Certified Prevention Professional (CPP) Practice Exam

What type of community assessment focuses on existing information rather than new data collection?

1. Formative Assessment

2. Summative Assessment

3. Archival Assessment

4. Community Readiness Assessment

The correct answer is: Archival Assessment

The correct choice focuses on the examination of existing information and historical data. Archival assessment involves utilizing previously collected data, documents, and records to analyze trends, behaviors, and factors impacting the community. This method is valuable because it allows practitioners to leverage available resources to gain insights into community needs without the time and expense associated with gathering new data. In contrast, formative assessment typically emphasizes the ongoing evaluation of needs and processes during program development, often involving the collection of new data to inform decision-making. Summative assessment evaluates the overall effectiveness of a program after its completion, again requiring new data collection to assess outcomes. Community readiness assessment gauges the community's preparedness and willingness to engage in specific efforts or interventions, which also would involve some level of new data gathering to measure readiness levels. Understanding the distinctions among these types of assessments helps clarify why archival assessment is distinct in its focus on utilizing existing information.