Competence enhancement approaches are very effective for preventing substance abuse in schools because they

• A. Emphasize punishment and deterrence
• B. Teach generic skills for coping with life
• C. Focus solely on abstinence education
• D. Rely on teacher punitive measures

Answer: (B)

Teaching general life skills to help students cope with real-world challenges and social pressures is the key idea behind competence enhancement approaches. By building skills like problem solving, decision making, assertive communication, stress management, and refusal strategies, students gain confidence and strategies they can apply in many situations, not just when faced with drugs. This broad skill base strengthens self-efficacy and equips them to navigate peer pressure, manage emotions, and seek support when needed, which reduces the likelihood of substance use over time. Approaches that rely on punishment, abstinence-only messaging, or punitive school discipline focus less on empowering students with transferable skills, making them less effective in producing lasting prevention.