McWhirter's: Presenting Highlights of Chapter 12 and 13

Presenting highlights of chapter 12 and 13
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Chapter 12
Definitions of preventions have been varying over time and across disciplines. Prevention refers to stop something prior it occurs. There are primary, second and tertiary prevention, which refers to reducing the new incidence rates of a disorder (primary), prevalence rates for such risks of developing a disorder (secondary), or the dangerous effects of an existing disorder (tertiary). Prevention definitions were formed to categorize preventions efforts for physical disorders. Nevertheless, it is more difficult to identify the cause of a psychological disorder and to categorize complex mental disorder prevention efforts into a single category like universal or primary prevention. McWhirter (2012) explains that prevention efforts should encompass four dimensions such as stopping a problem behavior from ever happening, delaying the start of a problem behavior, reducing the impact of an existing problem behavior, and strengthening knowledge.
What acts a treatment intervention for a problem often serves as a prevention strategy for a more developed problem. Problem behaviors exist along a continuum. In chapter 2, if Tyrone Baker is involved in a smoking reduction group, then treatment is being offered to his smoking habit because cigarette smoking puts him at risk of other drugs like marijuana, alcohol, and others (McWhirter, 2012). Thus treatment serves as a prevention strategy. Risks also form a continuum. Factors contributing to risks including demographic features like economic conditions, social class, school stressors, community, family, and personal characteristics, behaviors and attitudes. In understanding risk, it is vital to consider protective factors.
Prevention efforts should be detailed, sequential, and intensive with continued involvement over long period of time. Short-term interventions achieve short-term results. Sequential and periodic booster follow-up sessions should be incorporated to assist maintain effects of the initial interventions (McWhirter, 2012). Indicated treatment approaches are meant to assist individuals who are experiencing potential risks for problem behavior or those who started to engage in the risk behavior. Indicated treatment approaches must be formed for the youth whose behaviors, problems and characteristics are related to at-risk activity. Young people who have made wrong choices require an opportunity to change such choices into more positive and constructive ones. Second-chance interventions are required to adolescents and children who have dropt out, have become pregnant, are engaging in substance abuse, and engaging in aggressive and violent behaviors; they require a second chance.
The universal, selected, indicated and second-chance approaches address risk factors which are most contributors to problems facing young people. The problems facing youth and children at risk have numerous antecedents, and interventions must concentrate on several causal factors for them to be remedied. The intention of such approaches is to set these people on new paths as early as possible, to change life circumstances, to open opportunities, and to focus on long-term change (Washington, Barnes and Watts, 2014). A remote degree of risk is associated with certain demographic characteristics. As young people grow and mature, personal characteristics which contribute to higher risks may become evident. If such personal characteristics are not diverted, young people may soon start go beyond remote risks to high risks and considered imminent risks for several problems.
Universal, selected, and indicated approaches are used to assist conceptualize the continuum of potential interventions for at-risk youth. Universal approach is the most effective intervention when a child shows a remote or minimal risk (Arnold, 2014). When a child shifts from remote risk to high risk, a selected approach is more recommendable. As the child moves from high risks to imminent risks, and to at-risk activities, an indicated treatment approach and then a second-chance programs are recommendable. Prevention, early intervention, and treatment program form a continuum. The three terms are associated with primary, secondary, and tertiary preventions (McWhirter, 2012). The relationship between the settings of school, family, and community is conceived as (a) a continuum from early broad-based prevention, (b) to early intervention efforts to facilitate training and support activities, (c) to treatment approaches.
The society-community continuum interacts with both school and family continuums. Prevention efforts in these settings constitute improving socioeconomic conditions, improving low-cost housing and community values, providing community social support programs, and developing career options and job opportunities (McWhirter, 2012). Early intervention aspect of continuum consists of community programs which involve school personnel and family members. There is need to offer coordinated programs and social support to enable neighborhoods and community members to help young people. There is need for school to work together with the community. Prevention, early intervention and treatment for families set a continuum which starts with strategies aim to strengthen families. Social and emotional support programs and trainings in parenting skills are reinforced as family problems increase. Counseling is also crucial for dysfunctional families.
Prevention in schools starts with sufficient detailed preschool, compensatory programs, and before-and-after-school programs. All school-based efforts are developed and impacts are prolonged if there is a strong relationship between home and school (McWhirter, 2012). Self-help skills assist young people to create adaptive attributions and they are encouraged to take initiatives for their failure and success by learning from their failures and improve. Many at-risk students are not aware of their learning strategies. Adults should teach successful learning strategies to these at-risk students. This is an education approach in which students are taught to think, moni...