Acceptability of Refusal Skills Training Modalities: A Comparison of Adolescents\u27 vs. Professionals\u27 Perceptions

Abstract

Fifty-three sexually active adolescents between 14 and 19 years of age were surveyed to identify general interest in refusal skills training for avoiding unwanted sexual activity. Subjects furnished information regarding preferences for three treatment modalities (pamphlet, behavioral rehearsal, and video modeling) used to deliver refusal skills training. Forty-one health care and school professionals (doctors, nurses, physician assistants, social workers, med tech/health educators, counselors, and psychologists) responded to a similar general interest survey and assessment of treatment modality preferences for provision of refusal skills training. Both adolescents and professionals demonstrated high general interest in refusal skills training as a viable and helpful intervention. Both groups rated behavioral rehearsal and video modeling assignificantly more acceptable than the pamphlet method for delivery of refusal skills training. The results of the survey underscore the importance of school and health care providers evaluating general interest and preferences by the adolescent community when developing and implementing educational and skills training programs for this population