Caylor, Natalia Infante, authorGloeckner, Gene W., advisorBasile, Vincent G., advisorBaker, Susan S., committee memberAuld, Garry W., committee member2018-06-122018-06-122018https://hdl.handle.net/10217/189296The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) funds are distributed to land grant universities in all states, US territories and the District of Columbia (USDA, 2013). It was established by the Smith-Lever Act of 1969 to help low income families, particularly those with children under 18, by teaching families how to stretch their dollars and plan healthy and inexpensive meals (Brink, 2000; Dollahite, Kenkel, & Thompson, 2008; Greer & Poling, 2001). EFNEP also provides ongoing empowerment through continuous training, staff development and improving job performance. Multiple studies have shown that EFNEP has a positive impact on the life of program participants. Some of the program impacts reported are related to physical activity, food safety practices and menu planning (Hibbs & Sandman, 2011; Rajgopal, Cox, Lambur, & Lewis, 2002). This multi-state research is the continuation of an exploratory quantitative study that assessed the use of the Quality of Life profile for adults from the Centre for Health Promotion of the University of Toronto. The methodology of the study conducted by Bauer (2009) consisted of pre, post and delayed questionnaire completed with EFNEP's paraprofessional educators and participants at three different times. The research was part of a Master's thesis (Bauer, 2009) and a manuscript was written by Auld, Baker, Bauer, Koszewski, Procter, & Steger (2013). Results helped in developing the themes and shaping the questions to be asked for the telephone interviews about the influence of EFNEP on the Quality of Life (QoL) of its educators (Phase I), and the focus groups with EFNEP participants (Phase II), discussed in detail in this dissertation. Phase I results were published in fall 2016 in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (Auld, Baker, Infante, Inglis-Widrick, Procter, Steger, and Yerxa, 2016). Phase II, a qualitative study, examined the influence EFNEP has on its program participants' Quality of Life (QoL) from four different populations: Blacks, Whites, Spanish-proficient Latin@ and English-proficient Latin@. The research into quality of life for Phase I consisted of multistate individual qualitative telephone interviews conducted with 28 EFNEP educators, 15 EFNEP supervisors and 15 agency representatives. Data collected from the telephone interviews were transcribed and analyzed using template analysis. Interviewees' transcripts were also analyzed inductively to determine the influence of EFNEP on the lives of its educators. Furthermore, the research into quality of life for Phase II consisted of focus groups, some in English and some in Spanish with EFNEP participants from different states and ethnic backgrounds. Data collected from the focus groups were transcribed, translated when needed and analyzed using template analysis. Transcripts from Phase II were also analyzed inductively to determine the influence of EFNEP on the quality of life of its program participants. A QoL construct from the University of Toronto (UoT) served as a priori starting point to review interviews about educators for Phase I, and focus groups with participants for Phase II. EFNEP influenced educators' QoL by helping them make positive changes in their lives, increasing their motivation or drive for improvement, increasing self-esteem, increasing self-confidence, positively impacting educators' families, and increasing educators' community status. In addition, EFNEP also influenced the QoL of its program participants by helping participants have healthier eating patterns, learn about food safety, be more physically active, be motivated to improve, be a good role model for their children and learn about and try new things. Results from this study support the view that EFNEP influences the QoL of its educators and program participants in many ways.born digitaldoctoral dissertationsengCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.EFNEPparaprofessional educatorsquality of lifenutrition educatorseducatorsparticipantsText