CPP Evidence-Based Prevention Strategies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which research design provides the strongest evidence for determining causality in prevention program evaluations?
- Cross-sectional survey
- Randomized controlled trial (RCT) (Correct answer)
- Case study
- Qualitative focus group
Correct answer: Randomized controlled trial (RCT)
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are considered the gold standard because random assignment controls for confounding variables and establishes causality.
Question 2: The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) evaluates evidence using which primary criterion?
- Program popularity among practitioners
- Systematic reviews of published research (Correct answer)
- Federal funding allocation history
- Number of states that have adopted the program
Correct answer: Systematic reviews of published research
The CPSTF bases its recommendations on systematic reviews of scientific literature that assess effectiveness across multiple studies.
Question 3: In the context of evidence-based prevention, 'fidelity' refers to:
- Financial accountability of the implementing agency
- The degree to which a program is implemented as originally designed (Correct answer)
- Loyalty of community partners to the coalition
- Accuracy of data collected during evaluation
Correct answer: The degree to which a program is implemented as originally designed
Fidelity measures how closely an implementation matches the original program model, which is critical for achieving the same outcomes as in research settings.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of a selective prevention strategy?
- Mass media campaigns targeting all adults
- Mentoring programs for youth from high-risk families (Correct answer)
- School-wide drug education for all students
- Minimum legal drinking age laws
Correct answer: Mentoring programs for youth from high-risk families
Selective prevention targets subgroups at elevated risk, such as youth from high-risk families, rather than the entire population.
Question 5: The Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training (SAST) model emphasizes which primary protective factor?
- Increased law enforcement presence
- Social influence and refusal skills development (Correct answer)
- Economic incentives for abstinence
- Biological risk screening
Correct answer: Social influence and refusal skills development
SAST targets social influence by teaching youth to recognize peer pressure and develop concrete skills to refuse substance use.
Question 6: What does the term 'dose-response relationship' mean in prevention program evaluation?
- The amount of medication given to participants
- Greater exposure to a program produces greater outcomes (Correct answer)
- The ratio of program costs to health benefits
- The number of sessions before outcomes plateau
Correct answer: Greater exposure to a program produces greater outcomes
A dose-response relationship means that as participants receive more program exposure (dose), the magnitude of positive outcomes (response) increases.
Question 7: Which federal registry is the primary source for identifying evidence-based substance use prevention programs?
- National Institutes of Health PubMed database
- SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) (Correct answer)
- Centers for Disease Control prevention guidelines
- Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention model programs
Correct answer: SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP)
SAMHSA's NREPP (now the Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center) is the principal federal registry specifically for substance use and mental health prevention programs.
CPP Evidence-Based Prevention Strategies 2
Which research design provides the strongest evidence for determining causality in prevention program evaluations?