# Presentation: 131353

## Prevention Research

**The Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Training**

**Prevention Research**

## Prevention Research

**Why study prevention research?**
**“****Evidence-based” prevention is the standard of accountability in the field**
**Prevention theory assists in identifying what contributes to substance abuse and how it can be prevented**
**Results depend on the quality of the research that guides prevention**

## What is “Evidence-based” Prevention?

**Based upon research meeting commonly agreed-upon criteria of rigor**
**Guided by credible and substantiated research evaluation**
**Principles, strategies and programs that are theory-driven, well implemented, and shown to have an effect on specific behaviors, or on specific risk factors that have been linked to them**
**	****(SAMHSA’s Prevention Platform online glossary and CSAP’s Southwest CAPT Community Mobilization for Prevention online course glossary)**

## Why All the Concern Over Evidence-based Prevention?

**To use the most effective programs and strategies**
**To improve existing programs**
**To use limited resources wisely**
**To ensure public accountability**
**To meet requirements of federal and state agencies and private funders**

## What Should a Good Theory Do?

**Identify the factors that predict substance abuse**
**Explain the mechanisms through which they operate**
**Identify the internal and external variables that influence these mechanisms, including cultural factors**
**Predict points to interrupt the course leading to substance abuse**
**Specify the interventions to prevent onset of substance abuse**

## Activity

## Similar to public health model of disease prevention:  focus on decreasing risk and increasing protection
Risk factors predict substance abuse and protective factors can buffer risk factors
To prevent substance abuse, reduce risk factors and increase protective factors throughout a child’s life

**Risk factors predict substance abuse and protective factors can buffer risk factors**
**To prevent substance abuse, reduce risk factors and increase protective factors throughout a child’s life**

**Risk & Protective Factors Theory**

## Risk and protective factors:
Can be influenced by individual, family, school, and environmental change strategies
Have a cumulative effect
Occur in communities, families, schools, and individuals and are subject to change

**Can be influenced by individual, family, school, and environmental change strategies**
**Have a cumulative effect**
**Occur in communities, families, schools, and individuals and are subject to change**

**Risk & Protective Factors Theory**

## Different adolescent health and behavior problems share common risk factors
Substance Abuse
Delinquency
Teen Pregnancy
School Drop-out
Violence
Depression & Anxiety

**Substance Abuse**
**Delinquency**
**Teen Pregnancy**
**School Drop-out**
**Violence**
**Depression & Anxiety**

**Risk & Protective Factors Theory**

## Multiple studies
Longitudinal
Predictive

**Longitudinal**
**Predictive**

**Criteria for Inclusion ****as a Risk Factor**

## Community Risk Factors

**Community Risk Factors**

**Availability of alcohol/other drugs**
**Community laws and norms ****favorable toward drug use**
**Transitions and mobility**
**Low neighborhood attachment and community disorganization**
**Extreme economic deprivation**

## Family Risk Factors

**Family Risk Factors**

**Family history of substance abuse**
**Family management problems**
**Family conflict**
**Parental attitudes and ****involvement in drug use**

## School Risk Factors

**School Risk Factors**

**Academic failure beginning in elementary school**
**Lack of commitment to school**

## Individual/Peer Risk Factors

**Individual/Peer ****Risk Factors**

**Early and persistent antisocial behavior**
**Rebelliousness**
**Friends who use drugs**
**Favorable attitudes toward drugs**
**Early initiation of drug use**
**Gang involvement**
**Constitutional factors**

## Protective Factors

**Protective Factors**

**Individual characteristics**
**Bonding**
**Healthy beliefs and clear standards**

## The Social Development Strategy

- Healthy Beliefs
- &
- Clear Standards

- Bonding
-  Attachment
-  Commitment

- Healthy Behaviors

- Opportunities

- Skills

- Recognition

- Individual
- Characteristics

## ActivityRisk and Protective Factor Sculpture

## Resiliency Approach

**Focuses on how children “bounce back” in the face ****of adversity**
**Is based largely on the work of Emmy Werner**
**Includes several factors which foster resilience in kids**
**Is a “promising” approach**

## Developmental Assets

**Developmental Assets**
**Framework**

**Emphasizes strengths in people**
**Focuses on youth as resources, not problems**
**Focuses on increasing the number of assets present in youths’ lives**
**Is a “promising” framework**

## Community

_**Community**_

_**Family**_

_**School**_

_**Individual/Peer**_

**Other Adult Relationships**
**Service to Others**
**Creative Activities**
**Youth Programs**
**Youth as Resources**
**Time at Home**
**Parental Involvement**
**Reading for Pleasure**
**Homework **

**Personal Power**
**Cultural Competence**
**Family Boundaries**
**Interpersonal Competence**
**Peaceful Conflict Resolution**
**Planning & Decision Making**
**Resistance Skills**

**Community Values Youth**
**Youth Given Useful Roles**
**Caring School Climate**
**High Expectations**

**Neighborhood Boundaries**
**Equality & Social Justice**
**School Boundaries**
**Integrity**

**Honesty ****Responsibility**
**Sense of Purpose**
**Positive View of ****Personal Future**

**Delays Gratification**
**Overcomes Adversity**
**Exhibits Leadership**
**Resists Danger**

**Succeeds in School**
**Helps Others**
**Values Diversity**
**Maintains Good Health**

**Caring Neighborhood**
**Religious Community**
**Adult Role Models**
**Safety**

**Family Support**
**Positive Family ****Communication**

**Bonding to School**
**School Engagement**
**Achievement Motivation**

**Positive Peer Influence**

**Personal Control Self-Esteem**
**Restraint**

**Skills**

**Opportunities**

**Healthy Behaviors**

**Healthy Beliefs &**
**Clear Standards**

**Individual Characteristics**

**Recognition**

**Bonding**

## Three Case Studies in Prevention

**Select a facilitator, a timekeeper, and a recorder**
**Read the case study assigned to your group**
**Determine which risk factors and protective factors are at work in your case**
**Report back to whole group**

## Case Studies

**Is there consensus on which risk factors were identified?**
**Is there consensus on which protective factors were identified?**
**How might our values and culture influence which factors we see present?**

## Caution!

**Purpose of this case study activity:**
**To begin using the risk factor and protective factor language**
**To see what risk and protective factors might look like in a community**
**Risk and Protective Factors are identified in communities using a formal assessment**** **
**Section 3 presents a process for assessing the levels of risk and protective factors in communities**
**Data collection and analysis drives the process**

## CSAP Principles of Substance Abuse Prevention

**Individual Domain**
**Family Domain**
**Peer Domain**
**School Domain**
**Community Domain**
**Society/Environmental **

## Individual Domain

**Social and personal skill-building using interactive techniques**
**Cultural sensitivity **
**Social and immediate interpersonal consequences of use**
**Combine knowledge gain with attitude and behavior change**
**Reach those at highest individual risk**
**Incorporate problem identification and referral**

## Family Domain

**Address and involve the entire family (parents, children, and other caregivers)**
**Incorporate parent support networks**
**Are culturally appropriate**
**Teach parenting skills using interactive techniques**
**Include retention activities**
**Provide family support resources**

## Peer Domain

**Structured positive drug free activities and contributions to community**
**Social and personal skill-building**
**Intensive using a variety of approaches**
**Communicate and support non-use norms**
**Involve youth in program development and delivery**
**Incorporate peer-led components**

## School Domain

**Combine information dissemination with attitude change and social skill-building**
**Positive social influences and expectations**
**Involve students in program development and delivery**
**Enhance positive school climate**
**Involve parents**
**Policies supportive of non-use**

## Community Domain

**Integrated, comprehensive prevention strategies**
**Control the environment around schools and other areas young people gather**
**Mentoring and community service **
**Community coalitions**
**Neighborhood partnerships**
**Outcome based programming**

## Society/Environmental 

**Domain**

**Excise taxes**
**Enforcement of minimum purchase age laws**
**“****Use and lose” laws. Penalties should not be too harsh**
**Social marketing and social norming media campaigns**
**Outlet density**

## NIDA Prevention Principles

**Enhance protective factors and reduce risk factors**
**Address all drugs of abuse**
**Address community’s drugs of abuse**
**Tailor programs to population’s risks and characteristics**
**Enhance family bonding**
**Intervene early**

## NIDA Prevention Principles (continued)

**Enhance academic success and social-emotional learning grades K-6**
**Improve academic and social competence in middle school**
**Support transition points**
**Use multiple strategies in multiple domains**
**Promote consistent messages**

## NIDA Prevention Principles (continued)

**Retain core elements when adapting programs**
**Maintain programs over time**
**Use good classroom management practices **
**Use effective teaching techniques**
**Implement programs that are cost effective**

## Enhancing Prevention Programs

**Directions**
**Think of a familiar prevention program**
**Determine the DOMAIN in which it takes place**
**Review the information sheets, *****Principles of Substance Abuse Prevention, NIDA Prevention Principles, and Environmental Strategies***
**Based on the findings presented in the information sheets, make several recommendations to enhance the program**
**Prepare to share with the group**

## Video: Environmental Prevention Strategies

## QUESTIONS and DISCUSSION

**QUESTIONS and DISCUSSION**