Introduction to Risk factors and Protective factors.

As they grow up, youth are exposed to a number of factors which may either increase their risk for, or protect them from, problems such as abusing drugs or engaging in delinquent behavior.
“Risk factors” are any circumstances that may increase youths’ likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors. Conversely, “protective factors” are any circumstances that promote healthy youth behaviors and decrease the chance that youth will engage in risky behaviors.

Risk factors and protective factors are often organized into five categories:

• Individual
• Family
• School
• Peer group
• Community

Your assessment will disclose potential indicators of risk and protective factors influencing youth in your community. Your coalition will want to explore available data to determine the extent of impact those risk and protective factors are having on youth in the community and their influence on issues you have identified to focus on. Once you have identified the risk and protective factors to be addressed you then can turn your efforts to proven programs and strategies that address those factors.
Bibliography for Research on Risk and Protective Factors
Risk Factors
Many of the risk factors that make it likely that youth will engage in risky behaviors are the opposite of the protective factors that make it likely that a teen will not engage in such behaviors. For example, one risk factor is family management problems. If parents fail to set standards for their teen’s behavior, it increases the likelihood that the teen will engage in substance abuse or delinquent behavior. Conversely, a protective factor is effective parenting. If parents consistently provide both nurturing and structure, it increases the likelihood that a teen will not get involved with substance abuse or delinquent behavior and will become involved in positive activities.
Exposure to risk factors in the relative absence of protective factors dramatically increases the likelihood that a young person will engage in problem behaviors. The most effective approach for improving young people’s lives is to reduce risk factors while increasing protective factors in all of the areas that touch their lives.
Risk factors function in a cumulative fashion; that is, the greater the number of risk factors, the greater the likelihood that youth will engage in delinquent or other risky behavior. There is also evidence that problem behaviors associated with risk factors tend to cluster. For example, delinquency and violence cluster with other problems, such as drug abuse, teen pregnancy, and school misbehavior.
Risk factors that predict future risky behaviors by youth are shown below.
Individual
Antisocial behavior and alienation/delinquent beliefs/general delinquency involvement/drug dealing
Gun possession/illegal gun ownership/carrying
Teen parenthood
Favorable attitudes toward drug use/early onset of AOD use/alcohol/drug use
Early onset of aggression/violence
Intellectual and/or development disabilities
Victimization and exposure to violence
Poor refusal skills
Life stressors
Early sexual involvement
Mental disorder/mental health problem
Family
Family history of problem behavior/parent criminality
Family management problems/poor parental supervision and/or monitoring
Poor family attachment/bonding
Child victimization and maltreatment
Pattern of high family conflict
Family violence
Having a young mother
Broken home
Sibling antisocial behavior
Family transitions
Parental use of physical punishment/harsh and/or erratic discipline practices
Low parent education level/illiteracy
Maternal depression
School
Low academic achievement
Negative attitude toward school/low bonding/low school attachment/commitment to school
Truancy/frequent absences
Suspension
Dropping out of school
Inadequate school climate/poorly organized and functioning schools/negative labeling by teachers
Identified as learning disabled
Frequent school transitions
Peer
Gang involvement/gang membership
Peer ATOD use
Association with delinquent/aggressive peers
Peer rejection
Community
Availability/use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs in neighborhood
Availability of firearms
High-crime neighborhood
Community instability
Low community attachment
Economic deprivation/poverty/residence in a disadvantaged neighborhood
Neighborhood youth in trouble
Feeling unsafe in the neighborhood
Social and physical disorder/disorganized neighborhood
Protective Factors
Researchers know less about protective factors than they do about risk factors because fewer studies have been done in this area. However, they believe protective factors operate in three ways. First, they may serve to buffer risk factors, providing a cushion against negative effects. Second, they may interrupt the processes through which risk factors operate. For example, a community program that helps families learn conflict resolution may interrupt a chain of risk factors that lead youth from negative family environments to associate with delinquent peers. Third, protective factors may prevent the initial occurrence of a risk factor, such as child abuse. For example, infants and young children who are easy-going may be protected from abuse by eliciting positive, rather than frustrated, responses from their parents and caregivers.
Recent scientific studies have shown that community resources also can influence individual teenagers’ positive traits. For example, young people are more likely to be a part of youth organizations and sports teams if their parents perceive that the community is safe and that it has good neighborhood and city services (such as police and fire protection or trash pickup). Similarly, youth are more apt to be exposed to good adult role models other than their parents when communities have informal sources of adult supervision, when there is a strong sense of community, when neighborhoods are perceived to be safe, and when neighborhood and city services are functioning.
Protective factors that protect youth against delinquency and substance abuse are shown below.
Individual
Positive/resilient temperament
Religiosity/valuing involvement in organized religious activities
Social competencies and problem-solving skills
Perception of social support from adults and peers
Healthy sense of self
Positive expectations/optimism for the future
High expectations
Family
Good relationships with parents/bonding or attachment to family
Opportunities and reward for prosocial family involvement
Having a stable family
High family expectations
School
School motivation/positive attitude toward school
Student bonding and connectedness (attachment to teachers, belief, commitment)
Academic achievement/reading ability and mathematics skills
Opportunities and rewards for prosocial school involvement
High-quality schools/clear standards and rules
High expectations of students
Presence and involvement of caring, supportive adults
Peer
Involvement with positive peer group activities and norms
Good relationship with peers
Parental approval of friends
Community
Economically sustainable/stable communities
Safe and health-promoting environment/supportive law enforcement presence
Positive social norms
Opportunities and rewards for prosocial community involvement/availability of neighborhood resources
High community expectations
Neighborhood/social cohesion

Thanks to:

http://guide.helpingamericasyouth.gov/programtool-factors.cfm