Nine Principles of Effective Prevention Programs

From PreventConnect

In the article What works in prevention: Principles of Effective Prevention Programs, the authors used a review-of-reviews approach across four areas (substance abuse, risky sexual behavior, school failure, and juvenile delinquency and violence) to identify characteristics consistently associated with effective prevention programs.

1. Comprehensive: Strategies should include multiple components and affect multiple settings to address a wide range of risk and protective factors of the target problem.
2. Varied Teaching Methods: Strategies should include multiple teaching methods, including some type of active, skills-based component.
3. Sufficient Dosage: Participants need to be exposed to enough of the activity for it to have an effect.
4. Theory Driven: Preventive strategies should have a scientific justification or logical rationale.
5. Positive Relationships: Programs should foster strong, stable, positive relationships between children and adults.
6. Appropriately Timed: Program activities should happen at a time (developmentally) that can have maximal impact in a participant’s life.
7. Socio-Culturally Relevant: Programs should be tailored to fit within cultural beliefs and practices of specific groups as well as local community norms.
8. Outcome Evaluation: A systematic outcome evaluation is necessary to determine whether a program or strategy worked.
9. Well-Trained Staff: Programs need to be implemented by staff members who are sensitive, competent, and have received sufficient training, support, and supervision.

[edit] DELTA Application

Local communiiteis receiving DELTA funds are attempting to apply these elements to develop primary prevention programs in their evaluation process. For example, Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence is using these principles in the evalution of evidence based strategies.

[edit] Citation

Nation, M., Crusto, C., Wandersman, A., Kumpfer, K. L., Seybolt, D., Morrissey-Kane, E., & Davino, K. (2003). What works in prevention: Principles of Effective Prevention Programs. American Psychologist, 58, 449-456.