A Strategic Plan for Strengthening America's Families: A Brief from the Coalition of Behavioral Science Organizations

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Anthony Biglan, Oregon Research Institute; Karen Elfner, University of South Florida; S. Andrew Garbacz, University of Wisconsin; Kelli Komro, Emory University; Ronald J. Prinz, University of South Carolina; Mark D. Weist, University of South Carolina; Dawn K. Wilson, University of South Carolina; Amie Zarling, Iowa State University
• Language: English
• Date: 2020-04-28
• Publisher: Springer (part of Springer Nature): Springer Open Choice Hybrid Journals
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10567-020-00318-0
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review
• ISSN: 1096-4037
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 2
• Start Page: 153
• End Page: 175
• Keywords: Prevention; CAUSE-SPECIFIC MORTALITY; HEALTH; Emotional and behavioral health; Psychology; Psychology, Clinical; OBESITY; Child and adolescent development; CHILDHOOD SOCIOECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES; PRIMARY-CARE; Mental; SCHOOL; Social Sciences; Family wellbeing; PREVENTION; POSITIVE-ACTION; Poverty; PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY; RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED-TRIAL; Concentrated disadvantage
• Research Categories: Sociology, Public and Social Welfare; Psychology, Clinical

Abstract

Despite significant progress in research on the treatment and prevention of psychological, behavioral, and health problems, the translation of this knowledge into population-wide benefit remains limited. This paper reviews the state of America’s children and families, highlighting the influence of stressful contextual and social conditions on child and family well-being and the concentration of disadvantage in numerous neighborhoods and communities throughout the nation. It then briefly reviews the progress that has been made in pinpointing policies that can reduce stressful contextual conditions such as poverty, discrimination, and the marketing of unhealthful foods and substances. It also describes numerous family and school interventions that have proven benefit in preventing psychological and behavioral problems as diverse as tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use; depression; antisocial behavior; academic failure; obesity prevention; and early childbearing. We argue that progress in translating existing knowledge into widespread benefit will require a nationwide effort to intervene comprehensively in neighborhoods and communities of concentrated disadvantage. We present a strategic plan for how such an effort could be organized. The first step in this organizing would be the creation of a broad and diverse coalition of organizations concerned with advancing public health and well-being. Such a coalition could increase public support both for the policies needed to focus on these disadvantaged areas and the research needed to incrementally improve our ability to help these areas.