What works in prevention. Principles of effective prevention programs.
The high prevalence of drug abuse, delinquency, youth violence, and other youth problems creates a need to identify and disseminate effective prevention strategies. General principles gleaned from effective interventions may help prevention practitioners select, modify, or create more effective programs. Using a review-of-reviews approach across 4 areas (substance abuse, risky sexual behavior, school failure, and juvenile delinquency and violence), the authors identified 9 characteristics that were consistently associated with effective prevention programs: Programs were comprehensive, included varied teaching methods, provided sufficient dosage, were theory driven, provided opportunities for positive relationships, were appropriately timed, were socioculturally relevant, included outcome evaluation, and involved well-trained staff. This synthesis can inform the planning and implementation of problem-specific prevention interventions, provide a rationale for multi-problem prevention programs, and serve as a basis for further research.
Nation
Maury
M
Department of Human and Organizational Development, Vanderbilt University, Peabody College, #90, Nashville, TN 37203, USA. maury.nation@vanderbilt.edu
Crusto
Cindy
C
Wandersman
Abraham
A
Kumpfer
Karol L
KL
Seybolt
Diana
D
Morrissey-Kane
Erin
E
Davino
Katrina
K
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D012940:Social Problems / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014481:United States; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data