Flashpoint: An Innovative Media Literacy Intervention For High‐Risk Adolescents

Abstract

This paper describes the development and formative evaluation of a media literacy, media based intervention for high‐risk adolescents. The program described, Flashpoint, was developed to (1) moderate the influence of media presentations of violence, substance abuse and prejudice on adolescents; and t (2) teach participants cognitive skills which would enable them to resist impulses to engage in behavior involving violence, substance abuse or prejudice. The evaluation described studied the pilot testing of the program with three groups of adolescents (N=33) involved in the juvenile justice system: adolescents in a diversion program (first time, nonviolent offenders); adolescents on probation; and adolescents in residential custody of the Department of Youth Services. Qualitative findings are reviewed in detail.

The State of Media Literacy

“…This typically requires an experimental design. However, assessments of how media literacy skills influence media effects also occur through correlational studies (Nathanson, 1999), focus groups (Cohen, 2002), qualitative interviews (Moore, DeChillo, Nicholson, Genovese, & Sladen, 2000), and participant observations (Bragg, 2002).…”

Review of Literature on Media Literacy

“…These assessment studied typically use a field experimental design. However, assessments of how media literacy skills influence media effects also occur through correlational studies (Nathanson 1999), focus groups (Cohen 2002), qualitative interviews (Moore et al 2000), and participant observations (Bragg 2002).…”

TV Viewing, Perceived Similarity, Coviewing, and Mental Well-Being Among African American, Latino, and White Children

“…This finding can be interpreted in line with social cognitive theory (Bandura, 2001) and its explanation for associations between media exposure and mental health. It also provides a potentially meaningful target for future media literacy interventions such as those targeting eating disorders (Wade, Davidson, & O’Dea, 2003) and violence and substance abuse (Moore, DeChillo, Nicholson, Genovese, & Sladen, 2000).…”

“…From an applied perspective, identifying additional significant variables related to television viewing can help broaden intervention and prevention messages and programs. A more multifaceted approach to media literacy campaigns and education (e.g., Moore et al, 2000; Wade et al, 2003), addressing media content, parents’ roles, and children’s roles, could potentially be more effective. This study is a step in that very important direction of identifying significant media correlates of children’s mental well-being among a large, racially and ethnically diverse sample of fifth graders.…”