Accentuate the Positive : A Resiliency Approach to Adolescent Reproductive Health Julia Rosenbaum The CHANGE Project The Academy for Educational Development

Resiliency Intervention Model : The Basics Growing body of literature, coming largely from the domestic arena Searches for protective factors rather than risk factors –Identifies internal and external factors Demonstrates that protection ‘clusters’, just like risk Predictive value high than risk factors

Resiliency & Other Assets-based Approaches: The Basics Youth development, school health, assets, positive deviance Assets inventory (Search Institute), Youth Mapping (CYD/AED), CA Healthy Kids Both a methodology and an ideology

Traditional intervention research Identifies risk factors for a certain health outcome (e.g. teen pregnancy) Focuses on deficits that need to be filled (usually with outside resources) Leads to identification, labeling and stigmatization of ‘deviants’ and communities Ignores that –the majority of “at risk” populations are often surviving if not thriving, and –solutions already exist within communities to address problems

EXTERNAL ASSET CLUSTERS Caring Relationships High Expectations Meaningful Participation –within the home, school, community and peer networks

INTERNAL ASSET CLUSTERS SOCIAL COMPETENCE –Cooperation and communication skills –Empathy and respect –Problem solving skills AUTONOMY and SENSE OF SELF –Personal Conviction –Self-Efficacy –Self Awareness

INTERNAL ASSETS CONT’D SENSE OF MEANING AND PURPOSE –Optimism –Goals and achievement motivation

Resiliency Research in Jamaica First-ever resiliency analysis conducted by the Jamaica MOH through re-analysis of Caribbean Youth Health Survey About to embark on comprehensive resiliency intervention research with MOH/Kingston, MOH/Clarendon, Rural Family Support Project (RFSO) and Hope Enterprises, Ltd.

Quantitative Survey –adapting the California Healthy Kids Survey – year old males and females in Clarendon Parish Sample size approximately

Teen perceptions of: –caring relationships –high expectations –meaningful participation –social competence –autonomy and sense of self –sense of meaning and purpose

Which of the factors??? support teens to –delay sexual activity –protect themselves from pregnancy

Why resiliency? Builds an intervention around resources already existing in community Enhances –acceptability and –sustainability –?? Shows impact beyond ARH objectives??

Research rolls into activities in late 2001… Coordinated with Youth.now efforts in Clarendon to enhance availability and quality of youth-friendly services Build community “demand” while Youth.now improves “supply”