Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical - ETR Associates

elevant to their lives than learn a greater numberof less important concepts.2. Learning is promoted when material is tailoredto the age, knowledge level, level of sexualexperience and gender of the students (Kirby,Laris et al. 2006). Consistent with the previousprinciple, this means that the information, skillsand behavioral message being taught should beappropriate to the level of experience, knowledgeand skills that the students have. For example, ifstudents are very young and not even consideringsex, then instructing them about methods ofcontraception will not be harmful, but may notseem relevant to the students and they may notremember them. As students begin to go throughpuberty and some begin to have sex or thinkabout it, then material on contraception is likelyto be more relevant to them. Conversely, if moststudents are having sex, focusing solely on abstinencemay seem irrelevant, reducing the potentialfor learning.Teaching methods also should reflect the characteristicsof the students. For example, if studentsdo not have adequate knowledge or relevant experienceabout relationships, then the instructionshould be taught at a more elementary level andshould provide relevant experience from others(e.g., through roleplays, videos, or other means)instead of relying on the students’ experience. Ifthe students are very knowledgeable and have alarge amount of experience and the instructionallevels are too low, then the students may find thematerial too elementary, boring and irrelevant.If these levels vary among the students, as theyoften do, then the instruction needs to addressthe multiple levels of knowledge or experienceto the extent feasible. One way to do this is toreview the material quickly. Another way is toallow more informed students to answer questionsor teach other students (e.g., through small-groupdiscussions, older peer-led activities, games, roleplaying,etc.).Material also should be tailored for each gender,whenever possible. For example, it shouldreflect potentially different learning styles ofeach gender, the particular pressures to engage insexual activity that each gender faces, and differentialcontrol over condom and contraceptive use.3. Learning is promoted when new knowledge isdemonstrated to students rather than simplydescribed (Merrill 2002). For example, simulationscan illustrate how the risks of pregnancyincrease with ongoing unprotected sex over time(see pregnancy risk activity in Chapter 4) andhow sexually transmitted infections can spreadrapidly among sexual networks (see STD handshakeactivity in Chapter 4). Videos can illustratethe effects of unplanned pregnancy or STDs.Roleplaying can demonstrate assertive and refusalskills to avoid undesired sexual activity or to insiston using contraception. Condom demonstrationscan show how to use condoms properly.4. Learning is promoted when complex conceptsor skills are broken into a progressionof smaller concepts or skills, when the smallerconcepts or skills are taught first, and whenthere is then a logical progression to morecomplex skills (Gibbons, Bunderson et al. 1995).For example, skills to avoid undesired or unprotectedsexual activity may be complex. However,they can be broken down into skills to recognizein advance situations that might lead to undesiredor unprotected sexual activity, as well asassertiveness skills to avoid or get out of thosesituations. The assertiveness skills, in turn, canbe broken down into verbal skills and assertivebody language. Then, each of the verbal skillscan be described, modeled and practiced. Theseskills can first be used in simpler situations inwhich a person is not particularly attracted to his/her date for the evening and can then progressto more complex situations in which the personreally likes and is attracted to his/her date, maybe alone, may have had too much to drink andso forth. Similarly, skills to use condoms correctlycan be broken down into skills to purchasecondoms, skills to have condoms available whenneeded, multiple verbal skills to insist on theuse of condoms and the necessary steps to actuallyuse a condom properly. Again, they can firstbe taught in simpler situations (e.g., when the38 Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk: A Theoretical Guide for Developing and Adapting Curriculum-Based Programs