Models for Effective Prevention

Dr. Cheryl L. Perry is a Professor at the School of Public Health, University of Minnesota. She examines the Social Influences Model of alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) prevention. Models driven by social psychology and empirical findings on the antecedents of drug use identify three levels of risk factors critical to the development of effective prevention programs: (a) environmental, (b) personality, and (c) behavioral. Longitudinal research increasingly supports a broad-based, multi-level, three factor prevention approach rather than concentrating on a single factor or subset of risk factors.

The social influence models provide some optimism for primary prevention efforts, suggesting they are most effective when (1) the target behavior of the intervention has received increasing societal disapproval, such as cigarette smoking, (2) multiple years of behavioral health education are planned, and (3) community-wide involvement or mass media complement a school-based, peer-led program. Short-term programs and those targeting alcohol use have had less favorable outcomes.