Use of harmful substances (alcohol, tobacco and other drugs), violence/injury, and related sexual risks (STDs, HIV/AIDS, teenage and unwanted pregnancy) among youth are widespread and serious problems. Finding ways of preventing adolescents, particularly minority youth, from initiation or continuation of risky health behaviors is therefore of utmost importance.
An innovative middle school-based risk prevention-resilience building study (TEENSMART) for young minority youth has been funded and initiated across three large metropolitan school systems in the Southeast. The long-term aim of this study is to reduce substance use, violence/injury, and risky sexual behaviors among female in grades 6 – 8. Based upon the guiding framework, Social Stress Model (Rhodes & Jessor, 1988), practical goals of the intervention study include: (1) assisting young adolescents to become more consciously aware of their personal choices and responsibilities to engage or not engage in alcohol, tobacco, and drug use; violence/injury; and risky sexual behaviors, while (2) simultaneously empowering them to significantly increase those personal and interpersonal competencies necessary to make healthier choices for successful transition to young adulthood.
The focus of this presentation will be on the development and evaluation of prevention intervention methods and materials with an emphasis on developmental, cultural, and contextual appropriateness for young minority adolescents. Building resilient young adolescents requires a strengths-based approach that emphasizes youth assets and capacity, while minimizing recognized liabilities. A variety of evaluation modes of inquiry and collected data will be shared.
See www.gsu.edu/~wwwvrc
Learning Objectives: Learning Objective: Following this session, the participant will be able to: 1. Describe the critical elements necessary to develop a prevention intervention designed for young minority adolescents. 2. Recognized strengths-based developmental characteristics to enhance the capacity of young adolescents. 3. Describe evaluation methods of inquiry that generates documented support for youth-focused prevention interventions.
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Health Promotion
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Seven Habits of Highly Effective People(Covey, 1990, 1995)and Teens (Covey, 1998)
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.