Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Comment
. 2020 Mar;61(3):268-271.
doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13196. Epub 2020 Jan 12.

Commentary: Enabling efficient and full application of prevention strategies for population mental health - reflections on Dodge (2020)

Patrick Tolan  1
Affiliations
Comment

Commentary: Enabling efficient and full application of prevention strategies for population mental health - reflections on Dodge (2020)

Patrick Tolan. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2020 Mar.

Abstract

Dodge (2020) provides a challenging and compelling formulation for more systematic determination of prevention component selection. The essay reminds us that population impact should be front and center in prevention specifically and public health organization in general. Dodge brings forth numerous issues in the science and the application of knowledge about prevention that warrant more research support and study. These issues include the need to recognize the existence of and increase the number of proven programs, the need for better and more extensive knowledge about impact variation across populations, and more attention to strengths and capabilities as guides for prevention. His essay also reminds us of the nuance and complexities in attempting to compare effect sizes and cost-benefit ratios of universal versus selective efforts. In addition, he provides compelling rationale for formalization of how prevention is organized and implemented in local community efforts. Further, in refocusing on the centrality of population effects in intervention application, Dodge also reminds us of the attendant principles of health equity and social justice in how we implement and judge the benefits of interventions. This essay provides a compelling argument for a strategy to realize the potential of the accumulating evidence of prevention as vital for addressing mental health and development.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment on

References

    1. Aos, S., Lieb, R., Mayfield, J., Miller, M., & Pennucci, A. (2004). Benefits and costs of prevention and early intervention programs for youth. Olympia: Washington State Institute for Public Policy.
    1. Dodge, K.A. (2020). Annual Research Review: Universal and targeted strategies for assigning interventions to achieve population impact. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61, 255-267.
    1. Fagan, A.A., Bumbarger, B.K., Barth, R.P., Bradshaw, C.P., Cooper, B.R., Supplee, L.H., & Walker, D.K. (2019). Scaling up evidence-based interventions in US Public Systems to prevent behavioral health problems: Challenges and opportunities. Prevention Science, 20(8), 1147-1168. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-019-01048-8.
    1. Henry, D.B., Tolan, P.H., Gorman-Smith, D., & Schoeny, M.E. (2012). Risk and direct protective factors for youth violence: Results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Multisite Violence Prevention Project. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 43, S67-S75.
    1. Lipsey, M.W. (2009). The primary factors that characterize effective interventions with juvenile offenders: A meta-analytic overview. Victims and Offenders, 4, 124-47.

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources