The Strategic Prevention Framework: Effectiveness of Substance Abuse Prevention System

The Strategic Prevention Framework: Effectiveness of Substance Abuse Prevention System by John Jinoh Park Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Health Walden University June 2017 Abstract The strategic prevention framework (SPF) is a data-driven operating system to assist designing evidence-based substance abuse prevention programs. The study performed here was to assess the effectiveness of the SPF as a prevention planning system. One purpose of this study was to determine the implementation fidelity of the programs that used the SPF process; the other purpose was to assess effectiveness of the SPF process. This study utilized a set of data collected by the national cross site evaluation team on all jurisdictions that implemented the SPF. A subset of communities collected and reported at least 2 pre-implementation and at least 2 post implementation outcomes data. The minimum sample size for the study was determined by using Cohen’s d criteria. The assessments were performed using both qualitative and quantitative methods by using data collected from multiple levels with a quasi-experimental design. The qualitative data were analyzed using qualitative software with key word searches to examine implementation processes, and the quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential methods such as Student t tests to examine and compare outcomes. Results show that the communities in the study implemented the SPF process with fidelity and that there were changes in desired directions. Factors related to improvements include sufficient internal resources and monitoring follow-through. This research has important implications for social change since substance abuse is a major social issue that has consequences across life span. Recent studies have shown that many behavioral problems have similar risk factors and that improvements for some behavioral problems will most likely have beneficial effects on other related problems.The strategic prevention framework (SPF) is a data-driven operating system to assist designing evidence-based substance abuse prevention programs. The study performed here was to assess the effectiveness of the SPF as a prevention planning system. One purpose of this study was to determine the implementation fidelity of the programs that used the SPF process; the other purpose was to assess effectiveness of the SPF process. This study utilized a set of data collected by the national cross site evaluation team on all jurisdictions that implemented the SPF. A subset of communities collected and reported at least 2 pre-implementation and at least 2 post implementation outcomes data. The minimum sample size for the study was determined by using Cohen’s d criteria. The assessments were performed using both qualitative and quantitative methods by using data collected from multiple levels with a quasi-experimental design. The qualitative data were analyzed using qualitative software with key word searches to examine implementation processes, and the quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential methods such as Student t tests to examine and compare outcomes. Results show that the communities in the study implemented the SPF process with fidelity and that there were changes in desired directions. Factors related to improvements include sufficient internal resources and monitoring follow-through. This research has important implications for social change since substance abuse is a major social issue that has consequences across life span. Recent studies have shown that many behavioral problems have similar risk factors and that improvements for some behavioral problems will most likely have beneficial effects on other related problems. The Strategic Prevention Framework: Effectiveness of Substance Abuse Prevention System by John Jinoh Park Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Health Walden University June 2017 Dedication This study is dedicated to my fellow prevention and public health professionals who work tirelessly to improve lives of those around us. Acknowledgments This acknowledgement first goes to those who shaped my life. I thank my grandparents and my parents who made me who I am. I thank my wife, Sarah Changkyung, who has been the wind beneath my wings through numerous difficult times. Now, it is your turn to fly high! I would also like to thank following faculty and staff of Walden University: Dr. Michael Dunn, the chair of my dissertation committee, for unflinching support through my years at Walden despite much turn over in the makeup of my committee; Dr. Xian Bin Li, my committee member who directed me on methods of analysis and presentation of results; Ms. Dayna Herrington, my form and style editor; and Dr. Raymond Thron, my Faculty University Research Reviewer. Without their assistance, I would not be presenting this dissertation.