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An examination of the relationship between characteristics of Expanded Food and Nutrition Program paraprofessionals and their effectiveness as change agents

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dc.contributor.authorWelschenbach, Marilyn A.en
dc.contributor.committeechairBelli, Gabriellaen
dc.contributor.committeememberFortune, Jimmie C.en
dc.contributor.committeememberStewart, Daisy L.en
dc.contributor.committeememberHertzler, Ann A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberCox, Ruby H.en
dc.contributor.departmentEducation Research and Evaluationen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:23:40Zen
dc.date.adate2005-12-22en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:23:40Zen
dc.date.issued1993en
dc.date.rdate2005-12-22en
dc.date.sdate2005-12-22en
dc.description.abstractThe Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is a federal program designed to improve the nutritional status of the population and provide employment for paraprofessional aides from the indigenous target population and an example of a change agency. Diffusion and change literature offer many models and possible personality characteristics that may be associated with effective change agents. The purpose of the study was to examine characteristics of paraprofessionals employed in the Adult phase of Virginia EFNEP and their relationship to paraprofessional effectiveness and how well they fit the diffusion model. Effectiveness for the paraprofessional was measured as homemaker success (change in nutrient intake and food behavior) and as paraprofessional performance (workload and home visit evaluation). Personality, training, and demographic characteristics of the 40 paraprofessionals were obtained through a mailed Paraprofessional Questionnaire and the Sixteen Personality Factor (16PF) Test. Demographics, food behavior and knowledge, and nutrient intake for a sample of three homemakers per paraprofessional (N=116) were obtained from EFNEP Family Records. Homophily, the measure of correspondence, was calculated by comparing each paraprofessional with their sample of three homemakers. Three personality factors (concrete thinking, impulsivity, and self-discipline) along with homophily were correlated with change in food behavior, none with change in nutrient intake, and two (concrete thinking and low tension) along with perfect match homophily were correlated with workload. There were no apparent difference in training. When all factors were analyzed by stepwise multiple regression, homophily along with three of the second-order personality factors were related to change in food behavior. One second order factor, low anxiety along with perfect match, was related to workload. Implications for practice include: (a) EFNEP paraprofessionals, in part, appear to be fitting the model of change agent effectiveness, in that homophily is influencing the homemakers and (b) low anxiety and low tension appear to be related to effectiveness and could be used in employee selection and future training. Recommendations for future study include: (a) further study into quantification of homophily and (b) investigation of relationship of characteristics to supervisor view of effectiveness.en
dc.description.degreePh. D.en
dc.format.extentxi, 150 leavesen
dc.format.mediumBTDen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.otheretd-12222005-090702en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-12222005-090702/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/40473en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartLD5655.V856_1993.W457.pdfen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 29968724en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V856 1993.W457en
dc.subject.lcshExpanded Food and Nutrition Education Programen
dc.subject.lcshNutrition -- Study and teaching -- Virginiaen
dc.titleAn examination of the relationship between characteristics of Expanded Food and Nutrition Program paraprofessionals and their effectiveness as change agentsen
dc.typeDissertationen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineEducation Research and Evaluationen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.leveldoctoralen
thesis.degree.namePh. D.en

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