Theory Driven Practice

Theory driven. The first principle related to program design and content is that effective programs are theory driven. Being theory driven takes two forms. First, the components of the program, such as their activities and content, are based on well-established, empirically supported theory (Bond & Hauf, 2004; Borkowski, Akai, & Smith, 2006). The most effective prevention programs use theory to guide program development, assessment, and improvement. To illustrate, using theory can provide insight into what factors a program should address in order to be optimally effective. Such factors often include risk and protective factors or assets that are known to be related to the programs’ outcomes of interest. For example, the Families and Schools Together (FAST) program, an EBP aimed at preventing substance abuse, delinquency, school failure, and child abuse, is guided by three theories common to the family studies field: family stress theory, family systems theory, and social ecological theory (Wisconsin Center for Education Research [WCER], 2007). The influence of these theoretical models can be seen in the program’s core activities as well as in the way the program is structured and implemented. For instance, reflecting social ecological theory, ‘‘positive bonds and social relationships are directly promoted on six distinct levels of the child’s social ecology,’’ and efforts are made to link families to other families and to important social settings (WCER).

Excerpt: Family Relations Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Studies