Prevention in Psychology: An Introduction to the Prevention Practice Kit

This first book in the Prevention Practice Kit overviews the prevention field and Kit contents, and highlights key points emerging through the historical evolution of prevention. It gives special attention to elements that are infused throughout all books: a systemic, ecological approach and community and multi-disciplinary collaboration.

Essential competencies needed for delivering prevention programs are identified, such as the collaborative attitude and skills necessary to cross boundaries between health and mental health professionals and between scientific and community experts. All this attention to prevention concepts and skills culminates in an extensive application of prevention focused on bullying, so that readers can see an illustration of how prevention practice can occur. Finally, to further boost applied practice, examples are sprinkled throughout the book accompanied by a set of learning exercises. An extensive set of references concludes the book.

This book is part of the Prevention Practice Kit: Action Guides for Mental Health, a collection of eight books each authored by scholars in the specific field of prevention and edited by Dr. Robert K. Conyne and Dr. Arthur M. Horne. The books in the collection conform to the editors′ outline to promote a consistent reading experience. Designed to provide human services practitioners, counselors, psychologists, social workers, instructors, and students with concrete direction for spreading and improving the practice of prevention, the series provides thorough coverage of prevention application including a general overview of prevention, best practices, diversity and cultural relevance, psychoeducational groups, consultation, program development and evaluation, evidence base, and public policy.

This book is endorsed by the Prevention Section of the Society of Counseling Psychology of the American Psychological Association. Fifty percent of all royalties are donated to Division 17 of the APA.

Robert K. Conyne, Ph.D., William A. Allen Boeing Endowed Chair & Distinguished Professor, Seattle University, 2013-14 and Professor Emeritus from the University of Cincinnati, is a licensed psychologist, clinical counselor, and fellow of the Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW) and the American Psychological Association. He has amassed 42 years of professional experience as a university professor and department head, counselor, administrator, consultant, and trainer, and, most recently, as a consultant to military personnel and their families at U.S. installations both at home and overseas. Bob has received many awards, including Eminent Career Award from the ASGW; Lifetime Achievement Award in Prevention, Society of Counseling Psychology of the APA; Distinguished Alumni Award of Distinction from Purdue University; and has been designated a Soros International Scholar. He was the 2009 president of the APA′s Division of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy, and in 1996 was president of the Association for Specialists in Group Work. With over 200 scholarly publications and presentations including 14 books in his areas of expertise (group work, prevention, and ecological counseling), along with broad international consultation in these areas, Bob is recognized as an expert in working with people and systems. With colleague (and wife), Lynn S. Rapin, Ph.D., he also helps people plan and prepare psychologically for their upcoming retirement, using the holistic approach they developed, "Charting Your Personal Future." His most recent publication is the Prevention Practice Kit, co-edited with Arthur M. Horne, Ph.D., immediately preceded by the Handbook of Group Counseling (edited, Oxford University Press, 2011).  Forthcoming is the Group Work Practice Kit (edited, Sage).  In all these edited books, Bob also authored contributions.

Arthur M. Horne is currently Dean of the College of Education and Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Georgia, Athens. He obtained his PhD in counseling and Educational Psychology from Southern Illinois university, and his masters and bachelor′s from the University of Florida, Gainesville. He is widely known in the area of bullying, working with youth, boys, and prevention.