Sample Role Play |
Adolescent Seeking Family Planning
Directions
Two participants in your group will assume (or be assigned) roles. One will be a clinician, the other a client. Participants taking part in the role play should spend a few minutes reading the background information and preparing for the exercise. The observers in the group also should read the background information so that they can participate in the small group discussion following the role play.
Participant Roles
Clinician: The clinician is an experienced family planning service provider. She does not, however, believe that adolescents should use any family planning method other than condoms, even though national policies state that adolescents may also use COCs and Norplant.
Client: The client is a 16-year-old girl. She and her boyfriend recently became sexually active. They have tried to use condoms, but the boyfriend doesn’t like them and they really don’t know how to use them.
Situation
The client now comes to the clinic looking for another family planning method because she is afraid of getting pregnant. Several of her friends are using oral contraceptives and they haven’t gotten pregnant yet, even though they sometimes forget to take the pills. She thinks pills would be good for her too, but she is nervous and ill at ease.
Focus of the Role Play
The focus of the role play is on the interaction between the clinician and the client. The clinician needs to assess the client’s knowledge and understanding of family planning, specifically COCs and condom use. She needs to assess the appropriateness of these methods for the client. The clinician, because of her personal feelings, should focus more on condoms and their correct use. The interaction should continue until the client decides to try condoms again now that she knows how to use them effectively.
Observer Discussion Questions
How did the service provider approach the client? How effectively did the service provider overcome her personal biases?
How did the client respond to the service provider?
Did the service provider help the client to make the best decision for her? Did she provide the client with all the information she needed?
How might the service provider improve her interaction with the client?