SPR Roundtable Discussion of Ethical Issues in Prevention Science

Prevention science has made tremendous advances in developing preventive interventions that empirically identify long-term benefits, mediating factors that account for such affects, as well as potential moderators of intervention effectiveness. There are at least 100 prevention programs that have been found to be beneficial in randomized trials, many with overlapping strategies and outcomes.  As the evidence accumulates about the potential benefits of preventive interventions, prevention “practioners” find themselves in critical roles as consultants and/or leaders in advising and enacting community and/or agency change based on prevention science principles, and the strategies and solutions that emerge often have economical implications for both the community and the practioner. Given the limitations and complexity of the science, ethical tensions may emerge in this complex client-practitioner relationship, and different models for dealing with these tensions. The workgroup leaders, who are leaders of an SPR Board Workgroup on Ethical Issues in Prevention Science, will briefly discuss potential ethical issues that may emerge in the context of advising on community change. In addition, principles and guidelines for dealing with similar ethical dilemmas in related fields (e.g., American Psychological Association, NIH) will be outlined to facilitate the discussion.  This roundtable is intended to be an open discussion of ethical issues as prevention scientists and practitioners collaborate with community policy makers and organizations to disseminate prevention programs. This will be one step in the process by which a working group of the SPR Board gathers information from the field about the need for Ethical Guidelines for Prevention Science.