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Science-Based Programs and Practices:
Over the last several years, prevention research
has placed much emphasis on the identification and implementation
of science-based programs. As a result, many prevention programs
have undergone an extensive review process to affirm that effects
are definitively linked to program implementation and not to outside
factors or events. The links below provide access to national agencies
or organizations that review prevention programs for effectiveness.
Center
for Substance Abuse Prevention
U.S.
Department of Education
2001
SDFSCA Exemplary and Effective Programs
Office of Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency Prevention
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Keeping Up:
Prevention programming and practices are constantly
changing each day. It is up to prevention practitioners to evolve
with the changes. The following links provide cutting-edge information
regarding substance abuse, risk and protective factors, strategies,
program planning and evaluation. As well, each site links to many
other sites which provide a vast array of supplementary materials.
Substance
Abuse Mental Health Services Administration
Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of
America
Southeast Center for Applied Prevention
Technologies
CSAP's Decision Support System
University of Kansas Community
Tool Box
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol
and Drug Information
Data Sources:
Collecting data is often perceived as a tedious and
time-consuming task; however, it is a necessary process if one truly
wants to a "paint a picture" of a community's strengths
and weaknesses. Through the data collection process, a community
begins to identify the risk and protective factors present and the
resources available. Thereafter the community as a whole can collaborate
to make positive and effective changes. Law enforcement agencies,
schools, health departments, social services agencies, the Alcohol
Beverage Control, Community Services Boards, unemployment offices
and multiple other agencies are required to annually submit data
to State-level departments. Data is richly available per locality
to assist is developing your community's picture. The following
links serve as valuable resources for data collection.
Virginia's
Social Indicator Data
U.S. Bureau of the Census
National Criminal Justice Reference
Services
U.S. Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics
COMING
SOON!
The Social
Indicator Database Project by The Governor's Office for Substance
Abuse Prevention (GOSAP). Follow the above link for a detailed description
of the project and what it will allow users to do.
Surveys (local and national):
It is important that communities use a valid survey
which will allow comparisons to national findings as well as to
surrounding localities. Below are the primary youth surveys available
for a community's use. Of notable importance is the understanding
that data from youth surveys portray the community at-large and
not just the environment in which they were implemented. Visit the
website to research survey content and costs.
Local
Surveys:
The American Drug and Alcohol
Survey
PRIDE Survey
Youth
Risk Behavior Survey
Communities
That Care
National
Surveys:
Monitoring the Future
SAMHSA's
National Survey on Drug Use and Health
Risk and Protective Factors:
David Hawkins and Richard Catalano have distinguished
themselves as "the" research gurus regarding the risk
and protective factor framework. For several years, Hawkins and
Catalano have been researching the tested (and supported) hypothesis
that the more risk factors that a child experiences, the more likely
they will encounter substance abuse (and other risky behaviors)
in adolescence or young adulthood. Their research has also found
that by reducing the number of risks in a child's life, the less
likely they will become involved in risky behaviors or social problems.
The risk and protective factor framework is intended for assessing
risk and protective factors in a community. It refers to the presence
of factors in the broader population.
Risk
Factors: Personal and environmental factors that place a child at
higher risk of substance abuse and negative behaviors.
Protective
Factors: Personal and environmental factors that help reduce the
risk of substance abuse and other negative behaviors.
NOTE:
Although a child may be exposed to a significant number of risk
factors, it does not necessarily mean that substance use or other
problem behaviors will inevitably follow. Many children and youth
growing up in presumably high-risk families and environments emerge
relatively free of problems.
Risk
and protective factors exist at every level at which an individual
interacts with others and the society around him/her. These factors
have typically been organized by life domains in which interactions
occur. These domains are Individual, Peer, Family, School, Community
and Society/Environmental. A seventh domain -- the Workplace --
has begun to be recognized.
Key
Risk and Protective Factors by Life Domains
|
DOMAIN
|
PROTECTIVE
FACTORS
|
RISK
FACTORS
|
| Individual |
-
Positive personal characteristics, including social skills
and social responsiveness; cooperativeness; emotional
stability; positive sense of self; flexibility; problem-solving;
and low levels of defensiveness.
- Bonding
to societal institutions and values, including attachment
to parents and extended family; commitment to school;
regular involvement with religious institutions; and belief
in society's values.
- Social
and emotional competence, including good communication
skills; responsiveness; empathy; caring; sense of humor;
inclination toward pro-social behavior; problem-solving
skills; sense of autonomy; sense of purpose and of the
future (e.g., goal-directedness); and self-discipline.
|
- Inadequate
life skills.
-
Lack of self-control, assertiveness, and peer-refusal
skills.
- Low
self-esteem and self-confidence.
-
Emotional and psychological problems.
- Favorable
attitudes toward substance abuse.
- Rejection
of commonly held values and religion.
- School
failure.
- Lack
of school bonding.
-
Early antisocial behavior such as lying, stealing, and
aggression, particularly in boys, often combined with
shyness and hyperactivity.
|
| Family |
- Positive
bonding among family members.
- Parenting
that includes high levels of warmth and avoidance of severe
criticism; sense of basic trust; high parental expectations;
and clear and consistent expectations, including children's
participation in family decisions and responsibilities.
- An
emotionally supportive parental/ family milieu, including
parental attention to children's interests; orderly and
structured parent-child relationships; and parent involvement
in homework and school-related activities.
|
- Family
conflict and domestic violence.
- Family
disorganization.
- Lack
of family cohesion.
- Social
isolation of family.
- Heightened
family stress.
- Family
attitudes favorable to drug use.
- Ambiguous,
lax, or inconsistent rules and sanctions regarding substance
use.
- Poor
child supervision and discipline.
- Unrealistic
expectations for development
|
| Peer |
- Association
with peers who are involved in school, recreation, service,
religion, or other organized activities
|
- Association
with delinquent peers who use or value dangerous substances.
- Association
with peers who reject mainstream activities or pursuits.
- Susceptibility
to negative peer pressure.
- Strong
external locus of control.
|
| School |
- Caring
and support; sense of "community" in classroom
and school.
- High
expectations from school personnel.
-
Clear standards and rules for appropriate behavior.
- Youth
participation, involvement, and responsibility in school
tasks and decisions.
|
- Ambiguous,
lax, or inconsistent rules and sanctions regarding drug
use and student conduct.
- Favorable
staff and student attitudes toward substance use.
-
Harsh or arbitrary school management practices.
- Availability
of dangerous substances on school premises.
- Lack
of school bonding
|
| Community |
- Caring
and support.
- High
expectations for youth.
- Opportunities
for youth participation in community activities.
|
- Community
disorganization.
- Lack
of community bonding.
- Lack
of cultural pride.
- Lack
of competence in majority culture.
- Community
attitudes favorable to drug use.
- Ready
availability of dangerous substances.
- Inadequate
youth services and opportunities for pro-social involvement.
|
| Society/
Environmental |
- Media
literacy (resistance to pro-use messages).
- Decreased
accessibility.
- Increased
pricing through taxation.
- Raised
purchasing age and enforcement.
- Stricter
driving-while-under-the-influence laws.
|
- Impoverishment.
- Unemployment
and underemployment.
- Discrimination.
- Pro-drug-use
messages in the media.
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Excerpt
from Understanding Substance Abuse Prevention -- Toward the 21st Century:
Background Information. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (1999).
For
more information regarding risk and protective factors, visit the
following websites and explore the World Wide Web:
Social
Development Research Group
Partners
for Substance Abuse Prevention
South
Carolina Dept. of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services
Evaluation:
Evaluation is a systematic process of obtaining credible information
to be used by interested persons for the purposes of program improvement
and program assessment.
Why
Evaluate?
In general, program evaluation is designed to verify, document and
quantify program activities and their effects. Program evaluation
is also a process to ultimately improve the program effectiveness
and service delivery to the target populations served. Evaluation
is an integral part of the day-to-day operations and management
of programs and, thus, is an on-going activity. A well-planned evaluation
effort provides valuable information for decision-making.
American
Evaluation Association (http://www.eval.org)
is an international professional association of evaluators devoted
to the application and exploration of program evaluation, personnel,
evaluation, technology, and many other forms of evaluation.
The
Evaluation Center (http://www.wmich.edu/evalctr/)
is located at Western Michigan University. It is a research and
development unit that provides national and international leadership
for advancing the theory and practice of evaluation as applied to
education and human services.
Planning
and Evaluation Service of the U.S. Department of Education (http://www.ed.gov/offices/OUS/eval/).
This website includes information on practices and methodology in
educational evaluation and survey instruments currently available
to the public. Evaluation tools and an Evaluation Primer can be
downloaded.
CSAP's Decision Support System (www.preventiondss.org)
contains a tremendous amount of information regarding evaluation.
Click on the "Evaluate Programs" tab and meander through
the multiple links.
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