Module 4: How/Why People Change - Youth Experience
Objectives:
- To explore how decision-making and values/beliefs/opinions/attitudes influence why people make decisions to change.
- To continue to focus on the cannabis and marijuana.
4.1 - Groups of Youth - Aware, Supportive, Caring (15 minutes)
Purpose:
- To emphasize the need for different influencer strategies depending on the decision a peer has made regarding their marijuana use.
- To encourage a respectful, non-judgemental, approach to talking with others about their choices.
Materials
- Index Cards
- Flip-Chart
You may know of three groups of youth: non-users, users who want to reduce their marijuana use, and users who want to continue to use at the same level. The strategies that you would use to support their decisions would differ depending on where that person is.
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For letter-sized version of this graphic
Activity A:
Knowing what you know now from our discussion on critical thinking. Write down on a sheet of paper, a fact about marijuana or any other facts that you found from the information fair that would inform your thinking on a subject or motivate you to change or stay with your current behaviours. Then describe why? These will be collected and we will discuss each individually.
During discussion, facilitator asks question:
- What facts would work in conversations with some of your peers at informing behaviour? If so, why? If not, why not?
- If there was a friend of yours that was engaging in behaviour that you wanted them to critically think about, what kind of information would you share with them?
- What kind of strategies would you use?
Facilitator writes the youth responses down to be typed up later for participants.
4.2 - Youth Approaching Change (10 minutes)
Purpose:
- To understand the various levels associated with behavioural change.
- To apply the process of change to understanding how people may or may not move along the continuum of marijuana use.
Materials
Introduction:
For any behaviour that people might want to change, they will have a different readiness to change, and different things will help enable the change. Think of the protective and risk factors that we discussed earlier on and how they can impact behaviour. It's the same principle when applied to behaviour change. For example, this would apply to people that may want to change where they are with their marijuana use. We will now work to focus some of these strategies on cannabis use. Instructions: Pass out worksheets of the stages of change process. Go through each stage with the group (see below). As you go through each of these write them down on flip chart, and for each one read the definition and then ask participants to think of themselves in each stage. Invite participants to share a behaviour of theirs that corresponds with each stage and then discuss why they are there. (e.g., I don't have a problem). They can use the worksheet to record where they are at a different places.
Questions that can be asked of the group:
- What do you think of the stages of change and do they relate to your life?
- How do you think knowing about these stages will influence the decisions you make for yourself and with your peers?
- Do you think there are other ways of changing? If so describe?
The 5 Stages of Change (Transtheoretical Model of Change)
(Prochaska & DiClemente, 2005)
Pre-Contemplation: People aren't critically evaluating their decision to use marijuana, they don't even think they want to change (I don't have a problem. I don't need to change)
Contemplation: Thinking about the behaviour and that they may want to change it; this is where values/beliefs/opinions/attitudes (e.g., pros and cons, credibility of sources, accuracy of information and reliability) are being critically evaluated (Sometimes I think I have a problem, sometimes I don't)
Preparation: Based on critical thinking and weighing the pros and cons of doing the behaviour, decisions are made to change the behaviour; involves intentions towards changing the behaviour (I know I need to make changes. I have done a few things that show I am ready to begin)
Action: Acting on intentions which lasts anywhere from one day to six months (I have begun to make changes or I have made the changes I want to make)
Maintenance: Maintaining changes for more than six months (I have maintained changes)
4.3 - Spot the Stage of Change (Large Group - 10 minutes)
Purpose:
- To wrap up Module 4.
- To apply the process of change to understanding how people may/may not move along the continuum of marijuana use.
Instructions:
Read the following statements to the group and have them identify which stage the person would be in and which group of youth they would be part of (i.e., group 1, 2, or 3). If option 1 was used, the descriptor of the stage is provided. If option 2 was used, the stage is identified.
"I don't have a problem at all with marijuana and all of my friends are doing it too."
(Pre-contemplation)"I'm thinking about cutting down on the McDonald's."
(Contemplation)"I've started brushing my teeth three times a day so that I don't get cavities."
(Action)"I've successfully cut down on my marijuana use and have been able to keep it up for the last year."
(Answer: reinforcing current behaviour, maintenance - group 1 non-use or group 2 reduce use)"I think that I'm beginning to rely a lot on marijuana, I might want to think about reducing my use, but I really don't think I have a 'problem' with it."
(Contemplation)"I've stopped buying pop, once I run out, it's all water for me."
(Preparation)"I've started to only smoke at parties, rather than smoking every day."
(Answer: making change, Preparation/ Action)"My marks are pretty high right now, I think I can join the volleyball team."
(Contemplation)"I've been turning my friends offers to smoke down lately, it was getting in the way with activities I wanted to participate in."
(Action)"Sometimes I think that my marijuana use affects my motivation to do things like school work/sports/etc."
(Answer: weighing pros and cons, contemplation - group 2 reduce use)"I know that my marijuana use is getting out of hand. I've started to make friends with other social groups that don't use it as much as my friends."
(Answer: weighing the pros and cons, preparation/action - group 2 reduce use)"I have never had the urge to try marijuana, my health and grades are more important than any curiosity."
(Answer: reinforcing current behaviour, Maintenence - non-use)
Use Critical Thinking Test , You Tube Commercial from Gatorade
to debrief Critical Thinking and the Day.
Facilitators Tip: Have participants complete the Head, Heart, Feet, Spirit sheets for Day 1.
END OF DAY 1
