Introduction | Protective Factors | Risk Factors

Introduction 

To foster healthy behaviors among young people, communities, schools, and families must clearly define and communicate healthy beliefs and clear standards that young people will want to follow.  This motivation to live according to the standards offered by the group is a direct consequence of bonding.

Young people who are not bonded don't care about the norms and values of the group.

Young people who are bonded don't want to risk losing that attachment by violating the group's standards.

These are simple ideas that make a lot of sense -- but bonding doesn't just happen on its own.  Bonding requires conscious effort on the part of the group if young people are going to be socialized to belong to that group.  Influences on bonding are known as "risk and protective factors."  The more protective factors in place, the less likelihood of the youth initiating the problem behavior.  The objective is to reduce the risk factors while ensuring that the protective factors are in place.

Protective Factors

• Community Rewards for Pro-social Involvement
• Family Attachment
• Family Opportunities for Pro-social Involvement
• School Opportunities for Pro-social Involvement
• Religiosity
• Belief in the Moral Order

For more detailed information about protective factors, click here.

Risk Factors

• Community Risk Factors (availability of drugs, availability of firearms, community laws and norms favorable toward problem behaviors, media protrayals of violence, transitions and mobility, low neighborhood attachment and community disorganization, and extreme economic deprivation)
• Family Risk Factors (family history of the problem behavior, family management problems, family conflict, and favorable parental attitudes and involvement in problem behavior)
• School Risk Factors (academic failure beginning in late elementary school and a lack of commitment to school)
• Individual/Peer Risk Factors (early and persistent antisocial behavior, rebelliousness, friends who engage in the problem behavior, gang involvement, favorable attitudes toward the problem behavior, and early initiation of the problem behavior)
• Consitutional Factors

 For more detailed information about risk factors, click here.