Youth empowerment (YE) is an important strategy for changing social norms about tobacco control, a major objective of the American Legacy Foundation. But YE is not well understood. Several key components of YE (e.g., individual attitudes and beliefs, knowledge and skills, participation, and organizational factors) have been recognized in the literature. However, a univocal conceptual framework and measurement strategies that incorporate relevant theory need to be developed. This presentation focuses on the process followed by a Legacy-sponsored work group to address these needs, and immediate results of its efforts. Following a modified Delphi approach, the work group developed a preliminary conceptual framework consisting of four primary domains--attitudes and beliefs, knowledge and skills, participation, and organizational characteristics--within which specific measurable attributes were elucidated, and to a logic model within which YE tobacco control programs could be understood. This presentation provides details on the process followed to generate the conceptual framework, and reviews each component of the proposed model. Participants will learn about theory and constructs underlying YE and their relevance to interventions and measurement strategies.
Learning Objectives: To understand theory and constructs underlying youth empowerment. To model the relationships among youth empowerment constructs. To understand how youth empowerment can be used as a tobacco control intervention strategy.
Keywords: Youth, Tobacco Control
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: American Legacy Foundation
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.