Prevention Action features local prevention scientist and the early days of social development research

Most of the substance abuse prevention work we do today is based on the Social Development Strategy developed by Richard Catalano and David Hawkins, co-founders of the UW Social Development Research Group.  The most recent edition of Prevention Action, an online publication reporting internationally on programs for improving children's health and development, includes a story about Dr. Catalano and the research he started in the 1970's. 

When they first started working together . . . Catalano and Hawkins were both convinced that a lot more could be done to prevent drug-use and delinquency occurring in the first place, before it exacted its toll on young people’s social development, education and subsequent employment.

Catalano says: “We wanted to shift services from rehabilitation to habilitation; rather than fixing established problems we wanted to equip children with the skills and resources so that they don’t engage in drugs and delinquency behavior in the first place, and to help create family, school and community environments that support this.”

The full article, along with other prevention-related articles, may be read on the Prevention Action website.

The importance of providing youth with opportunities for pro-social involvement

The prevention strategies being implemented by the Prevention WINS coalition are based on risk and protective factors identified through community data. While we work to reduce risk factors such as easy access to alcohol and marijuana, favorable attitudes towards drugs, and families not monitoring their children, we strive to increase factors that protect our children from drug and alcohol use.

According to the Social Development Research Group at the University of Washington, two key protective factors are

(1) bonding to pro-social family, school and peers, and

(2) clear standards or norms for behavior.

Families, schools, community organizations, neighbors, and others can promote these protective factors by providing "opportunities for involvement in productive pro-social roles, skills to be successfully involved in these roles, and consistent systems of recognition and reinforcement for pro-social involvement. These factors protect against the development of conduct problems, school misbehavior, truancy, and drug abuse."

Be a part of creating a community that provides opportunities and teaches skills for pro-social involvement and then rewards young people for their involvement. Everyone in the community has a role to play.