Photovoice is a unique documentary process that empowers ordinary people to document and share their knowledge about identified health issues they personally experience in their communities. It is a technique that couples a written narration, a "voice" from participants, with pictures taken after being trained in the photovoice technique. This nontraditional manner of generating knowledge can also serve as a health education and intervention activity affecting self-esteem and perceptions of self-control. Photovoice is tested here as a strategy for involving Fresno, CA, youth in a community-based needs assessment to increase knowledge about the personal and environmental factors that influence youth to: 1) stay in school; and, 2) delay becoming a parent. Fifteen 13-17 year old members of the Better Educated and Successful Teens (B.E.S.T.) Club, who are also siblings of pregnant and/or parenting teens, were trained in the photovoice technique and participated in this project. Individual photoboards and one large group photoboard were created reflecting youth perceptions of community resources and barriers for staying in school and delaying sexual intercourse. Results of this study produced a limited number of photographs, generally depicting encouraging family members, helpful teachers and other positive role models. These results suggest that adolescents have a difficult time grasping the abstract nature of photovoice. However, pre-post tests indicated that participation in the photovoice project had a positive effect on self-reported measures of self-esteem and perceptions of self-control. Suggestions for utilizing photovoice with other adolescent populations are provided.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe the photovoice technique as a method to enable youth to record and reflect upon the resources and barriers in their community for school success and pregnancy prevention. 2. Identify strategies for adapting photovoice for adolescent populations. 3. Describe positive effects of photovoice on youth self-esteem and perceptions of control
Keywords: Photovoice, Risk Factors
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.