THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS

(DMP) Learning to make good/healthy decisions Created by Nicole Thompson, Health educator, 09/15/2009

STEP 1: DESCRIBE THE DECISION TO BE MADE

⦿ Questions to consider while completing step 1: ◼ What is the decision I have to make?

◼ How much time do I have to make this decision?

Created by Nicole Thompson, Health educator, 09/15/2009

STEP 2: WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?

⦿ Questions to consider while completing step 2: ◼ What are my choices? ◼ Are there more than two?

Created by Nicole Thompson, Health educator, 09/15/2009

STEP 3: WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF EACH OPTION?

⦿ Questions to consider while completing step 3: ◼ What are the possible negative and positive consequences of each option?

Created by Nicole Thompson, Health educator, 09/15/2009

STEP 4: CONSIDER YOUR VALUES

⦿ Values: Beliefs that guide the way you live.

⦿ Questions to consider while completing step 4: ◼ ◼ Which option fits in with your values or are they in conflict?

Will your values help you to make your healthy decision?

Examples of values: Friends Health Honesty Family Education Love Hobby/sport Religion

Created by Nicole Thompson, Health educator, 09/15/2009

⦿ On the back of your notes make TWO charts like one below: Created by Nicole Thompson, Health educator, 09/15/2009

VALUES

⦿ Label a value of yours in each of the big circles.

⦿ In the outside circles explain how that value guides your life.

Don’t smoke Work out Health Reduce stress Created by Nicole Thompson, Health educator, 09/15/2009 Eat well balanced meals

STEP 5: MAKE A HEALTHY DECISION

⦿ Questions to consider while completing step 5: ◼ What choice shall I make?

◼ What do I need to do to follow through with my decision?

Created by Nicole Thompson, Health educator, 09/15/2009

STEP 6: EVALUATE YOUR DECISION

⦿ Questions to consider while completing step 6: ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ What was the outcome of my decision? Was it what I expected?

How did the decision make me feel about myself?

How did my decision affect others?

How did my decision affect each side of the health triangle?

What did I learn?

Would I make the same decision again?

Created by Nicole Thompson, Health educator, 09/15/2009

DMP CLASS EXAMPLE

⦿ Step 1: Describe the decision to be made.

◼ My friends are encouraging me to steal a shirt that I really want. I have to decide now!

◼ Step 2: What are my options?

⦿ ⦿ Option A: Steal the shirt Option B: Do not steal the shirt Created by Nicole Thompson, Health educator, 09/15/2009

DMP CLASS EXAMPLE

⦿ Step 3: What are the consequences of each option?

◼ ◼ Option A (steal): get a new shirt (+), illegal (-), friends think I am cool (+), get caught (-), parents disappointed (-), goes on record (-), banned from store(-), grounded (-), got a free item (+), feel guilty (-) Option B (don’t steal): do not have new shirt (-), can wait and save money (+), will not disappoint parents (+), feel good about myself (+), friends tease me (-), not doing something illegal (+) Created by Nicole Thompson, Health educator, 09/15/2009

DMP CLASS EXAMPLE

⦿ Step 4: consider your values ◼ Friendship and Honesty • • My value of friendship could influence me to steal the shirt but stealing would go against my value of being an honest person.

My values are going to make it hard to decide.

Created by Nicole Thompson, Health educator, 09/15/2009

DMP CLASS EXAMPLE

⦿ Step 5: Make a healthy decision ◼ I choose to not steal the item. I should put the shirt back and tell my friends that I am not comfortable with stealing.

Created by Nicole Thompson, Health educator, 09/15/2009

⦿

DMP CLASS EXAMPLE

Step 6: Evaluate the decision ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ ◼ My friends got caught stealing and since I was hanging out with them, my parents were called. I told my parents that I decided not to steal. Although my parents were upset at first, they were proud of my decision not to steal the shirt. The outcome was not what I expected.

I felt good about my decision but didn’t like the fact that I did get in some trouble. This decision not only affected me but also my parents. This decision affected all sides of my health triangle. My mental/emotional health was raised for making a good decision but also lowered because of the stress of my friends getting caught. My social side of the triangle was affected because my parents will not allow me to hang out with these friends. My physical side of the triangle was affected because I was grounded and had to stay in my room.

I learned that even when you make a good decision , the people you associate with can still get you in trouble.

I would make the same decision again but I would leave immediately instead of staying with people who were stealing. Created by Nicole Thompson, Health educator, 09/15/2009