Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical - ETR Associates

“determinants,” “behaviors,” and “health goals,”or “activities,” “short-term objectives” and “longtermoutcomes,” or “processes,” “outcomes,” and“impacts,” respectively.There are also other variations among logic models.Some include only these four minimum components,while others may provide more informationon inputs or specify far more complex causal models,with some determinants of behavior affecting otherdeterminants or with reciprocal causality acknowledged(e.g., determinants affecting behaviors andvice versa).Steps for Developinga Logic ModelCreating a logic model consistent with the goalsof this book involves completing at least four basicsteps:1. Identify possible health goals and select thehealth goal(s) to be achieved. For the purposesof this book, those health goals are reducingunintended pregnancy and STDs among youngpeople. These are listed on the far right side of thelogic model (see Figure 2-1).2. Identify potentially important behaviors thataffect the selected health goal and then select theparticular behaviors to be targeted. Key behaviorsfor sexual risk-taking are specified in Chapter 1.Specifically, to reduce unwanted pregnancy,young people need to delay sex or reduce the frequencyof sex and increase consistent and correctuse of effective contraception. To reduce STDtransmission, young people need to delay sex,have sex less frequently, have fewer sexual partners,avoid concurrent sexual partners, increasecondom use, increase the time period betweensexual partners, be tested (and treated if necessary)for STDs and be vaccinated against HPVand hepatitis B.3. Identify potentially important risk and protectivefactors of the selected behaviors and selectthose factors that can be changed and are to betargeted. This book highlights selected sexualpsychosocial factors affecting sexual behavior andparent-child communication about sexual behavior.Multiple studies demonstrate that these factorscan be changed by curriculum-based activitiesand can, in turn, affect sexual risk behavior.4. Identify or create possible interventions or activitiesthat have sufficient strength to improve eachselected risk and protective factor and select thosethat are most effective. The following chaptersprovide examples of many effective activities anddescribe theory-based instructional practices forincreasing their effectiveness.These four steps are summarized in Figure 2-2.Box 2-1 provides additional tips for developinglogic models, and Box 2-2 provides criteria forFigure2-2Steps for Developing and Understanding Logic ModelsThe order of the steps for developing the logic model:Step 4 Identify andselect interventioncomponentsStep 3 Identify andselect importantrisk and protectivefactorsStep 2 Identify andselect importantbehaviorsStep 1 Identify andselect healthgoal(s)The causal order of the components of the completed logic model:SpecifiedInterventionComponentsand ActivitiesAffectChosen Risk andProtective FactorsThatAffectImportantSexual BehaviorsWhich,in Turn,ReduceTeen Pregnancy,STD and HIV10 Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical Guide for Developing and Adapting Curriculum-Based Programs