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Existing research on childhood adversity and health risk across the lifespan lacks specificity regarding which types of exposures to assess and when. The purpose of this study was to contribute to an empirically-supported framework to guide practitioners interested in identifying youth who may be at greatest risk for a lifelong trajectory of health disparities. We also sought to identify the point in childhood at which screening for adversity exposure would capture the largest group of at risk individuals for triage to prevention and intervention services. Participants (n = 4036) collected as part of the Midlife in the United States study reported their medical status and history including physical (cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, cancer) and mental health (depression, substance use problems, sleep problems). Participants indicated whether they were exposed to 7 adversities at any point in childhood and their age of exposure to 19 additional lifetime adversities before the age of 18. Parent drug abuse, dropping out or failing out of school, being fired from a job, and sexual assault during childhood exhibited the largest effect sizes on health in adulthood, which were comparable to the effects of childhood maltreatment. Childhood adversity screening in early adolescence may identify the largest proportion of youth at risk for negative health trajectories. The results of this descriptive analysis provide an empirical framework to guide screening for childhood adversity in pediatric populations. We discuss the implications of these observations in the context of prevention science and practice.

Existing research on childhood adversity and health risk across the lifespan lacks specificity regarding which types of exposures to assess and when. The purpose of this study was to contribute to an empirically-supported framework to guide practitioners interested in identifying youth who may be at greatest risk for a lifelong trajectory of health disparities. We also sought to identify the point in childhood at which screening for adversity exposure would capture the largest group of at risk individuals for triage to prevention and intervention services. Participants (n = 4036) collected as part of the Midlife in the United States study reported their medical status and history including physical (cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, cancer) and mental health (depression, substance use problems, sleep problems). Participants indicated whether they were exposed to 7 adversities at any point in childhood and their age of exposure to 19 additional lifetime adversities before the age of 18. Parent drug abuse, dropping out or failing out of school, being fired from a job, and sexual assault during childhood exhibited the largest effect sizes on health in adulthood, which were comparable to the effects of childhood maltreatment. Childhood adversity screening in early adolescence may identify the largest proportion of youth at risk for negative health trajectories. The results of this descriptive analysis provide an empirical framework to guide screening for childhood adversity in pediatric populations. We discuss the implications of these observations in the context of prevention science and practice.

Child maltreatment in low-and middle-income countries overburdens health systems, compromises education, perpetuates gender inequalities and slows down development. Research suggests that parenting programmes are effective for the early prevention of child maltreatment. However, wide deployment in LMICs where violence towards children is high is yet to take place. In this overview article, we identify some critical challenges that LMICs currently face in ensuring the sustained implementation of parenting programmes for the early prevention of child maltreatment. The article is structured in three main sections: (1) a brief review of the effectiveness of parenting programmes for preventing child maltreatment; (2) a discussion of the critical challenges in LMICs for the widespread and sustained implementation of parenting programmes, and; (3) we propose recommendations to promote effective implementation in these countries. We also suggest a series of steps to overcome these challenges, such as investing on capacity-building for sustainability.

AIMS: Against the background of an increased interest in community participation in political processes, the aim of this article is to critically examine how the “community” is constituted as a political entity in the Communities That Care drug prevention program. METHOD: Through an examination of 13 publications written by the program developers of the program and other collaborators, I have analyzed the program’s theoretical foundation. RESULTS: The program seeks to constitute the community as an expert community, drawing on the principles of prevention science in its decision making processes and thereby asserting the primacy of scientific reasoning in politics. Disagreement, otherwise regarded as the “essence” of democratic politics, is to be neutralized through the establishment of a common language based on prevention science. The program constitutes needs as existing independently of any culturally and politically informed interpretations and readily met by ready-tested, evidence-based interventions. By combining a consumer subject and an instrumental-rational subject, the program establishes a specific kind of democratic subject, expected to exert its choices on a market offering ready-made solutions to problems formulated outside of the community’s decision making processes. CONCLUSION: The analysis points to a range of limitations and issues regarding how community empowerment and democratic participation are conceptualized in the program. By asserting the primacy of scientific reasoning in drug policy processes, the program sets limits to what counts as a political problem and which responses are deemed legitimate. This risks exerting significant closure on the ability of communities to speak in properly political terms.

This article examines how a Swedish program for social emotional learning establishes a relationship between the subject and emotions, and the political implications of this relationship. This includes an examination of how emotions fit with notions of “evidence-based policy” in the drug field. The key questions are: (1) How are emotions constituted in programs of social emotional training (SET)? (2) How is the subject and its relationship to emotions and social norms constituted in this program? (3) What are the political implications of the relationship between the subject and emotions? The article shows that the SET program seeks to instill in the subject the ability to identify and control emotions in order to become an emotionally mature subject. The program establishes a neurodisciplinary regime where the subject is to “re-wire” its synaptic links through repetition, decoupling emotions from their cultural context. Emotions are thus reified as internal entities arising from the central nervous system. The SET program constructs a social bond which demands adherence to specific social norms governing democratic participation. The subject is expected to control its emotions and engage in cooperation, negotiation, and conflict resolution within a model of democratic communication. Refusal or inability to adhere to the norms implicit in this model of communication risk relegating the subject to the sphere of the irrational, thereby disqualifying certain practices and responses from the sphere of the political. This is what happens to drug users, as drug use is constructed as an expression of irrationality. The SET program also pacifies individuals politically by turning issues such as drug use, unemployment, and education into matters of acquiring skills rather than political action.

Background This article critically examines the political dimension of prevention science by asking how it constructs the problems for which prevention is seen as the solution and how it enables the monitoring and control of these problems. It also seeks to examine how prevention science has established a sphere for legitimate political deliberation and which kinds of statements are accepted as legitimate within this sphere. Methods The material consists of 14 publications describing and discussing the goals, concepts, promises and problems of prevention science. The analysis covers the period from 1993 to 2012. Results The analysis shows that prevention science has established a narrow definition of “prevention”, including only interventions aimed at the reduction of risks for clinical disorders. In publications from the U.S. National Institute of Drug Abuse, the principles of prevention science have enabled a commitment to a zero-tolerance policy on drugs. The drug using subject has been constructed as a rational choice actor lacking in skills in exerting self-control in regard to drug use. Prevention science has also enabled the monitoring and control of expertise, risk groups and individuals through specific forms of data gathering. Through the juxtaposition of the concepts of “objectivity” and “morality”, prevention science has constituted a principle of delineation, disqualifying statements not adhering to the principles of prevention science from the political field, rendering ethical and conflictual dimensions of problem representations invisible. Conclusion The valorisation of scientific accounts of drugs has acted to naturalise specific political ideals. It simultaneously marginalises the public from the public policy process, giving precedence to experts who are able to provide information that policy-makers are demanding. Alternative accounts, such as those based on marginalisation, poverty or discrimination are silenced within prevention science.

Developmental prevention, as a leading strategic approach in preventive reaction to behavior problems in youth, marks a continuous progress in theory, research and practice over the last thirty years. The key indicators of current accomplishments in this area are: the scientific basis of theoretical explanations of behavior problems initiation and development; the empirical validation of the predictiveness of risk and protective factors that are increasing or decreasing chances for behavior problem manifestation; and the confirmed effectiveness of prevention programs, strategies and interventions. By reviewing and analyzing articles, this paper summarizes and systematically presents previous findings in theoretical, research and practical basis of the developmental approach to prevention of behavior problems in youth., Razvojna prevencija, kao vodeći strateški pristup u preventivnom reagovanju na probleme u ponašanju dece i omladine, beleži, tokom poslednjih trideset godina, kontinuirani napredak u teorijskom, istraživačkom i praktičnom smislu. Naučna zasnovanost teorijskih objašnjenja nastanka i razvoja problema u ponašanju, empirijska potvrda prediktivnosti rizičnih i protektivnih faktora, koji povećavaju ili snižavaju verovatnoću ispoljavanja problema u ponašanju, kao i potvrđena efektivnost niza preventivnih programa, strategija i intervencija, ključni su pokazatelji aktuelnih dostignuća u ovoj oblasti. Na osnovu pregleda i analize naučnih tekstova iz ove oblasti, u radu su sumirana i sistematično izložena dosadašnja saznanja u domenu teorijskih, istraživačkih i praktičnih osnova razvojnog pristupa prevenciji problema u ponašanju dece i omladine.

Developmental prevention, as a leading strategic approach in preventive reaction to behavior problems in youth, marks a continuous progress in theory, research and practice over the last thirty years. The key indicators of current accomplishments in this area are: the scientific basis of theoretical explanations of behavior problems initiation and development; the empirical validation of the predictiveness of risk and protective factors that are increasing or decreasing chances for behavior problem manifestation; and the confirmed effectiveness of prevention programs, strategies and interventions. By reviewing and analyzing articles, this paper summarizes and systematically presents previous findings in theoretical, research and practical basis of the developmental approach to prevention of behavior problems in youth., Razvojna prevencija, kao vodeći strateški pristup u preventivnom reagovanju na probleme u ponašanju dece i omladine, beleži, tokom poslednjih trideset godina, kontinuirani napredak u teorijskom, istraživačkom i praktičnom smislu. Naučna zasnovanost teorijskih objašnjenja nastanka i razvoja problema u ponašanju, empirijska potvrda prediktivnosti rizičnih i protektivnih faktora, koji povećavaju ili snižavaju verovatnoću ispoljavanja problema u ponašanju, kao i potvrđena efektivnost niza preventivnih programa, strategija i intervencija, ključni su pokazatelji aktuelnih dostignuća u ovoj oblasti. Na osnovu pregleda i analize naučnih tekstova iz ove oblasti, u radu su sumirana i sistematično izložena dosadašnja saznanja u domenu teorijskih, istraživačkih i praktičnih osnova razvojnog pristupa prevenciji problema u ponašanju dece i omladine.

Background: Effectiveness research is maturing as a field within intervention and prevention science. Effectiveness research involves the implementation and evaluation of the effectiveness of the dissemination of evidence-based interventions in everyday circumstances (i. e., type 2 translational research). Effectiveness research is characterized by diverse types of research studies. Progress in this field has the potential to inform several debates within intervention science [e. g., fidelity versus local and cultural adaptation; identification of core components, effective dissemination systems). Objective: To provide illustrations from different countries (Ireland, Italy, South Africa, Sweden, New Zealand, and the United States) of how intervention science might raise the value of future effectiveness or type 2 translational research. Methods: Themes raised by individual articles and across articles are summarized and expanded on in this commentary. Results: Themes consist of raising awareness about the importance of effectiveness research on the cultural adaptation of evidence-based interventions and intervention support structures, as well as further development of strategies to bridge the gap between research and practice. Conclusions: Effectiveness research has an important role to play in affecting systemic change on a population level and allowing us to gain a realistic global understanding of the phenomena we hope to change through interventions. Articles in this special issue provide reports from social scientists and practitioners located in various parts of the world and offer a rich, diverse portrait of effectiveness research and theory development. The totality of the work contained in this special issue anticipates many of the changes that intervention and prevention science will undergo as we progress and develop effective dissemination strategies for evidence-based interventions that promote positive youth development and prevent youth and family pr, QC 20131018

PurposeCommunity prevention coalitions are a common strategy to mobilize stakeholders to implement tested and effective prevention programs to promote adolescent health and well-being. This article examines the sustainability of Communities That Care (CTC) coalitions approximately 20 months after study support for the intervention ended.MethodsThe Community Youth Development Study is a community-randomized trial of the CTC prevention system. Using data from 2007 and 2009 coalition leader interviews, this study reports changes in coalition activities from a period of study support for CTC (2007) to 20 months following the end of study support for CTC (2009), measured by the extent to which coalitions continued to meet specific benchmarks.ResultsTwenty months after study support for CTC implementation ended, 11 of 12 CTC coalitions in the Community Youth Development Study still existed. The 11 remaining coalitions continued to report significantly higher scores on the benchmarks of phases 2 through 5 of the CTC system than did prevention coalitions in the control communities. At the 20-month follow-up, two-thirds of the CTC coalitions reported having a paid staff person.ConclusionsThis study found that the CTC coalitions maintained a relatively high level of implementation fidelity to the CTC system 20 months after the study support for the intervention ended. However, the downward trend in some of the measured benchmarks indicates that continued high-quality training and technical assistance may be important to ensure that CTC coalitions maintain a science-based approach to prevention, and continue to achieve public health impacts on adolescent health and behavior outcomes.

Background: Effectiveness research is maturing as a field within intervention and prevention science. Effectiveness research involves the implementation and evaluation of the effectiveness of the dissemination of evidence-based interventions in everyday circumstances (i.e., type 2 translational research). Effectiveness research is characterized by diverse types of research studies. Progress in this field has the potential to inform several debates within intervention science [e.g., fidelity versus local and cultural adaptation; identification of core components, effective dissemination systems). Objective: To provide illustrations from different countries (Ireland, Italy, South Africa, Sweden, New Zealand, and the United States) of how intervention science might raise the value of future effectiveness or type 2 translational research. Methods: Themes raised by individual articles and across articles are summarized and expanded on in this commentary. Results: Themes consist of raising awareness about the importance of effectiveness research on the cultural adaptation of evidence-based interventions and intervention support structures, as well as further development of strategies to bridge the gap between research and practice. Conclusions: Effectiveness research has an important role to play in affecting systemic change on a population level and allowing us to gain a realistic global understanding of the phenomena we hope to change through interventions. Articles in this special issue provide reports from social scientists and practitioners located in various parts of the world and offer a rich, diverse portrait of effectiveness research and theory development. The totality of the work contained in this special issue anticipates many of the changes that intervention and prevention science will undergo as we progress and develop effective dissemination strategies for evidence-based interventions that promote positive youth development and prevent youth and family prob

PurposeCommunity prevention coalitions are a common strategy to mobilize stakeholders to implement tested and effective prevention programs to promote adolescent health and well-being. This article examines the sustainability of Communities That Care (CTC) coalitions approximately 20 months after study support for the intervention ended.MethodsThe Community Youth Development Study is a community-randomized trial of the CTC prevention system. Using data from 2007 and 2009 coalition leader interviews, this study reports changes in coalition activities from a period of study support for CTC (2007) to 20 months following the end of study support for CTC (2009), measured by the extent to which coalitions continued to meet specific benchmarks.ResultsTwenty months after study support for CTC implementation ended, 11 of 12 CTC coalitions in the Community Youth Development Study still existed. The 11 remaining coalitions continued to report significantly higher scores on the benchmarks of phases 2 through 5 of the CTC system than did prevention coalitions in the control communities. At the 20-month follow-up, two-thirds of the CTC coalitions reported having a paid staff person.ConclusionsThis study found that the CTC coalitions maintained a relatively high level of implementation fidelity to the CTC system 20 months after the study support for the intervention ended. However, the downward trend in some of the measured benchmarks indicates that continued high-quality training and technical assistance may be important to ensure that CTC coalitions maintain a science-based approach to prevention, and continue to achieve public health impacts on adolescent health and behavior outcomes.