Download An Assessment of the Full Circle Project: Can

An Assessment of
The Full Circle Project:
Can Theatre-Based Sexuality Education
Help Overcome Cultural Barriers?
Presented at the APCRSH, Bangkok, Thailand
October, 2003
Josephine MacIntosh, Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Victoria, Canada
Funded by: Vancouver Island Health Authority, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research/BC Medical Services
Foundation (Population Health), Sara Spencer Foundation for Applied Social Research, Planned Parenthood
Federation of Canada, and Dr. Elinor D.U. Powell, M.D..
Components Of Canadian
Sexual Health Education

Acquisition of knowledge
 Development of motivation and personal
insight
 Development of skills that support sexual
health
 Creation of an environment conducive to
sexual health
(Health Canada, 2003)
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AIDS, HIV & STIs In Canada

AIDS death rates have dropped
(Health Canada, 2000)

HIV infection rates continue to increase
(Health Canada, 2000)

Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis
infection rates have risen
(Patrick, Wong & Jordan: SEICCAN, 2000)
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The Full Circle Project

Theatre-based intervention that used youth
culture and language as the framework for
HIV/STI and sexuality education
 Community-based, peer-led initiative to
promote sexual health and responsible
sexual behaviour
 Proactive, repeat intervention with the
potential to reduce high-risk sexual behaviour
(HRSB) among in-school youth
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Purpose of the Assessment

To test the potential efficacy of a novel,
peer-led approach to sexual health
education

We hoped to help our young audiences
gain confidence in their own ability to
apply prevention strategies within the
context of interpersonal relationships
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Subjects
Audiences: N = 125
 Grade 8, 9 & 10 (mean age 14.1 yrs)
 4 groups comprised of 2 classes each
 From 2 inner city schools and one
suburban school
 Actor/Educators: N = 10 (aged 15-24)

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Methodology
Behavioural observations of audiences
during Q&A sessions (N=351)
 Written feedback from audiences after
each part of the play (N=363)
 Analysis of videotaped interviews with
actor/educators (N= 10)

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Did it Engage the Audience?
Percent Engaged
Overall Mean Levels of Engagement
100
80
60
77.6
78.5
68
64.7
10:0115:00
15:0120:00
40
20
0
0:00-5:00
5:01-10:00
Time in Minutes
8
Overall Reported Confidence
Level of Confidence Reported by Youth
Number Circled
10
8
5.91
6.99
7.59
6.17
Asian
6
Non-Asian
4
Mean
2
0
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
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Did It increase Confidence?
More or Less Confident Than Before?
Percent
100
84.4
85.7
84.3
75
More
50
Less
25
Missing
0
Overall
Asian Youth
Non-Asian
Youth
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Excerpts from Video Interview
with an Asian Actor/educator
Q: Did you learn anything you hadn’t
expected to learn?
A: I… learned more [about] how to
prevent HIV and sexual diseases that I
wouldn’t normally have learned through
daily life... that was a benefit to me…
Now I would be more prepared and
willing to talk about it with others.
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Excerpts from video interview
Q: How has this changed you, if at all?
A: I am more accepting [of] others…
regardless of their sexual orientation… I
played a gay guy… That [had] an
impact on me… before… if someone
told me they were gay I would be…
repelling… but now… I would be more
accepting because I would know how
they feel…
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Excerpts from video interview
Q: Any other comments?
A: I would just like to tell people to do
more of this kind of thing… it’s easier
and has a bigger impact than… if
someone… lectured me on STI’s… I
wouldn’t pay attention. But [with]… a
drama… [youth] pay attention because
it’s… interesting… the information
would actually sink in… they would think
about it, and have reflections on it.
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Limitations of the Assessment

Lack of a randomized, controlled
design

Use of a post-test only methodology
 Limits conclusions,
 Results are merely suggestive
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Discussion & Recommendations
Theatre-based, peer-led approach to
sexual health education holds promise
 Audiences reported increased
confidence in their ability to apply
prevention strategies
 The Full Circle Project showed great
potential for sexual health promotion
 Recommend longitudinal study

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Contact Information:
Josephine MacIntosh
Interdisciplinary Studies
c/o Sociology Department
University of Victoria
PO Box 3050
Victoria, BC, Canada, V8W 3P5
E-mail: jmm@uvic.ca
Web: http://web.uvic.ca/~jmm/FullCircle
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