A world-first Dads And Daughters Exercising and Empowered program (DADEE) run by University of Newcastle researchers has successfully improved girls self-esteem, resilience, sport skills and physical activity levels.
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Now the chief investigator, Professor Philip Morgan of the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, is excited about the “spin-off effects” of the innovative program.
DADEE is a world-first lifestyle program which targets fathers as the agents of change to improve their daughters’ physical activity levels, sport skills and social-emotional well-being.
Previous research had shown that more than 80 per cent of adolescent girls do not meet government physical activity recommendations.
There was also a marked difference in activity levels between boys and girls at all ages.
Professor Morgan reported the program “saw significant improvements in girls’ activity, sport skills and social and emotional well-being”.
It combined physical activity and fitness, fundamental movement skills and rough and tumble play.
The program also aimed to break down gender stereotypes for girls and used fathers as male advocates for change.
Professor Morgan reported “the social-emotional outcomes were among the best we’ve seen in research internationally” and said the “next phase of the program was even better”.
“The next step is to take DADEE out into the community and train other people to deliver it in an after school setting,” Professor Morgan said as the program was put on show at The Forum, at the University of Newcastle last week.
“In phase two we’ll be training other people to deliver it and we’re looking for another 150 families to take part.”
The DADEE principles are also being implemented as part of the university’s PE curriculum.
“My teaching this semester is teaching student teachers about the DADEE program principles, about how it impacts on their role as a teacher,” he said.
Student teachers will be trained up as facilitators of the DADEE program to be delivered in three Newcastle locations in term 4.
They are looking for dads and their primary school-aged daughters to take part.
dadee.org.au