Certified Prevention Professional (CPP) Practice Exam

What approach was commonly used in prevention efforts during the 50s and 60s?

1. Community-based approaches

2. Scare tactics

3. Evidence-based planning

4. Skills building

The correct answer is: Scare tactics

During the 1950s and 60s, prevention efforts often relied heavily on scare tactics as a primary strategy. This approach involved communicating the dangers and severe consequences of certain behaviors, particularly in contexts like substance use or risky health behaviors. The idea behind scare tactics was to instill fear in the audience to dissuade them from engaging in those behaviors. The effectiveness of this method has been widely questioned over the years, as it tended to focus on negative reinforcement without providing individuals with the necessary tools or alternatives to change their behaviors positively. Unlike more contemporary strategies such as skills building, community-based approaches, or evidence-based planning, which focus on empowering individuals and communities with positive resources and information, scare tactics often lacked a supportive framework for long-term change. While these alternative methods have become more prevalent in modern prevention work, studying the historical reliance on scare tactics helps illuminate the evolution of prevention strategies and the understanding of human behavior in public health.