Nurturing healthy relationships in middle school youth through an arts-based interactive theater program

Saturday, October 10, 2009: 9:50 AM-11:10 AM
Grand Couteau (Sheraton New Orleans Hotel)
Speaker:
Nina M. Fredland, PhD, RN, CS, FNP, The University of Texas at Austin


Presentation Format:
Scientific Program Report

Description:
This culturally relevant, developmentally appropriate study uses interactive theater methodology to deliver a healthy message to seventh graders via health classes in an underserved area of Central Texas. Students (N=104) participated in 3 consecutive and 1 follow-up performance. This presentation reports on collaboration with a local theater company related to script development, and the feasibility of this approach with middle school youth. Baseline descriptive data related to attitudes toward violence, and experiences of teasing/bullying and dating violence will be reported.