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Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses
Published on: January 23, 2017
Mexican-American and Anglo-American children's responsiveness to a theory-centered AIDS education program
C Sigelman1, E Derenowski, T Woods
1Department of Psychology, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA. carol@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu
Child Development
|April 1, 1996
Summary
A culturally sensitive AIDS curriculum improved health knowledge and understanding in young students. This intuitive theories approach demonstrated children can grasp scientific disease concepts with proper instruction.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health Education
- Disease Causation Understanding
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Children often hold intuitive theories about diseases like AIDS and flu, which may be inaccurate.
- Culturally sensitive health education is crucial for effective learning in diverse student populations.
- Previous research suggests limitations in young children's grasp of complex disease mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate an empirically based, culturally sensitive AIDS curriculum for third, fifth, and seventh graders.
- To assess the curriculum's effectiveness in replacing intuitive theories with scientific understanding of AIDS.
- To determine if the curriculum enhances knowledge, conceptual understanding, and social attitudes related to AIDS.
Main Methods:
- An experimental design exposed students to a culturally sensitive AIDS curriculum.
- Control groups received standard instruction without the specialized curriculum.
- Knowledge, conceptual understanding, and attitudes were assessed at posttest and follow-up (10-11 months).
Main Results:
- Experimental students showed significantly greater knowledge of AIDS risk factors and general information.
- Students in the experimental group demonstrated improved conceptual understanding of AIDS and flu causation.
- Willingness to interact with people with AIDS increased, though worry levels remained similar.
Conclusions:
- An intuitive theories approach is valuable for assessing and modifying children's health and illness concepts.
- Even young children can acquire scientific theories of disease causation with appropriate, culturally sensitive instruction.
- The findings challenge traditional views on young children's cognitive limitations regarding disease transmission and etiology.
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