Mechanisms by Which the Fun for Wellness Intervention May Promote Subjective Well-Being in Adults with Obesity: a Reanalysis Using Baseline Target Moderation

When Is It Time to Revise or Adapt Our Prevention Programs? Introduction to Special Issue on Using Baseline Target Moderation to Assess Variation in Prevention Impact

Adaptation of preventive interventions to increase their impact can be advanced by identifying subgroups or specific contexts where program effects appear stronger or weaker. But how do we know where to look for effect heterogeneity in ways that will inform successful adaptation? This paper introduces a special issue that brings together research across prevention science sub-disciplines that adopted baseline target moderated mediation (BTMM) designs to search for effect heterogeneity and guide adaptation of established prevention programs. For this special issue intervention  scientists analyzed data from randomized trials using BTM and BTMM models, evaluating evidence for variation in intervention impact for trials spanning different health outcomes, different developmental periods, and different social units. This introduction provides a brief summary of the various patterns of effect reported in these papers, noting that the most common pattern involved compensatory effects (those beginning the trial with greater risk or fewer protective factors benefit the most), but other patterns including rich-get-richer and partially iatrogenic effects were also detected. This paper ends with a discussion of methodological and substantive implications of these findings for future prevention research, including next-generation prevention trials.

Baseline Target Moderation and Baseline Target Moderation Mediation Approaches: Reflections on Cultural Adaptation and Social Justice

Baseline target moderation (BTM) and baseline target moderated mediation (BTMM) constitute critical methodological and analytical approaches for the future of prevention science. However, the continuing refinement and utilization of these approaches carry important challenges when considering equity challenges that remain present in the prevention science field. Accordingly, this commentary is focused on examining cultural and contextual considerations associated with the set of articles included in this study, as well as directions for enhancing future research by embracing a solid grounding on equity perspectives. For example, to which extent do BTM and BTMM approaches include variables of relevance such as perceived discrimination, economic adversity, and other cultural and contextual domains that impact the lives of underserved diverse populations? In addition to providing a review of the articles included in this issue, recommendations are included for informing future prevention research according to equity perspectives.

Taking a Motivational Interviewing Approach to Prevention Science: Progress and Extensions

This commentary reviews advances gleaned from the current set of papers to Motivational Interviewing (MI) in prevention science. We begin by acknowledging the pioneering work of Miller and Rollnick to develop the construct of MI, then Dishion's use of MI principles to adapt applications of MI for the field of prevention science. We then highlight some of the contributions provided by the current set of papers and other recent extensions of MI. These novel applications are directed to parents, teachers, and older youth in the service of facilitating behavior change to promote youth development.