FLEx Study Recruitment Begins!
In continued partnership with the Policy and Research Group (PRG), we’re excited to launch the Film Learning Experience (FLEx) Study, inviting young people ages 14-21 to participate in a one-and-done Entertainment Education session that explores topics related to sexual and reproductive health (SRH). By participating, sites are able to contribute to vital research needed to develop a new evidence-based intervention that could reduce unplanned pregnancies among youth impacted by the juvenile justice system. The FLEx Study also offers youth the opportunity to complete a series of surveys throughout the process and showcase their own growth along the way.
THE BACKSTORY
Before telling you more details about the FLEx study, you may be asking yourself, what is Entertainment Education? Entertainment Education (EE), or edutainment, is a method of learning from things we enjoy – more specifically, it’s the placement of educational content into entertainment programs to improve knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors around health or social issues. While the term has been used as early as the 1950s, EE interventions are a growing and promising field in public health, based on the theory that entertainment programs with high production value that incorporate an appealing story line, unobtrusive persuasive subtext, and relatable characters induce a highly immersive experience that engages emotions, reduces resistance toward messages, and promotes changes in beliefs and attitudes. With support from PRG through their Juvenile Justice Innovation and Impact Network (JJIIN), from 2022-23 we here at IWES designed, refined, and piloted a media-based EE pregnancy prevention intervention entitled Are You Ready? that features the IWES original film, Happy Birthday, Leonard. This pilot was so successful that we were awarded a five year grant from the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) to evaluate the effectiveness of Are You Ready? in comparison to another film-based program that is similar in length and relevance to healthy youth development; the FLEx Study. After months of research and evaluation design with PRG, we’re now ready to launch FLEx, and we aim to enroll 1,850 youth from September 2024 to January 2027.
THE CURRICULUM
Are You Ready? is unique in many ways. First and foremost, the intervention was designed specifically for and with youth who are involved (or at risk of involvement) with the juvenile legal and/or child welfare system. The program was reviewed by multiple stakeholders and industry experts, who deemed it to be medically-accurate, trauma-informed, and well designed to promote healthy behaviors. Other distinctive features include:
Brevity: Within the 2.5 hour session, participants will receive two modules of content which each include ~20 minutes of the Happy Birthday, Leonard film (total runtime of the full film is approx. 40 mins) followed by facilitator-guided small- and large-group discussions and independent reflection and journaling activities.
Entertainment Value: The Happy Birthday, Leonard film within the Are You Ready? program is a narrative short film with relatable characters and story lines that depict various styles of communication and problem-solving techniques, positive and negative coping skills, and SRH scenarios modeling healthy behaviors.
Accessibility: Because the intervention can be delivered in-person and virtually, participants can choose the implementation format that works best for them.
Full-scale study recruitment launched September 1, 2024 and we are seeking partnerships with organizations to help us recruit participants for the study by connecting us with potentially eligible and interested young people.
If you or someone you know are active in a juvenile justice setting; transitional housing environment; child welfare program; or with a community-based organization providing social services, mentorship, or extracurricular educational programs, or public health and wellness, please reach out to us today!