Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

How Has the Economic Downturn Affected Communities and Implementation of Science-Based Prevention in the Randomized Trial of Communities That Care?

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
American Journal of Community Psychology

Abstract

This study examined implications of the economic downturn that began in December 2007 for the Community Youth Development Study (CYDS), a longitudinal randomized controlled trial of the Communities That Care (CTC) prevention system. The downturn had the potential to affect the internal validity of the CYDS research design and implementation of science-based prevention in study communities. We used archival economic indicators and community key leader reports of economic conditions to assess the extent of the economic downturn in CYDS communities and potential internal validity threats. We also examined whether stronger economic downturn effects were associated with a decline in science-based prevention implementation. Economic indicators suggested the downturn affected CYDS communities to different degrees. We found no evidence of systematic differences in downturn effects in CTC compared to control communities that would threaten internal validity of the randomized trial. The Community Economic Problems scale was a reliable measure of community economic conditions, and it showed criterion validity in relation to several objective economic indicators. CTC coalitions continued to implement science-based prevention to a significantly greater degree than control coalitions 2 years after the downturn began. However, CTC implementation levels declined to some extent as unemployment, the percentage of students qualifying for free lunch, and community economic problems worsened. Control coalition implementation levels were not related to economic conditions before or after the downturn, but mean implementation levels of science-based prevention were also relatively low in both periods.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arthur, M. W., Hawkins, J. D., Brown, E. C., Briney, J. S., Oesterle, S., & Abbott, R. D. (2010). Implementation of the Communities That Care prevention system by coalitions in the Community Youth Development Study. Journal of Community Psychology, 38, 245–258.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, E. C., Graham, J. W., Hawkins, J. D., Arthur, M. W., Baldwin, M. M., Oesterle, S., et al. (2009). Design and analysis of the Community Youth Development Study longitudinal cohort sample. Evaluation Review, 33, 311–334.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, E. C., Hawkins, J. D., Arthur, M. W., Briney, J. S., & Fagan, A. A. (2011). Prevention service system transformation using Communities That Care. Journal of Community Psychology, 39, 183–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2011). Table 2.3.4. Price indexes for personal consumption expenditures by major type of product. Line 1: Personal consumption expenditures, 2004–2010. Retrieved August 10, 2011 from http://www.bea.gov/national/nipaweb/TableView.asp?SelectedTable=64&ViewSeries=NO&Java=no&Request3Place=N&3Place=N&FromView=YES&Freq=Year&FirstYear=2000&LastYear=2011&3Place=N&Update=Update&JavaBox=no.

  • Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2011a). County data: Tables: Labor force data by county. 2004 annual averages—2010 annual averages. Retrieved August 10, 2011 from http://www.bls.gov/lau/#tables.

  • Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2011b). Labor force statistics from the Current Population Survey: Unemployment level. Retrieved August 10, 2011 from http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNU03000000?years_option=all_years&periods_option=specific_periods&periods=Annual+Data.

  • Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2011c). Labor force statistics from the Current Population Survey: Unemployment rate. Retrieved August 10, 2011 from http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNU04000000?years_option=all_years&periods_option=specific_periods&periods=Annual+Data.

  • Colorado Department of Education. (2011). District level data: K-12 free and reduced lunch eligibility by county, and district. Retrieved June 15, 2011 from http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdereval/rv2010pmlinks.htm.

  • Fagan, A. A., Arthur, M. W., Hanson, K., Briney, J. S., & Hawkins, J. D. (2011). Effects of Communities That Care on the adoption and implementation fidelity of evidence-based prevention programs in communities: Results from a randomized controlled trial. Prevention Science, 12, 223–234.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fagan, A. A., Hanson, K., Briney, J. S., & Hawkins, J. D. (2012). Sustaining the utilization and high quality implementation of tested and effective prevention programs using the Communities That Care prevention system. American Journal of Community Psychology, 45, 365–377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fagan, A. A., Hanson, K., Hawkins, J. D., & Arthur, M. W. (2009). Translational research in action: Implementation of the Communities That Care prevention system in 12 communities. Journal of Community Psychology, 37, 809–829.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Federal Reserve Board of Governors. (2012). Economic projections of Federal Reserve Board members and Federal Reserve Bank presidents, June 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2012 from http://federalreserve.gov/newsevents/press/monetary/20120620b.htm.

  • Feinberg, M. E., Bontempo, D. E., & Greenberg, M. T. (2008). Predictors and level of sustainability of community prevention coalitions. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 34, 495–501.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gloppen, K. M., Arthur, M. W., Hawkins, J. D., & Shapiro, V. (2012). Sustainability of the Communities That Care prevention system by coalitions participating in the Community Youth Development Study. Journal of Adolescent Health, 51, 259–264.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, J. D., Brown, E. C., Oesterle, S., Arthur, M. W., Abbott, R. D., & Catalano, R. F. (2008a). Early effects of Communities That Care on targeted risks and initiation of delinquent behavior and substance use. Journal of Adolescent Health, 43, 15–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, J. D., Catalano, R. F., Arthur, M. W., Egan, E., Brown, E. C., Abbott, R. D., et al. (2008b). Testing Communities That Care: The rationale, design and behavioral baseline equivalence of the Community Youth Development Study. Prevention Science, 9, 178–190.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, J. D., Oesterle, S., Brown, E. C., Arthur, M. W., Abbott, R. D., Fagan, A. A., et al. (2009). Results of a type 2 translational research trial to prevent adolescent drug use and delinquency: A test of Communities That Care. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 163, 789–798.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, J. D., Oesterle, S., Brown, E. C., Monahan, K. C., Abbott, R. D., Arthur, M. W., et al. (2012). Sustained decreases in risk exposure and youth problem behaviors after installation of the Communities That Care prevention system in a randomized trial. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 166, 141–148.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Howell, D. C. (2010). Fundamental statistics for the behavioral sciences (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Illinois State Board of Education. (2011). Free and reduced-price meal eligibility data. Retrieved June 15, 2011 from http://www.isbe.state.il.us/nutrition/htmls/eligibility_listings.htm.

  • Kansas State Department of Education. (2011). Free and reduced enrollment (USD Totals). 2004–2005 free and reduced enrollment percentages (USD Totals)—2010–2011 free and reduced enrollment percentages (USD totals). Retrieved June 15, 2011 from http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1870.

  • Kuklinski, M. R., Briney, J. S., Hawkins, J. D., & Catalano, R. F. (2012). Cost-benefit analysis of Communities That Care outcomes at eighth grade. Prevention Science, 13, 150–161.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maine Department of Education. (2011). ED534—% Free and reduced school lunch report: Fiscal years 2005–2011, District level report. Retrieved June 15, 2011 from https://portal.maine.gov/sfsr/sfsrdev.ed534.ed534_parameters.

  • Mortgage Bankers Association. (2010). Press release: Delinquencies and loans in foreclosure decrease, but foreclosure starts rise in latest MBA National Delinquency Survey. Retrieved November 7, 2011 from http://www.mortgagebankers.org/NewsandMedia/PressCenter/74733.htm.

  • National Center for Education Statistics. (2011). Common core of data: Build A Table. District level, 2004–2005 school year, students in special programs: Total free and reduced lunch students, Colorado, Utah. Retrieved June 15, 2011 from http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/bat/.

  • National Governors Association and the National Association of State Budget Officers. (2011). The fiscal survey of states, Spring 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2011 from http://www.nasbo.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=yNV8Jv3X7Is%3d&tabid=38.

  • Oesterle, S., Hawkins, J. D., Fagan, A. A., Abbott, R. D., & Catalano, R. F. (2010). Testing the universality of the effects of the Communities That Care prevention system for preventing adolescent drug use and delinquency. Prevention Science, 11, 411–424.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oregon Department of Education. (2011). Students eligible for free or reduced lunch. School years 2004–2005 through 2010–2011. Retrieved June 15, 2011 from http://www.ode.state.or.us/sfda/reports/r0061select.asp.

  • Raudenbush, S. W., & Bryk, A. S. (2002). Hierarchical linear models: Applications and data analysis methods (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rhew, I. C., Brown, E. C., Hawkins, J. D., & Briney, J. S. (2012). Sustained effects of the Communities That Care system on prevention service system transformation. American Journal of Public Health. Advance online publication. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2011.300567.

  • Riggs, N. R., Feinberg, M. E., & Greenberg, M. T. (2002). Community sector and gender differences in the perception of community-based prevention. Journal of Community Psychology, 30, 709–721.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skidmore, M., & Scorsone, E. (2011). Causes and consequences of fiscal stress in Michigan cities. Regional Science and Urban Economics, 41, 360–371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Standard and Poors. (2011). Annual rates of change continue to improve according to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, 25-Oct-2011. Retrieved November 7, 2011 from http://us.spindices.com/documents/index-announcements/CSHomePrice_Release_102512.pdf.

  • State of Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. (2011). Child nutrition, free and reduced-price meals eligibility (October count) by school district in county order, 2004–2010. Retrieved June 15, 2011 from http://www.k12.wa.us/ChildNutrition/Reports/FreeReducedMeals.aspx.

  • Statistical and Measurement Unit. (1993). Iowa Youth and Families Project (IYFP) Wave C, 1991. Ames, IA: Iowa State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • United States Census Bureau. (2011a). Small area income and poverty estimates. State and county data files, 2004–2009. Retrieved August 10, 2011 from http://www.census.gov/did/www/saipe/data/statecounty/data/index.html.

  • United States Census Bureau. (2011b). Table 2: Poverty status of people by family relationship, race, and Hispanic origin: 1959–2010, & Table 3: Poverty status of people by age, race, and Hispanic origin: 1959–2010. Retrieved December 14, 2011 from http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/historical/people.html.

  • United States Census Bureau. (2011c). Table F-6: Regions—Families (all races) by median and mean income: 1953–2010. Retrieved December 14, 2011 from http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/data/historical/families/.

  • Utah State Office of Education. (2011). Free and reduced price lunch, October survey, October 2005–October 2010. Retrieved June15, 2011 from http://www.schools.utah.gov/data/Educational-Data/Free-and-Reduced-Price-Lunch.aspx.

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by research grant R01 DA015183-03 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, with co-funding from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Mental Health, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The content of this article is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Social Development Research Group, School of Social Work, University of Washington, 9725 Third Avenue N.E., Suite 401, Seattle, WA, 98115, USA

    Margaret R. Kuklinski & J. David Hawkins

  2. Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Robert D. Plotnick

  3. College of Education, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Robert D. Abbott

  4. College of Environmental Design, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA

    Carolina K. Reid

Authors
  1. Margaret R. Kuklinski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. David Hawkins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Robert D. Plotnick
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Robert D. Abbott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Carolina K. Reid
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Margaret R. Kuklinski.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kuklinski, M.R., Hawkins, J.D., Plotnick, R.D. et al. How Has the Economic Downturn Affected Communities and Implementation of Science-Based Prevention in the Randomized Trial of Communities That Care?. Am J Community Psychol 51, 370–384 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-012-9557-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-012-9557-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation