Masters Theses

Date of Award

3-1984

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agricultural Extension

Major Professor

Robert S. Dotson

Committee Members

Cecil E. Carter Jr, Etta Mae Westbrook

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between the number of food behavior practices adopted by homemakers in each of the five food behavior practice categories identified in the EFNEP Food Behavior Checklist and selected personal and family characteristics. It also was conducted to determine the relation ships between the number of servings consumed by homemakers in each of four food groups from the initial to the last benchmark and the selected characteristics.

The population and sample of this study included 727 homemakers from seven of the nine original Tennessee Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program counties and those in Cocke County. Homemakers studied had been enrolled in EFNEP from one year to 30 months when the data were collected.

Analysis of variance, t-test and Chi-square were the statistics used to determine significance in relationships.

Findings and implications included the following:

1. Overall food behavior improvement scores, overall food consumption improvement, and monthly income of EFNEP homemakers were the most frequently significant scores/ measures studied. It was implied that these measures need to receive greater future attention by EFNEP researchers and workers.

2. County of EFNEP training, place of residence, and length of enrollmenet were the most frequently significant EFNEP homemaker characteristics studied. It was implied that attention also be given to these characteristics by EFNEP researchers and workers.

3. These findings and implications suggested the need for Agent and Program Assistant training to remove the county variable and assure each EFNEP homemaker the best possible educational assistance. Also, rural and urban residents were seen to need training specific to their needs.

4. Length of enrollment findings indicated that the greatest response to the EFNEP tends to be early in the program and that later improvements may slow, thus suggesting that consideration might be given to rapid, intensive first training followed by earlier termination or graduation.

In addition, recommendations for further study were included.

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