Middle School Media Literacy for Reproductive Health

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Consumption of unhealthy media messages that normalize or glorify risky sex is related to early and risky sexual behaviors in adolescents. Critical analysis of these media messages promotes healthy perspective-taking about relationships and sexual behaviors. The proposed project will complete the development of Media World Relationships, a prevention program that focuses on teaching media literacy education to students in grades 7-9 to increase critical thinking skills about media messages, increase intentions to abstain from sexual activity, and increase the likelihood of safe behaviors should sexual activity occur. The ultimate goals of the program are to prevent early sexual behaviors, STI transmission, and teen pregnancy. The program is highly innovative due to its focus on a broad range of important sexual health topics, attention to a risk factor often ignored in sexual risk prevention program s (i.e., media), use of a well-defined conceptual framework (i.e., MIP model), and cutting-edge blended-learning pedagogy. The 8-lesson program consists of a Teacher's Manual and a DVD with 8 multimedia classroom presentations with integrated video and audio clips that are designed to be used while teaching each lesson. The program will also include two brief e-learning modules designed to provide health education on STIs and contraception. Program development in Phase II will consist of making revisions to the core program based on feedback gained in Phase I, creating the second e-module, and translating the in-person teacher training into a web-based format. Finally, a randomized control trial with a three-month follow-up will be conducted to evaluate the program's effectiveness for promoting healthy youth outcomes. One of the added benefits of this innovative program is that while potentially enhancing the sexual health of adolescents, it also emphasizes the development and refinement of critical thinking skills valued in education which should foster dissemination.