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As part of the ACDP intervention, "small media" materials (e.g., community newsletters, pamphlets, baseball cards) were distributed in the treatment communities. These materials contained "role model stories," authentic stories about people from the community that described how they were changing (or preparing to change) their behaviors. The primary purpose of the role model stories was to model risk-reducing behaviors, suggest solutions to risky situations, and illustrate positive outcomes of taking steps toward protecting oneself.
Each story described the role model's progress toward the consistent practice of one of five risk-reduction behaviors:
- condom use for vaginal sex with a main partner (e.g., steady partner or spouse);
- condom use for anal sex with a main partner;
- condom use for vaginal sex with non-main partners (e.g., casual or paying partners);
- condom use for anal sex with non-main partners; or
- use of bleach to clean needles.
The specific messages emphasized in the role model stories were based upon
behavioral theory.
The role model stories emphasized factors that behavioral theory associates with the
adoption of protective behaviors, such as attitudes, perceived norms, and self-efficacy.
The factors highlighted in the stories were those that were empirically associated with
risk behavior in periodic analyses of data collected in the study communities. Each
story also emphasized a specific change in the
Stages-of-Change model in order to
move people toward the consistent practice of a risk reduction behavior.
In writing the role model stories, several other factors were also considered, including the degree to which the materials were acceptable, were interesting, and captured the reality of the target populations whose lives they depicted.
In addition to the role model stories, the small media materials contained basic AIDS information, instructions on the use of condoms, and other community-related information. A total of 585,000 pamphlets, newsletters, and baseball cards with role model stories were distributed across all of the intervention sites.
Examples of Role Model Stories:
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