Guidelines for Prevention in Psychology.

Abstract

The effectiveness of prevention to enhance human functioning and reduce psychological distress has been demonstrated. From infancy through adulthood, access to preventive services and interventions is important to improve the quality of life and human functioning and reduce illness and premature death. The importance of prevention is consistent with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. Even with the increased focus on prevention, psychology training programs rarely require specific courses on prevention. In particular, conceptualizations about best practices in prevention, particularly at the environmental level, are lacking. Therefore, psychologists engaged in prevention can benefit from a set of guidelines that address and inform prevention practices. Accordingly, the Guidelines for Prevention in Psychology are intended to "inform psychologists, the public, and other interested parties regarding desirable professional practices" in prevention. The Prevention Guidelines are recommended based on their potential benefits to the public and the professional practice of psychology. They support prevention as an important area of practice, research, and training for psychologists. The Guidelines give increased attention to prevention within APA, encouraging psychologists to become involved with preventive activities relevant to their area of practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Development of an Empirically Based Preventive Intervention for Depression in Preadolescent African American Girls

“…From the selection of targets for intervention to the focus groups and open trial, the intervention development process was aimed at developing a program that is effective and culturally and contextually relevant. Additionally, the prevention intervention was developed following guidelines for prevention in psychology, which included (a) selection and implementation of preventive interventions that are theory-and evidence-based, and (b) use of socially and culturally relevant preventive practices adapted to the specific context in which they are implemented (American Psychological Association 2014). …”

Swedish Register Analysis of Divorce and Alcohol Use Disorder Highlights Social Relationships as a Target for Preventive Psychiatry and Genetic Research

“…Results also highlight opportunities for prevention (14). Providing psychoeducation regarding association between divorce and AUD, early AUD indicators, and healthy drinking practices to individuals experiencing marital distress or divorce may help reduce alcohol-related problems.…”

Ethical Challenges in Promoting the Implementation of Preventive Interventions: Report of the SPR Task Force

“…These include activities that may not be considered under the purview of existing ethical reviews of research by Institutional Review Boards or funding research institutes. From the onset, the Task Force agreed that the first step was to explore whether or not the Society of Prevention Research membership could identify ethical dilemmas that were not well covered by existing ethical guidelines (e.g., see American Psychological Association (APA, 2014 ) ethics code). The second step was to consider the need for such guidelines and standards, which necessarily entails a more inclusive deliberative process.…”