Family-strengthening approaches for the prevention of youth problem behaviors

Effective parenting is the most powerful way to reduce adolescent problem behaviors. Dissemination of research-based family interventions has been slow, with most practitioners still implementing ineffective programs. This article reviews 2 federal studies that involved national searches for effective family interventions targeting pre-birth to adolescence: Preventing Substance Abuse Among Children and Adolescents: Family-Centered Approaches (Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, 1998) and Strengthening America's Families (R. Alvarado, K. L. Kumpfer, K. Kendall, S. Beesley, & C. Lee-Cavaness, 2000). Results identified 3 effective prevention approaches, 13 principles of effectiveness, and 35 programs. Recommendations include increased dissemination research on training and technical assistance systems, adoption with fidelity and quality, and gender-, age-, and culturally sensitive adaptations.     

Challenges in Disseminating Model Programs: A Qualitative Analysis of the Strengthening Washington DC Families Program

This article discusses the challenges faced when a popular model program, the Strengthening Families Program, which in the past has been implemented on a smaller scale in single organizations, moves to a larger, multiorganization endeavor. On the basis of 42 interviews conducted with program staff, the results highlight two main themes that address program and organizational characteristics. The themes relate to the cultural relevance of the program, the accessibility of program partners, the organization of program services, and the coordination of program activities. The article also offers a discussion of how to better prepare sites for program delivery. This discussion focuses explicitly on the need for good communication among program partners, extensive community outreach, and the ability to secure additional resources.     

Prevention that works for children and youth. An introduction

The widespread implementation of effective prevention programs for children and youth is a sound investment in society's future. The most beneficial preventive interventions for young people involve coordinated, systemic efforts to enhance their social-emotional competence and health. The articles in this special issue propose standards for empirically supported programming worthy of dissemination and steps to integrate prevention science with practice. They highlight key research findings and common principles for effective programming across family, school, community, health care, and policy interventions and discuss their implications for practice. Recent advances in prevention research and growing support for evidence-based practice are encouraging developments that will increase the number of children and youth who succeed and contribute in school and life.     

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.     

Two-phase model analysis of the effects of interstimulus interval and masking task in human aversive classical conditioning

Three levels (.5, 1.0, and 2.0 sec) of interstimulus interval (ISI) and presence vs absence of a masking task were manipulated in a human eyelid reflex conditioning situation. Through the use of a two-phase model of conditioning performance, it was concluded that (1) increasing the ISI and introducing a masking task increased the duration of Phase 1, (2) as ISI increased, the amount of conditioning decreased, (3) the trial-by-trial rate of change in response probability increased as a function of ISI, and (4) the masking task reduced operator limits. It was also noted that the typical ISI function is composed of rate effects at short ISis and conditioning limit effects at long ISIs and that the larger 0 at larger ISis does not follow from a model of the stimulus trace hypothesis.