TISSAM OVERVIEW
Latino TISSAM
¡Adelante! (The Latino TISSAM, Take It Seriously: Sex, Abstinence and the Media) is a
culturally based program designed to increase Latino teens’ understanding of how media
messages are employed to use sex to influence teen peer norms, values, culture, “style,”
behaviors, knowledge and, of course, purchasing decisions. Successful advertisers are some of
the most savvy people on the planet; they study adolescents like scientists: they learn what teens
think, say, enjoy, do, need, want, and fear. They know that developmentally, teens are open and
vulnerable to sexual inference. Teens have strong purchasing power, and sex sells big.
This peer education curriculum which the teens have named ¡Adelante! is an adaptation of the TISSAM program.1 Seattle Public School teacher Christine Mattfeld and Pamela Hillard, former Supervisor of Health Education, Seattle Schools, working in collaboration with Teen Futures Media Network, assumed major responsibility for developing this adaptation. The curriculum, like the generic TISSAM curriculum, is six lessons in length, each lesson designed to take one class period (or fifty minutes). ¡Adelante! also includes a group of highly recommended video pieces that have proven to be excellent conversation starters for both parents and teens. As is the case with many programs, you may find that depending on your group needs and your own style and emphasis, some lessons may take more time.
This curriculum was supported by the significant contributions of Latino high school students.2 While all teens face sexual health risks, pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, Latino adolescents have increased risk, and they are the fastest growing youth population in the US. Research shows that educational materials that infuse cultural values and norms show stronger positive outcomes. Cultural beliefs and norms are incorporated into every lesson. The strengths of family and community are acknowledged and applied toward promoting health, safety and future success and happiness. Community values about communication, gender roles, family expectations and sexuality are discussed.
Media literacy is important for Latino teens. They often see themselves negatively depicted in the national media; these images serve to reinforce stereotypes and bias. These depictions weaken adolescent self-image, lowering confidence and expectations. Latino TISSAM provides youth with tools – information and skills – to master media literacy: to gain the power to deconstruct harmful ads and to fight back against media attempts to define them by always looking behind the message to find the truth.
Goals
Program goals are to:
Supporting Data
Latino teen girls are less likely – and Latino teen boys are more likely – than their peers
to have had sex.3
Although Latina girls are less likely to have had sex than their peers, they are also less
likely to use contraception when they do have sex, leaving them at greater risk for
pregnancy.4
One in two Latina teens (51%) gets pregnant at least once before age 20 – nearly twice
the national average.5
The Latina teen pregnancy rate is declining at half the pace of the national teen
pregnancy rate and 17 states have seen an increase in the Latina teen birth rate.6
Latinas have the highest teen birth rate of any major ethnic/racial minority in the United
States – nearly two times higher than national average.7
Among sexually active high school students, Latino boys and girls are less likely than
their white or black peers to have used a condom the last time they had sex.8
Latinos are now the largest minority group in the United States. It is projected that by
2025, almost one-quarter of the youth population will be Latino.9
Among sexually experienced teens aged 15-18, Latinas (35%) were more likely to report that their first male partner was four or more years older than were non-Hispanic black
(19%) and non-Hispanic white (20%) girls.10
1 Teen Futures, Media Network, College of Education, University of Washington, 2008 with support from the Washington State Department of Health
2 West Seattle High School, Seattle, Washington.
3 Abma, J.C. Martinez. G.M., Mosher, W.D., Dawson. B.S. (2004). Teenagers in the United States: Sexual activity, contraceptive use, and childbearing, 2002. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 23(24).
4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance.” Surveillance Summaries, June 9, 2005. MMWR 2006; 55(No.SS-5).
5 National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, (2007). An Overview of Latina Teen Pregnancy, A Look at Latinos, Washington, DC: Author
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid.
8 See 3.
9 See 5.
10 Vexler, E. and K. Suellentrop, (2006). Bridging Two Worlds: How Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs Can Better Serve Latino Youth. Washington, DC: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Prevention.
Prepare Your Parents/Guardians
Families are the primary sexuality educators for young people. In many Latino households, direct conversation between parents and children is not the cultural norm. Nonetheless, in many nonverbal subtle ways, attitudes, values, and expectations are transmitted. It is important to communicate clearly with families, to explain what the program is about – ultimately the health and safety of the youth – and that conversation about sexuality will be respectful and supportive of Latino family beliefs and culture.
For More Information
¡Adelante! was developed over a 5-year period in the Seattle School District. Using what the students have named ¡Adelante! the teens have presented this program to their peers and to younger students and gotten excellent reviews! The first cadre of Latino students working with the program began their involvement in middle school and most continued throughout their high school years. Those students who continued their involvement with ¡Adelante! have now, we are pleased to report, all graduated from high school.
For more details and information about ¡Adelante! please contact the Marilyn Cohen, Ph.D., Director of Teen Futures Media Network, College of Education, University of Washington at macohen@u.washington.edu by calling 1-888-833-6638.
This peer education curriculum which the teens have named ¡Adelante! is an adaptation of the TISSAM program.1 Seattle Public School teacher Christine Mattfeld and Pamela Hillard, former Supervisor of Health Education, Seattle Schools, working in collaboration with Teen Futures Media Network, assumed major responsibility for developing this adaptation. The curriculum, like the generic TISSAM curriculum, is six lessons in length, each lesson designed to take one class period (or fifty minutes). ¡Adelante! also includes a group of highly recommended video pieces that have proven to be excellent conversation starters for both parents and teens. As is the case with many programs, you may find that depending on your group needs and your own style and emphasis, some lessons may take more time.
This curriculum was supported by the significant contributions of Latino high school students.2 While all teens face sexual health risks, pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, Latino adolescents have increased risk, and they are the fastest growing youth population in the US. Research shows that educational materials that infuse cultural values and norms show stronger positive outcomes. Cultural beliefs and norms are incorporated into every lesson. The strengths of family and community are acknowledged and applied toward promoting health, safety and future success and happiness. Community values about communication, gender roles, family expectations and sexuality are discussed.
Media literacy is important for Latino teens. They often see themselves negatively depicted in the national media; these images serve to reinforce stereotypes and bias. These depictions weaken adolescent self-image, lowering confidence and expectations. Latino TISSAM provides youth with tools – information and skills – to master media literacy: to gain the power to deconstruct harmful ads and to fight back against media attempts to define them by always looking behind the message to find the truth.
Goals
Program goals are to:
- have accurate information about health risks associated with early pregnancy and STD’s, including HIV.
- understand the relationship of current sexual behavior to their future expectations and opportunities.
- have knowledge about effective birth control and disease prevention, including youth friendly resources.
- acquire life long skills using media literacy content including:
- communication (family, peers, adults, partners)
- critical thinking and decision-making
- peer education (self pride, role model, community voice, leadership, organization,
lesson preparation/delivery)
- goal setting
Supporting Data
1 Teen Futures, Media Network, College of Education, University of Washington, 2008 with support from the Washington State Department of Health
2 West Seattle High School, Seattle, Washington.
3 Abma, J.C. Martinez. G.M., Mosher, W.D., Dawson. B.S. (2004). Teenagers in the United States: Sexual activity, contraceptive use, and childbearing, 2002. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 23(24).
4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance.” Surveillance Summaries, June 9, 2005. MMWR 2006; 55(No.SS-5).
5 National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, (2007). An Overview of Latina Teen Pregnancy, A Look at Latinos, Washington, DC: Author
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid.
8 See 3.
9 See 5.
10 Vexler, E. and K. Suellentrop, (2006). Bridging Two Worlds: How Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs Can Better Serve Latino Youth. Washington, DC: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Prevention.
Prepare Your Parents/Guardians
Families are the primary sexuality educators for young people. In many Latino households, direct conversation between parents and children is not the cultural norm. Nonetheless, in many nonverbal subtle ways, attitudes, values, and expectations are transmitted. It is important to communicate clearly with families, to explain what the program is about – ultimately the health and safety of the youth – and that conversation about sexuality will be respectful and supportive of Latino family beliefs and culture.
For More Information
¡Adelante! was developed over a 5-year period in the Seattle School District. Using what the students have named ¡Adelante! the teens have presented this program to their peers and to younger students and gotten excellent reviews! The first cadre of Latino students working with the program began their involvement in middle school and most continued throughout their high school years. Those students who continued their involvement with ¡Adelante! have now, we are pleased to report, all graduated from high school.
For more details and information about ¡Adelante! please contact the Marilyn Cohen, Ph.D., Director of Teen Futures Media Network, College of Education, University of Washington at macohen@u.washington.edu by calling 1-888-833-6638.