CPP CPP Prevention Science & Theory 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Social Norms Theory in prevention is based on the premise that:
- Peer pressure always leads to drug use
- Individuals often overestimate how much their peers use substances (Correct answer)
- Strict norms are ineffective in changing behavior
- Young people are unaffected by perceived peer behavior
Correct answer: Individuals often overestimate how much their peers use substances
Social Norms Theory holds that people frequently overestimate the prevalence and approval of risky behaviors among peers, and correcting these misperceptions can reduce those behaviors.
Question 2: The Health Belief Model predicts that a person is more likely to adopt a preventive behavior when they perceive:
- Low severity of the health threat
- High barriers to taking action
- High susceptibility to the health threat and high benefits of action (Correct answer)
- No cues to action in their environment
Correct answer: High susceptibility to the health threat and high benefits of action
The Health Belief Model predicts behavior change when individuals perceive themselves as susceptible to a serious threat and believe the benefits of action outweigh the barriers.
Question 3: Which principle of prevention science states that interventions should be tailored to specific developmental stages?
- Fidelity principle
- Developmental appropriateness (Correct answer)
- Dosage sufficiency
- Environmental specificity
Correct answer: Developmental appropriateness
Developmental appropriateness requires that prevention content, methods, and messaging match the cognitive, social, and emotional characteristics of the target age group.
Question 4: What does 'implementation fidelity' mean in the context of evidence-based prevention programs?
- Achieving perfect program outcomes
- Delivering a program as designed by its developers (Correct answer)
- Adapting a program to fit local cultural norms
- Evaluating a program's cost-effectiveness
Correct answer: Delivering a program as designed by its developers
Implementation fidelity refers to the degree to which a program is delivered as originally designed, which is critical because deviating from the tested model can undermine proven outcomes.
Question 5: The Theory of Planned Behavior adds which construct beyond the original Theory of Reasoned Action?
- Subjective norms
- Behavioral intentions
- Perceived behavioral control (Correct answer)
- Attitude toward behavior
Correct answer: Perceived behavioral control
The Theory of Planned Behavior extends the Theory of Reasoned Action by adding perceived behavioral control — an individual's belief in their ability to perform the behavior.
Question 6: Which of SAMHSA's Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) steps directly involves selecting an evidence-based intervention?
- Step 1: Assess needs
- Step 2: Build capacity
- Step 3: Plan (Correct answer)
- Step 5: Evaluate
Correct answer: Step 3: Plan
SPF Step 3 (Plan) is where communities select evidence-based programs and strategies matched to the priority risk factors identified in the needs assessment.
CPP CPP Prevention Science & Theory 2
Social Norms Theory in prevention is based on the premise that: