Bstrongbfit Case Study

Female youth are experiencing higher rates of body dissatisfaction, depression, and anxiety (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016; Grosick, 2013; Mental Health America, 2016), which are often untreated (Mental Health Administration, 2015). Twenty percent of females age 12 to 17 report experiencing one or more major depressive episodes; three times the rate reported by male adolescents (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2015). A similar trend is found for anxiety symptoms and disorders; adolescent female experience rates of social anxiety (Beesdo, Knappe & Pine, 2009), specific phobias (Burstein, et al., 2012), and generalized anxiety disorder (Crozier, Gillihan & Powers, 2011) at rates higher than their male peers.
The rate of depression and generalized anxiety disorder in females’ significantly increases between the ages of 12 and 15 (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2015; Vasey & Bosmans, 2014). Although youth are experiencing increasing
Fourth and fifth grade girls meet twice weekly before or after school for lessons that promote “physical activity through running…and positive self-esteem.” (BstrongBfit, n.d.). BstrongBfit is sponsored by the University of Colorado Health through the Healthy Kids Club. All of the curriculum and materials are provided at no cost to participants. The program is provided as an after or before school group in schools and community setting throughout Northern Colorado. BstrongBfit, formally known as Girls Gotta Run, was modeled after Girls on the Run, a national running program for girl’s grade levels 4th-6th grade designed to increase social and emotional well-being. In 2011, The program was changed to BStrongBfit, and modeled after a more “research based” program that aligns with the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (Johnson,