The role of family therapy in decreasing HIV high-risk behaviors among adolescents.

Adolescence is a critical time for the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and both the prevention and treatment of high-risk-for-HIV behaviors such as drug abuse and unprotected sex. Family therapy appears to be a promising, yet neglected, source of influence in the prevention of HIV. In this paper, the authors identify HIV risk factors among adolescents and provide a rationale for the use of family therapy to prevent high-risk-for-HIV behaviors among adolescents. Also included are the components of one promising family therapy model for addressing risk reduction in adolescents. An illustrative case example is provided.

Qualitative evaluation of family therapy programs: a participatory approach.

In this article, we provide examples of participatory qualitative evaluation methods that can be used within family therapy training programs. These methods can elicit useful feedback to improve programs and, at the same time, empower trainees to become partners in the evaluation process.

Participatory evaluation research: an introduction for family therapists.

Participatory evaluation research empowers the consumers of services to become leaders in evaluation and change. Participatory research methods have been used widely in developing countries and are consistent with family therapy's recent emphasis on non-hierarchical, empowering, collaborative therapies. In this paper, the authors present several examples of participatory evaluation methods and discuss their applicability to the work of family therapists.

The "consulting-your-consultants interview": a final narrative conversation with graduating family therapy Masters' students.

In this article, we discuss a Masters' exit interview in which we use questions adopted from narrative therapy to celebrate the transition of Masters' students into the world of marital and family therapy professionals. We are finding that this process helps us underline our students' agency and competence. Also, since the process elevates students to the level of consultants during the interview, it invites them to see themselves as experts in their own right.

Enhancing ethical decision making in sexuality and AIDS education.

Traditionally, sexuality education has consisted of teaching adolescents about human anatomy, reproduction, and sexually transmitted diseases. Most sexuality and AIDS education curricula have emphasized neither the relational aspects nor the ethical meaning of sexual behavior. However, current guidelines for comprehensive sexuality education from the National Guidelines Task Force acknowledge the ethical dimensions of sexuality. This paper advocates providing sexuality and AIDS education in a way that helps adolescents explore the ethical meaning of their sexual behavior. Principles from Rest's model of moral development are presented as one example of an ethical framework that could inform sexuality and AIDS education curricula. Rest describes four internal processes that produce moral behavior: moral sensitivity, moral judgment, moral motivation, and moral character. For each of these processes, illustrative questions and activities are suggested here which can be used by sexuality and AIDS educators to facilitate discussions with adolescents about the ethical meaning and implications of their sexual behavior.

Mass media and prevention: Guidelines for family life professionals.

The potential preventive impact of mass media on family life is tremendous. Yet, many social scientists are reluctant to become involved in mass media programming, and those who do often have few guidelines, standards, or training to help them utilize mass media. Categories of problems discussed include: a) communicating with and understanding media professionals; b) establishing and maintaining professional standards; c) dealing with an unsophisticated public obsessed with facts; and d) recognizing and programming for the characteristics of mass media audiences. Recommendations for social scientists are presented for each category.