melissa huff tracey mcmahon, ms denyelle baete kenyon, phd · curriculum design • there are 28...
TRANSCRIPT
Melissa Huff
Tracey McMahon, MS
DenYelle Baete Kenyon, PhD
My Journey
• A positive youth development curriculum
focused on the promotion of sexual health
for middle school students. It is a
culturally-based curriculum that
incorporates traditional Native American
values and teachings.
• The project is support by Award Number P20MD001631-06 from the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities.
• Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this presentation are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IHS.
• Partners: Sanford Research, Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board, Urban Indian Health, University of Minnesota, and New Legacy Partnerships
Specific Aims
• Aim 1: Describe social norms and cultural factors which either reduce or exacerbate the risk for teen pregnancy through the impact on adolescent risk behaviors and contraceptive use.
• Aim 2: Use formative data to modify existing teen pregnancy prevention curricula or create a new more appropriate prevention program.
• Aim 3: Implement and evaluate an evidence-based, culturally appropriate program for reservation and urban Northern Plains American Indian (AI) teens.
Timeline Phase 1:
Needs Assessment
• Fall 2012 – Spring 2013
– Needs assessment data
collection completed
– Total of 185 participants
• 95 participants at the
urban site
• 90 participants at the
reservation site
Participants
• Focus Groups
– Self-identified as AI
– Elders (ages 49 to 79)
• Male/Female
– Youth (ages 15-24)
• Male/Female
• Parent/Non-parent
• Interviews
– Healthcare Providers
– School Personnel
Timeline (continued)
• Spring 2013 (Phase 1 completed)
– Codebook development
– Data divided into meaningful sub themes
• Timing
• Location
• Target Population
• Incentives
• Key Personnel
• Content & Activities
– Reports and manuscripts developed
Timeline (continued)
• Summer 2013
– Initial meeting with New Legacy
– Creating our curriculum “wish list”
• Fall 2013
– Received the first draft of the curriculum
– Began revising the curriculum
– Tailoring the curriculum to fit each community’s needs
Curriculum “Wish List”
Timeline (continued)
• Spring 2014
– Curriculum piloted with 4 schools
– Sisseton Wahpeton Summer Youth orientation
oCore Concepts were presented to 9-12th grade
Represents the flexibility of the curriculum
• Summer/Fall 2014 – Curriculum revision
Timeline (continued)
• Spring 2015
– Curriculum implementation and evaluation at
rural reservation site
– 3 after school programs at urban site
• Summer/Fall 2015
– Curriculum revision
– Continue testing concepts with other
populations of older youth, non-AI youth, and
pregnant and parenting teens
Timeline (continued)
• Fall 2015/Spring 2016:
– Curriculum implementation and evaluation at
rural reservation site
– 3 after school programs at urban site
– Piloted 8th grade “booster” curriculum
– Conducted 2 program facilitator trainings
• Future:
– Rigorously evaluate My Journey
Curriculum Design • There are 28 lessons which are designed to be completed within a 30-
minute block, giving facilitators the opportunity to adjust the curriculum in both timing and content.
• The lessons incorporate: – Hands-on activities
– Games
– Storytelling
– Relevant video material
– Journals
– Question box
– Aligned to Oceti Sakowin, National, and SD health & sex education standards
• The design also gives each community the opportunity to tailor the content to fit the needs of their community and/or tribe.
• Medicine Wheel – Balance of Mind, Body,
Emotion, Spirit
• Chain Reaction Model – Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
• Traditional Native American Values
• Sexual Health – Taking personal and sexual
responsibility
• Goal Setting
5 Core Concepts
Promotes healthy, balanced decision making around sexual
health.
Intended to reduce unintended teen pregnancy and STIs.
Medicine Wheel
Thinking
things
through
Engaging
in healthy
behavior
How we
are all
connected
Developing
emotional
maturity
Chain Reaction Model
Traditional Native Values
• Humility
• Perseverance
• Respect
• Honor
• Love
• Sacrifice
• Truth
• Compassion
• Bravery
• Fortitude
• Generosity
• Wisdom
• Calm/Quiet
Sexual Health
• Students are taught that our values inform our decisions, including decisions that effect our sexual health
• These values help us to determine what is right and wrong and what is appropriate behavior in romantic relationships. – Students are asked to think about their own sexual
values and where these values come from.
• Students also reflect on how sexual decision-making can effect their mind, body, emotion, and spirit and how to make healthy, balanced decisions.
Goal Setting
• Activities and discussions are designed to help the students to set short-term and long-term goals.
– What does your life look like today?
– How do you want your life to look in 5 years?
– What will you do to get from today to your ideal tomorrow?
• Giving students the tools to make better choices and understanding the consequences of their decisions will help them to achieve these goals.
Other Concepts – Environment
Other Concepts (continued)
Family Involvement & Trusted Adults
• Helping the students to identify who it is in their lives that they are comfortable talking to for asking life's difficult questions and seeking guidance, whether that person is a parent, relative, teacher, coach, or another adult or student.
– Students are also asked to identify positive and negative influences in their lives and are provided with examples of Native American role models and success stories.
Other Concepts (continued)
• Ethnic pride and identity
• Communication skill-building
• Healthy relationships
• Puberty
• Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
• Contraception
• Media influences
• Understanding the impact of teen pregnancy
Culture is used as a backdrop for all concepts.
Initial Feedback
• Students said they enjoyed the curriculum
• They felt comfortable participating
– Class discussion and activities
• Staff and school administration has been
positive
• Would recommend My Journey to others
Preliminary Results
Preliminary analyses of the pre/post-test data are
promising, with gains (although not statistically
significant) in areas of:
– Prosocial connectedness
– Ethnic identity
– Social and intrapersonal skills
– Emotional regulation
– Hopefulness about the future
– Self-efficacy
– Reasons for not having sex
Preliminary Results - continued
• Analyses also revealed decreases
(although not statistically significant)
in areas:
– Historical trauma
– Depression
– Reasons for having sex
• We anticipate that more participants in
this study will increase power to
detect significant effects.
Next Steps
• We are looking for schools/youth
organizations interested in implementing
My Journey!
– We offer staff training, materials/supplies, and
technical assistance
• Grants have been submitted to conduct
rigorous evaluation
• Continue implementation
Thank You!!
“Every child needs at least one person
who is really crazy about him or her.”
– Urie Bronfenbrenner