health behavior

The ABCD model for writing objectives

Introduction

· Objectives include 4 distinct components: Audience (who), Behavior (what), Condition (when and where) and Degree (extent of change).

· Objectives must be both observable and measurable to be effective.

· Using words like understand and learn in writing objectives is generally not acceptable as they are difficult to measure.

· Written objectives are a vital part of program development and implementation because they provide the roadmap for designing and delivering health promotion programs.

Characteristics of objectives

· Specific – target a specific area for improvement.

· Measurable – quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress.

· Assignable – specify who will do it.

· Realistic – state what results can realistically be achieved, given available resources.

· Time-related – specify when the result(s) can be achieved.

Samples

· Learning Objective

· After attending a 1-hour workshop on HIV, San Marcos high school students will list five risk factors for HIV infection, without error.

· Behavioral Objective

· Given access to free condoms in the nurse’s office, San Marcos high school students will acquire a condom from the nurse’s office, each time they have sex.

· Process

· HIV program coordinators will mail permission forms to all high school students’ parents prior to implementing the HIV program.

· Environmental

· Four prevention pamphlet stations will be available in each San Marcos high school by August 2015.

· Program/Outcome

· Within the next five years, the rate of HIV infection in San Marcos high school students will decrease by 10%.

Audience (who)

· Describe the intended target for the intervention

· Example: The high school student…

· Example: HIV program participants…

· Example: Employees of Google…

Behavior (what)

· Describes what a participant of a program will do

· Can also describe what will be done in an environmental of outcome objective

· The “behavior” can include demonstration of knowledge or skills in any of the domains of learning: cognitive, psychomotor, affective, or interpersonal

· Example: … will write a report…

· Example: …will describe the steps…

· Example: …will list the steps…

· Cognitive domain

· Emphasizes remembering or reproducing something which has presumably been learned

· Deal with what a learner should know, understand, comprehend, solve, spell, critique, etc.

· Psychomotor domain

· Emphasizes some muscular motor skill, some manipulation of material and objects, or some act that requires a neuromuscular coordination

· Concerned with how a learner moves or controls his/her body

· Affective domain

· Composed of two different types of behaviors: reflexive (attitudes) and voluntary reactions and actions (values)

· Stages: perception, decision, action and evaluation

· Interpersonal domain

· Emphasizes learner skills (not attitude or knowledge) associated with interpersonal exchanges

· How a learner interacts with others in a variety of situations

Condition (when and/or where)

· Equipment or tools that may (or may not) be utilized in completion of the behavior

· Environmental conditions may also be included

· Example: …given a pamphlet on HIV, participants will…

· Example: …after viewing an HIV video, participants will…

Degree (extent of change)

· States the standard for acceptable performance (time, accuracy, proportion, quality, etc)

· Example: … without error.

· Example: … 50%.

· Example: …all.

Review of ABCD Objectives

· Who is to exhibit the performance?

· What observable performance will the participant exhibit?

· What conditions are provided for the participant at the time of evaluation?

· What constitutes a minimum acceptable response?