A comparison of three methods of assessing the nutrition education needs of at-home mothers of preschoolers
Date
1982
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
Type
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
Needs assessment is generally recognized as an important component
of program planning and decision-making processes. However, a better
understanding is required of the relative worth of various methods used
to assess educational needs and, particularly, nutrition education needs.
This study was designed to investigate the relationship among
three methods of needs assessment. More specifically, it compared a
perceived needs assessment method with two alternate methods based on
assessments of knowledge and food consumption. The four food groups of
Canada's Food Guide were used as the basis of comparison among the
methods. Home interviews were conducted by the researcher with a
selected sample of mothers of three year old children in the Regina
Rural Region of Saskatchewan Health. Instruments used during the
interviews were developed or adapted to collect data concerning mothers'
perceived needs, their nutrition knowledge, the food intake of their
preschoolers, and relevant demographic variables.
Analysis of the data involved correlating mothers' perception
scores with scores based on their nutrition knowledge and on the food
consumption of their preschoolers for each of the four food groups.
Tabulations of frequencies to provide descriptive information about
the characteristics of the sample were also included in the analysis.
The findings indicated non-significant correlations for the data
in all but one instance. This research, therefore, was not able to
support the existence of relationships among the three methods of needs
assessment tested in a well educated population of mothers. Although
more thorough testing of the instruments used to collect the data is
required, the research lends support to the contention that some major
differences exist among the three methods of needs assessment investigated
and suggests possible implications for program planning.
Description
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Citation
Degree
Master of Continuing Education (M.C.Ed.)
Department
College of Education
Program
College of Education