COPE/Healthy Lifestyles for Teens: a School-based RCT

Principal Investigator: Bern Mellnyk

SIRC Collaborators: Flavio F. Marsiglia

Funding: National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Nursing Research, award R01 1NR012171 (2009-2013)

The prevention and treatment of obesity and mental health disorders in adolescence are two major public health problems in the United States today. To address the increasing incidence and adverse health outcomes associated with both obesity and mental health problems, a theory-based 15 session intervention program entitled COPE (Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment)/Healthy Lifestyles TEEN (Thinking, Feeling, Emotions & Exercise), is being delivered within high school health classes in order to improve the physical and mental health outcomes of 800 culturally diverse adolescents (14 to 16 years of age).

Melnyk, B.,  Jacobson, D., Kelly, S., Belyea, M., Shaibi, G., Small, L., O’Haver, J., & Marsiglia, F. F. (2013). Promoting healthy lifestyles in high school adolescents: A randomized controlled trial.  American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 45, 407-415.

Melnyk, B. M., Kelly, S., Jacobson, D., Belyea, M., Shaibi, G. Q., Small, L., O’Haver, J., & Marsiglia, F. F. (2013). The COPE Healthy Lifestyles TEEN randomized controlled trial with culturally diverse high school adolescents: Baseline characteristics and methods. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 36, 41-53.