| VERB™ Scorecard | Download full description  Download flyer |
Evidence Summary
Underlying Theory: Social marketing is a primary guiding framework for VERB Scorecard, as well Social Cognitive Theory constructs, including observational learning, self-efficacy, behavioral capability, environment, reinforcement, and reciprocal determinism.
Strategy(ies) Used: VERB Scorecard includes the following evidence-based strategies for physical activity:
- Increasing access to places or facilities for physical activity by recruiting businesses and organizations to provide low-cost or free activities at their sites, and
- Implementing a community-wide campaign through multiple components, such as media promotions, physical activity events, increased support of community businesses and organizations where youth engage in physical activity, and targeting individual behavior change.
Research Findings and Evaluation Outcomes: VERB Summer Scorecard was developed and evaluated in the field as a practice-based intervention. Program awareness and participation increased with each subsequent year of implementation:
| 2004 N=4049 |
2006 N=2623 |
2007 N=2966 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Awareness of VERB Summer Scorecard | 35% | 62% | 79% |
| Receipt of Scorecarda | 44% | 59% | 53% |
| Number of Scorecards submitted | 355 | 878 | 1720 |
| Completion of Scorecarda | 25% | 37% | 30% |
Note: Data were not collected in 2005.
Data regarding activity levels available at the time of review were from surveys administered to elementary and middle school students in Lexington-Fayette County in 2006. Positive differences in activity level were observed for those tweens who recalled VERB Summer Scorecard versus those who did not; however, caution should be used in the application of these findings due to concerns of selectivity bias (i.e. more physically active youth being attracted to the program).
Lexington Fayette County Data (2006):
| Number of Schools Surveyed |
Total Number of Students |
Number of Students Who Responded to Survey |
|---|---|---|
| 25 elementary schools (21 public and 4 private) |
~ 8,300 students | 2,674 (2,518 surveys included in data analysis) |
| 12 middle schools (8 public and 4 private) |
According to 05-06 state non-fiscal survey, there were 5,932 students in the 8 public schools | 2,623 (2,499 surveys included in data analysis) |
Program awareness
- Over half (58.7%) of the elementary school students surveyed reported having seen, read, or heard something about VERB Summer Scorecard.
- Over half (61%) of the middle school students surveyed reported having seen, read, or heard something about VERB Summer Scorecard.
Self-monitoring
- 41.7% of the elementary school students exposed to VERB Summer Scorecard filled out all or part of a Scorecard.
- 37% of the middle school students exposed to VERB Summer Scorecard filled out all or part of a Scorecard.
Physical Activity
- Students (elementary and middle) who participated in the VERB Summer Scorecard program were more likely to have played the previous day than those who had not participated.
- Students (elementary and middle) who participated in the VERB Summer Scorecard program were more likely to have tried a new activity than those who had not participated.
- The mean number of days of vigorous activity and play, not including PE, was also significantly higher among students (elementary and middle) who had filled out all or part of a card as compared to those who had not.