Note:  Terms in bold in the definitions are terms that are defined elsewhere in the glossary.
 

Term	Definition
Action plan	A plan developed by participants at the completion of training to show how they will use the information and skills learned after they return to their home, work, or community. The plan usually identifies the desired change, the resources that are available to help reach this goal, the obstacles that need to be overcome, specific steps and strategies, and a timeline for completing these steps.
Addiction	A compulsive physiological craving for a habit-forming substance, addiction is a chronic and progressive disease usually characterized by physiological symptoms upon withdrawal. The term dependence is often used synonymously to avoid the pejorative connotations of addiction.
Adult learning	A key characteristic of adult learning is that it is self-directed. Training intended for adults is more likely to be effective if it is based on adult learning theory (e.g., is interactive vs. didactic, is learner-centered, and includes techniques for developing skills within the context in which the skills might be applied). The implication for substance abuse prevention training is that training should be problem centered, should relate to the setting in which it will be applied, and should build on the knowledge and experience the learner already has.
Alcohol, Tobacco, Other Drug (ATOD) Problem Prevention/ Substance Abuse Prevention	Terms used interchangeably to indicate a wide range of activities and strategies to help prevent abuse of legal and illegal drugs. See also prevention.
Attitude	A feeling, emotion, belief, or mental position towards something or someone. Attitudes and beliefs play a substantial role in shaping the way persons select and process information. Prevention trainers must understand the attitudes that particular groups have about substance use and abuse, as well as attitudes about prevention approaches.
Bio-psycho-social models	Models that look at the multiple and interrelated etiologies of substance abuse. These are integrative disease models that recognize the widely accepted idea that addictive conditions of all types are the product of biological, behavioral, cognitive, psychosocial, and sociocultural factors. These models make it possible to approach both treatment and prevention in a multidimensional fashion.
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP)	CSAP was created by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. Originally called the Office for Substance Abuse Prevention, the name was changed to the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention as part of the 1992 reorganization of the Federal  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.  CSAP leads the efforts of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to prevent alcohol, tobacco and other drug problems nationwide. This CD-ROM was sponsored by CSAP, as were all the training programs.
Chaos	In the context of complex adaptive systems, the term "chaos" is not used to mean utter confusion and disorganization; rather, it is used in the scientific sense of an underlying dynamic that forms an environment within which complex adaptive systems thrive. According to complexity theory, complex systems bring about a balance of sorts between order and chaos. This balance point, also called "the edge of chaos," is the point at which the components of the system never quite lock into place, and yet never disintegrate altogether.
Champion; change agent	The “champion” refers to the person advocating for change. Within organizations or groups, the champion may be the single greatest factor contributing to the successful dissemination and utilization of prevention messages. In most cases the champion calls upon change agents for assistance with the implementation process; however, sometimes a single individual is both the champion and the change agent. A change agent is an individual who influences decisions in a direction deemed desirable by a change agency.
Cognitive belief system	An organized framework which functions to separate, compartmentalize, structure, and develop hierarchical arrangements of the major ideas, guidelines, beliefs, and generalizations which a learner abstracts from and synthesizes about the universe in which s/he lives. The cognitive belief system contains the learner's world view, values, beliefs, and attitudes, as well as those ideas and generalizations which are used to make sense of personal experiences. Audiences' cognitive belief systems must be investigated and acknowledged by those wishing to design effective prevention messages and strategies and/or to design effective training.
Cognitive science	An emerging field made up of cognitive psychology, artificial intelligence, linguistics, philosophy and neuroscience. Seeks to elucidate the acts of perceiving, thinking, remembering, and other phenomena associated with the mind.
Collaboration	The act of working jointly or in partnership with groups or organizations, often ones with whom no previous connections had existed, toward a common goal. Collaboration is an important concept to prevention, community development, technology transfer, and all social change activities.
Communication	The act or process whereby information is transmitted from a sender to a receiver. Communications theory is based upon how the mind first selects and then processes information it receives. A basic principle of communications theory is that the meaning of the message is assigned by the receiver, not the sender. Preventionists and other change agents must be able to formulate messages and transmit (communicate) them in a form that will facilitate receipt of the intended meaning.
Community development	In the context of substance abuse prevention, community development refers to systematic efforts to influence all levels of a community system: individuals, organizations, and other groups. The underlying premise is that by making systemic changes, greater well-being of community members can be achieved than if individuals who abuse, or might abuse, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs are the sole target.
Complex adaptive systems	Systems in which each agent finds itself in an environment produced by its interactions with the other agents in the system. In the animal world, "complex adaptive systems" include brains, immune systems, and ant colonies, among others; in the human world, they include cultural and social systems such as political parties and community partnerships for substance abuse prevention. To explain how adaptive agents/systems survive and prosper in these ever-changing environments, complexity theorists speak of feedback and prediction. Feedback occurs when the environment responds to the agent's behavior; it can be viewed as "input" from the environment. Prediction refers to the way that adaptive agents respond to what their world is telling them. If we look at communities and the phenomenon of substance abuse, we see that communities are also complex adaptive systems. The problems and opportunities that present themselves to us in our communities and in society today are complex; they are system-related and are self-organizing; they adapt rather than merely react to changing circumstances. These community problems and opportunities are not orderly, nor do they respond in logically predictable ways.
Complexity theory	A body of knowledge, sometimes called an emerging new science, about systems that are (a) complex (in the sense that a great many independent agents interact with each other in a great many ways), (b) capable of spontaneous self-organization (in such a way that they acquire collective properties that they might not have possessed individually), and (c) adaptive (meaning that they are active rather than passive). According to complexity theorists, the control of what happens does not belong to any one master agent. Rather, whatever coherent behavior or patterns of behavior exist within the system arise from competition and cooperation among the agents themselves. Complexity tries to answer hard questions. What causes the pattern between the various events/elements of a system? Was the order already there, or did the system self-organize into patterns? Because most of the groups they work with (families, communities, healthcare and social service organizations, workplaces, schools) have these characteristics, preventionists are currently exploring the implications of complexity for prevention.
Conflict resolution	Conflict refers to antagonism between groups or individuals as a result of divergent or oppositional ideas, attitudes or beliefs. Conflict resolution refers to processes and activities designed to alleviate or eliminate the discord.
Continuum of care	The continuum of prevention efforts designed to promote health and wellness and to discourage substance use and abuse. The continuum includes primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention efforts. Primary prevention is concerned with stopping substance abuse problems before they begin. Secondary prevention involves early identification and screening of people for evidence of potential or actual substance misuse. Treatment is tertiary prevention, i.e., it involves preventing further deterioration of health, social, economic, and psychological conditions, rehabilitating those who already have substance abuse problems, and preventing relapse.
Cost effectiveness of prevention	The cost of obtaining the desired outcome of a prevention or other social service program is typically expressed as a cost-effectiveness ratio: the cost (expressed in dollars or person hours) of obtaining the result, divided by the number of cases/instances in which the desired outcome was obtained. Cost effectiveness ratios can be used to assess the relative efficiency of two programs having the same goal. When there is no comparison program, a program can be considered to be cost effective if it has an apparent economy of scale, that is, if it can be associated with certain desired outcomes. In the case of substance abuse prevention, desired outcomes may be a reduction in the number of youths reporting initiation of substance use, the overall reduction or cessation of substance abuse, or reduction in other phenomena (e.g., street crime, school failure, gang membership) that are known correlates of substance abuse.
CSAP Training System (CTS)	The CSAP Training System was established in 1992 when the former Office for Substance Abuse Prevention became the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP). The stated purpose of the CTS was to develop and deliver training and associated technical assistance in substance abuse prevention nationwide to individuals and organizations (including staff of State prevention systems, community prevention partnerships and coalitions, health and mental health professionals, healthcare delivery systems, and other groups).
Cultural diversity	The existence of multiple cultural groups at all levels of a community or organization; also the deliberate inclusion of diverse cultural groups in community or organizational planning and development.
Cultural competence	The ability to understand, appreciate, and respond to the cultural differences and similarities within and among groups. Culturally competent prevention practitioners draw on a community’s values, traditions, and customs; they work with the community to develop prevention efforts that reflect the cultural diversity of its members.
Culturally  specific institutes	CTS training institutes intended to facilitate the work of diverse cultural groups in mounting effective, comprehensive ATOD prevention both within their own groups and with one another. The four culturally specific institutes are the Gathering of Native Americans, the Institute for African American Mobilization, the Asian/Pacific Islander Institute, and the Hispanic/Latino Institute. The CTS also includes a Multicultural Leadership Institute.
Culture	The shared values, norms, traditions, customs, arts, history, folklore, and institutions of a group of people (defined by race, ethnicity, color, national origin, class, religion, community, age, gender, sexual orientation, profession or vocation, or other group characteristic).
Diffusion	The transmission of ideas or behaviors from one group to another. The process of intentionally moving new or improved theories, strategies and practices from the development stage into standard practice in the field. Research shows that, as time passes and more people are exposed to the change, even those individuals who initially resisted the change are more likely to embrace it. (See also technology transfer.)
Evaluation	A systematic research process to collect, analyze, and interpret quantitative and/or qualitative data about a program’s implementation and effectiveness. Evaluations are designed to answer questions about how, and how well, a program is being implemented (process evaluation); about the results the program is having or has had on participants (outcome evaluation); about the program’s effect on society or large systems (impact evaluation); and about the program's cost-effectiveness.
Facilitation; facilitator	"Facilitation" means making something easier. The facilitation of groups involves assisting or guiding people in the process of change and helping them obtain the skills and knowledge they need to achieve their desired goals or outcomes. A facilitator is skilled in group dynamics and serves as a "guide on the side," as opposed to "the sage on the stage."
Fundraising	The process and activities whereby financial resources are gathered for a particular project or cause.
Hierarchy of results (also “ladder of results”)	The CTS evaluation project developed the "results hierarchy" to help trainers identify the highest level result likely to be achieved by each training objective. This framework helps program developers and evaluators analyze the success of specific interventions. Five levels of results were distinguished, in ascending order of importance: Level I - An increase in participant interest, general knowledge, and/or concern about substance abuse problem prevention Level II - An increase in applied knowledge, an improvement in participant skill level, and/or a shift in behavioral intention Level III - More active engagement by the participant in prevention planning or implementation Level IV - A change in professional practices of trainees and close colleagues that has a direct (and favorable) impact on prevention activities Level V - A change in policies and procedures—extending beyond the practices of participants to peers, organizations and/or professional organizations—that has a direct impact on prevention
Leadership	The process of influencing employees, members, or "followers" of some sort to carry out the goals of the organization, community, or other entity in order to achieve a desired mission. Also the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors used to influence people to buy into a mission or vision so that they work to make it happen.
Learning community	An approach to learning that assumes that people who learn in a team with other members of their organization or system will be more efficient and successful in applying what they learn in their work setting. In a learning community, the facilitator creates conditions that assure that learning can take place and that learners interact with one another. The facilitator also enters into a partnership with learners, rather than maintaining a leader-follower relationship.
Managed care	Healthcare delivery systems that attempt to enhance both the quality and cost organizations effectiveness of care. The term "managed care" most often refers to pre-paid healthcare plans (e.g., health maintenance organizations), but it also includes other approaches such as preferred provider plans. Typically, substance abuse and mental health services (also known as behavioral healthcare) are covered benefits. Sometimes, however, behavioral healthcare benefits are administered and funded separately from general health services through so-called "carve-out" programs. Substance abuse prevention activities can be important to managed care organizations that have an interest in reducing the health risks of their members.
Multiculturalism	The concept of recognizing, valuing, and including the differences that people bring with them as a result of their different cultures, as opposed to trying to ensure that those differences are assimilated into one dominant culture. CTS programs have adopted the concept of multiculturalism.
Multicultural organization	A multicultural organization is one that (a) reflects the contributions and interests of diverse cultures and social groups in its mission, operations, products, and services; (b) is committed to eradicating social oppression in all forms within the organization; and (c) includes members of diverse cultures and social groups as full partners in decisions that shape the organization.
Needs assessment	Collection of data on needs of the community and on resources available to address these needs. Common indicators of need for substance abuse prevention services often include high incidence and prevalence of alcohol and drug abuse in the community, and presence of associated risk factors such as crime and violence, economic dislocation, families in poverty, school drop-out rates, and the like. In the context of substance abuse prevention, the inquiry into resources usually focuses on human resources and ways that these resources might be strengthened through training. See also situational analysis.
Networking	Developing formal and/or informal relationships and linkages with others (e.g., groups, organizations, community leaders) for the purpose of dialogue, joint planning efforts, or the exchange of information and resources.
Open space	A learner-directed "training" process based on the assumption that participants have knowledge and experience in the subject area being covered (for instance, leadership) and can learn from each other. It requires that participants assume responsibility for their own learning by becoming actively involved in the planning and facilitation of small group sessions. Trainers make a very brief presentation on the subject matter, facilitate participant reports from the small groups, and serve as resources to participants at all other times.
Open systems	Systems that are highly complex and subject to chaotic influences. (See also complex adaptive systems.) An open system has fluid boundaries across which "information" is easily exchanged. An open system is always moving toward achieving balance and is thus self-correcting and adaptive. A closed system, on the other hand, does not have the fluid exchange of "information," and therefore often shuts down or disintegrates if its operating environment becomes unfavorable. The conditions of "openness" and "closedness" are relative, and may be thought of as end points on a continuum. Biological and social systems are relatively open, whereas many machines are relatively closed systems. The CTS treats American communities as open systems in which problems such as violence, racism, poverty, and substance abuse cannot be viewed in isolation. Nor can these problems be solved from the top down. The strategy therefore is to empower communities to design, commit to, and work on community-specific solutions.
Organizational development	The application of behavioral sciences to improve organizational effectiveness. This discipline helps improve organizational performance while also improving the quality of work life. Interventions are directed at processes and structures, as well as at worker behavior.
Outreach	Activities and strategies designed to recruit program participants. These can range from media announcements and the distribution of information in locations frequented by the target group (e.g., video arcades, laundromats, ethnic grocery stores, church bulletins) to street outreach by community workers who attempt to make contact with individual members of a target population.
Paradigm shift	A paradigm is a set of beliefs about a particular subject. A paradigm shift constitutes a major change in thinking. The term is often used in substance abuse prevention training to describe the change in attitude, beliefs, and behavior that many participants undergo as a result of training. Another key paradigm shift that has influenced the CTS is the notion that adults are responsible for their own learning, and that "delivery of training" is being replaced by "facilitation of learning."
Prevention	CSAP defines prevention as a "proactive process that empowers individuals and systems to meet the challenges of life events and transitions by creating and reinforcing conditions that promote healthy behaviors and lifestyles." CSAP also defines the goal of substance abuse prevention as the fostering of a climate in which (a) alcohol use is acceptable only for those of legal age and only when the risk of adverse consequences is minimal; (b) prescription and over-the-counter drugs are used only for the purposes for which they were intended; (c) other abusable substances (e.g., aerosols) are used only for their intended purposes; and (d) illegal drugs and tobacco are not used at all.
Resiliency	Resilience can be defined as the capacity to spring back, rebound, or successfully adapt in the face of the adversity, and to develop social competence despite exposure to severe stressors. Several research studies in the past focused on identifying risk factors, i.e., factors that put individuals “at risk” for substance abuse. A shift in thinking has occurred to focus primarily on the strengths or assets (resiliency or protective factors) that contribute to resiliency both of individuals and communities.
Risk factors; protective factors	Risk factors are characteristics that occur statistically more often for those who develop ATOD problems than for others. These factors, however, are only indicators for a potential problem; their presence does not mean that a problem will necessarily occur. Prevention efforts for children and youth attempt to reduce these risk factors and also to increase resiliency factors. The following may constitute risk factors: the community (e.g. poverty, living in an economically depressed area, community norms favorable to substance use); the family environment (e.g., parental substance dependency, high levels of family stress, social isolation); constitutional vulnerability (e.g., being the child of a substance abuser); adolescent problems (e.g., school failure, delinquency, teen parenthood). A family history of substance abuse is a biological risk factor while a healthy family history is a protective factor. Anxiety and depression are psychological risk factors, while a healthy self esteem and ego strength are psychological protectors. Low bonding to family, poor family discipline, low commitment to school, association with substance-using peers, alienation and rebelliousness, and early onset of substance use are social risk factors. On the other hand, family caring and support, consistent discipline, value and encouragement of education, association with nonusing peers, autonomy and sense of purpose, and clear expectations about not using substances are protective factors.
Situational analysis (also situation analysis)	Situational analysis is an integral part of learning and organizational change. The purpose of situational analysis is to help a community or organization engage in a process of self-analysis. Situational analysis helps communities and organizations to (a) identify the role that training/learning can play in helping them progress toward their goals; (b) strategically analyze their (the organization's) learning/training assignments and what contribution the organization can make to prepare participants for the learning/training activities; (c) support the integration of new learning into the organization following learning/training events; and (d) analyze its current operating system(s) to identify both barriers to and opportunities for the achievement of the organization's goals, and identify steps the organization could take to leverage support and commitment.
Social marketing	The design, implementation, and control of programs developed to introduce and promote the acceptability of a social idea or cause. It has its roots in both commercial marketing and social reform campaigns, and is related to the concepts of diffusion and communication. Social marketing strategies include sponsoring mass media campaigns, as well as providing groups with the information they need to make informed decisions, offering programs or services that meet identified needs, and assessing how well these needs were met.
Spirituality; spiritual health	In general, the ability to appreciate the wholeness of life, to be connected not merely to oneself and to other persons, but also to a larger meaning or purpose in life. For many persons, this larger meaning is found in their religion. In the context of health promotion and substance abuse prevention, physical, emotional, and spiritual health must all be considered.
Stakeholders	Influential persons who have an interest in the well-being of communities and organizations. The CTS does not target directly individuals who have, or are at risk for, substance abuse. Instead, it trains persons who are in a position to reach and influence these individuals. The CTS provides these stakeholders with critical knowledge and skills, and keeps them informed about the state of the art of substance abuse prevention itself and other areas necessary to success in community prevention: for example, community development, organizational development, communications, systems change, and respect for cultural diversity.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)	The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the United States Public Health Service comprises three centers: the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, and the Center for Mental Health Services. SAMHSA’s vision is the prevention or successful treatment of substance abuse, mental illness, and co-occurring substance abuse and mental illness, and the full recovery of all Americans who suffer from these conditions. SAMHSA’s mission is to provide national leadership to ensure that knowledge, based on science and state-of-the-art practice, is effectively used for the prevention and treatment of addictive and mental disorders. Further, SAMHSA strives to improve access and reduce barriers to high-quality, effective programs and services for individuals who suffer from, or are at risk for, these disorders, as well as their families and communities.
Systems change	A systems approach to prevention views all parts of the community (e.g., individuals, groups, and organizations) as interconnected parts, each affected by the others. Because the various components of a system have the potential either to support or to undermine prevention efforts of other components, it is essential that all parts of the system work together toward the desired change. This view of the importance of system-wide change underlies the entire CTS. See also complex, adaptive systems, and open systems.
Team building	A process designed to facilitate transfer of training after participants return to their home communities. The underlying premise is that transfer of training will be facilitated if the prevention changes are advocated and implemented by a team of individuals rather than by a single person. Through specific exercises, facilitators encourage teams of participants to identify ways of recruiting other community members who did not participate in the training, to assist in implementing desired changes.
Technology	Technology is the application of scientific or other organized information to the solution of practical problems. In the prevention area, technology refers to methods and techniques used to carry out a prevention strategy or theory. The technology is the innovation, the new practice; it is how prevention “knowledge” is put into practice.
Technology Transfer	Technology transfer is the process by which the technology is moved from its developers to its eventual users. CTS programs are themselves examples of technology transfer efforts.
Training	Training as practiced by the CTS refers to (a) facilitating the process of developing knowledge and skills necessary to accomplish learning objectives by using a variety of methods and aids; (b) an intervention for bringing about a change of behavior by adding to an individual's knowledge and skill; and (c) a preplanned experience that empowers a person to do something which s/he could not do before. Training is used as a way to focus learning on knowledge or skills that will improve performance on a job that the learner currently does or is preparing for. More broadly, the CTS uses “training” to mean a long-term and ongoing process of learning. Increasingly, the responsibility for learning rests on individual learners themselves, who are introduced to and use a variety of strategies to interact with a wide range of people and material resources so as to improve their knowledge and skills.
Transfer of training	The degree to which the trainees take the information or skills learned during the training and use or apply it at work, at home, or in the community, and the extent to which the applications and resulting changes are maintained over time. The following three factors affect transfer of training: 1) characteristics of the trainee (e.g., motivation, level of comfort with the desired changes, attitudes and beliefs, skills, knowledge); 2) characteristics of the training (e.g., whether it is appropriate, relevant, and culturally sensitive); 3) constraints and opportunities in the environment where the learning will be used. One means of ensuring that transfer of training will occur is through situational analysis.
Violence	Violence refers to physical injury or abuse of another human being. Research has shown a strong association between alcohol and other drug problems and spouse abuse, child abuse, homicide, rape, assault, and suicide. Programs focused on violence prevention must also address alcohol and drug abuse.
Volunteer	An individual who engages in activities intended to help others, not for monetary compensation or material gain, and not out of obligation. On the community level, a significant percentage of substance abuse prevention efforts are carried out by volunteers.