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Core Elements of Developmental Epidemiologically Based Prevention Research
Author(s) -
Kellam Sheppard G.,
Koretz Doreen,
Mościcki Eve K.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1023/a:1022129127298
Subject(s) - health psychology , public health , core (optical fiber) , psychology , medicine , computer science , telecommunications , nursing
In the early 1990's, important progress was documented in prevention research on mental and behavioral disorders, with recommendations for a prevention research agenda. One of the earliest implementation efforts was the workshop, “A Scientific Structure for the Emerging Field of Prevention Research,” sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health and The Johns Hopkins University Prevention Research Center, and held in Baltimore, Maryland, in December of 1994. The purpose of the workshop was to merge three perspectives from the traditionally disparate areas of epidemiology, life course development, and intervention trials technology into an integrated, interdisciplinary effort that would define a scientific structure enabling rapid advancement in prevention science. As a consequence of that workshop, the papers were written that are contained in this and the next special issue on prevention of the American Journal of Community Psychology. This first paper is a description of the salient features of developmental epidemiologically‐based prevention research. Beyond the above three perspectives, we discuss the role of developmental and intervention theories; measurement of implementation, mediators, and moderators, including multi‐stage sampling and measurement; the central role of multilevel growth modeling; concepts of attributable risk and prevented fraction; proximal/distal modeling and effect sizes; and partnerships between researchers and communities.