Empowered Decision Making

Responsible Decision Making Model

A series of steps that assure that your decisions lead to actions that promote health, protect safety, follow laws, show respect for self and others, follow guidelines set by responsible adults such as your parents or guardian and demonstrate good character

Inactive Decision Making Style

A habit in which a person fails to make choices and this failure determines the outcome

Reactive Decision Making Style

A habit in which a person allows others to make his or her decisions

Proactive Decision Making Style

a habit in which a person examines the situation that requires a decision, identifies and evaluates possible decisions, makes a decision and takes responsibility for the outcome

Empowered

To be inspired because you feel some sense of control over your behavior and decisions

Peer Pressure

The influence that people of similar age or status place on others to behave in a certain way

Resistance Skills

Skills that are used when you want to say no to peers and to stick to your decisions in spite of peer pressure

Good Decision

A decision in which you have carefully considered the outcome of each choice

Personal Responsibility

To accept how your decision will affect yourself and other people

Values

Beliefs that you consider to be of great importance

Character

The way that people think, feel, and act

Influence

A force that affects your choices when you have a decision to make

Consequence

The result of an action that you take

Precaution

An action to avoid negative consequences

Support System

Made up of family members and friends who will stand by you and will encourage you when times get hard

The Responsible Decision-Making Model

Describe the situation that requires a decision, list possible decisions that you might take, share the list of possible decisions with a trusted adult, Evaluate the consequences of each decision, ask questions, decide which decision is responsible and most appropriate, and act on your decision and evaluate the results

Decision-Making Styles

Inactive, reactive, proactive

Inactive decision-making style

I waver back and forth trying to make a decision, I am never sure what to do, I wish I never had to make decisions

Reactive decision-making style

I follow the crowd, I do whatever my friends tell me to do, I would rather please others than be responsible for my own decisions

Proactive Decision-Making Style

I use the Responsible Decision-Making Model, I am willing to take responsibility for my decisions, I review options with my parents and trusted adults

The model for Using Resistance Skills

Say NO in an assertive way, give reasons for saying no, use nonverbal behavior to match verbal behavior, avoid being in situations in which there will be pressure to make harmful decisions, avoid being with people who make harmful decisions, resist pressure to engage in illegal behavior, and influence others to make responsible decisions