 28.6 12 64.3 27 0.09 .95
Table 16
Comparison of Control and Intervention Participants’ Worries and Stresses Concerning Physical Activity, Time Management, Physical Appearance and Body Image at Baseline
Worries/stresses
Intervention
(n=160) Control
(n=43) Worry a
lot
Worry a little
Do not worry
Worry a lot
Worry a little
Do not worry
% n % n % n % n % n % n χ2 p
Doing well at sports, dance and
other physical activities 13.1 21 27.5 44 59.4 95 9.5 4 37.7 15 54.8 23 1.24 .54 Having time to do everything I
have to do 15.0 24 40.0 64 45.0 72 14.3 6 35.7 15 50.0 21 0.35 .84
Having the body size and shape
that I want 13.1 21 39.4 63 47.5 76 11.9 5 45.2 19 42.9 18 0.47 .79
Changes to my body during
puberty 5.0 8 28.8 46 66.3 106 7.1 3 23.8 10 69.0 29 0.61 .74
Skin, pimples, acne 12.6 20 40.9 65 46.5 74 9.5 4 38.1 16 52.4 22 0.56 .76
Section 5.2 illustrates that there were no discernible differences in intervention and control participants’ perceptions, attitudes and behaviours towards worries and stresses, self-esteem and body image at baseline.
The purpose of the current study was to design and implement and evaluate the impact of a school-based mental health and wellbeing intervention programme for male adolescents. Chapter 5 highlighted several gender differences in terms of body weight, perception of ideal body shape, self-perception scores and types and severity of worries/stress, giving credence to the need to tailor school-based mental health and wellbeing programmes for male adolescents. The following chapter reports survey results immediately succeeding the mental health and wellbeing intervention and at follow-up for male adolescents.