A MEDIA-BASED AIDS CURRICULUM FOR AT-RISK TEENS

THE PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AND EVALUATE A MEDIA-BASED AIDS PREVENTION CURRICULUM FOR AT-RISK TEENS. THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT ARE TO INCREASE TEENS' SENSE OF VULNERABILITY TO AIDS, INCREASE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT AIDS, AND DEVELOP SKILLS TO AVOID RISKY SEXUAL BEHAVIORS. A FILM ADAPTED FROM A TEEN AIDS DRAMA WILL BE PRODUCED. THE FILM WILL PROVIDE A REALISTIC PORTRAYAL OF THE SOCIAL AND PERSONAL ASPECTS UNDERLYING AIDS TRANSMISSION. AN ACCOMPANYING VIDEOTAPE FEATURES THE ACTORS IN AN OPEN RAP SESSION PROVIDING AN INSIDE LOOK AT THEIR CHARACTERS AND WHAT THESE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THINKING AND FEELING WHEN MAKING CRITICAL CHOICES; ROLE-PLAYING VARIATIONS OF SCENES THAT LEAD TO DIFFERENT CHOICES; AND ASSESSING HOW BEING IN THE PLAY AFFECTED THEIR ATTITUDES AND KNOWLEDGE. A TEEN NEWSPAPER WILL FOCUS ON THESUBJECT OF MAKING IMPULSIVE AND HIGH-RISK DECISIONS. THE TOPIC INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT RESTRICTED TO, AIDS TRANSMISSION. PHASE I WILL INCLUDE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE MATERIALS BY TEENS AND EXPERTS IN THE AREA OF AIDS EDUCATION. IN PHASE II, THE ENTIRE DRAMA WILL BE FILMED, A SERIES OF NEWSPAPER ISSUES WILL BE PRODUCED, AND A TEACHERS MANUAL WILL BE WRITTEN. THE PACKAGE WILL BE FIELD TESTED IN HIGH SCHOOLS.