Describe the risk focused prevention method and provide an example of a program

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Risk-focused prevention is based on the assumption that trying to prevent a problem from occurring in the first place is better than trying to deal with it after the fact (similar to the old saying "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"). More specifically, this approach suggests that the most effective way to prevent a problem is, first, to identify the factors that tend to increase the probability or risk that the problem will emerge in the first place and, second, to find methods to reduce the risks, thereby increasing the protective or resiliency factors. One of the most noteworthy examples is the Seattle Social Development Project. This project is described as follows:
The Seattle Social Development Project (SSDP) was a multi-year, school-based intervention that used a risk-reduction and skill-development strategy to improve outcomes for participating children and youths. The program was guided theoretically by the social development model, which hypothesizes that youths who are provided with opportunities for greater involvement with their schools and families, who develop the competency or skills they need for fuller participation with their schools and families, and for whom skillful participation is constantly reinforced, ultimately develop strong bonds with their families and schools. Further, the model proposes that these strong bonds set children on a positive developmental trajectory, resulting in more positive outcomes and fewer health-risk behaviors later in life (Seattle Social Development Project, 2011).