Resilient Youth: Protective Factors in School, Family and Community
Why is it that some youth succeed in life despite great odds? Why do some teens “bounce back” when others do not? “Resilient” is the term prevention researchers use to describe these young people. Resilient youth are said to have “assets” that act as protective factors to sup-port and encourage healthy development, and help teens avoid negative behaviors like dropping out of school, using alcohol or other drugs, teen pregnancy, and incarceration.
The growing body of research in resiliency indicates that even severely at-risk youngsters can develop into confident, competent and caring adults if families, communities and schools define important assets and partner on strategies to promote resiliency.
Resiliency-Building Partnerships
Promoting youth resilience is best begun in the early grades before students are pressured to engage in risky behaviors. These efforts should continue through adolescence. Schools, families and communities that support resilient youth tend to have three common characteristics : caring and supportive relationships, positive and high expectations, and opportunities for meaningful participation .
Protective Factors in Schools: A supportive and respectful environment within the school, opportunities for before and after-school activities, an inviting atmosphere for parents and community as well as participation, and a climate of connectedness.
Protective Factors in Families: Positive role models, parental involvement in school, monitoring of out-of-school time, positive communication within the family, respectful and consistent rules and consequences, and spending time together.
Protective Factors in Communities: Effective prevention policies, positive and clear community norms and values, a view of youth as resources, and opportunities for young people to make positive contributions and gain a sense of connectedness to the community.
|
True or False Quiz/Connecting with Teens
Most teens turn to their parents for advice.
True: 78% of teens say in times of need they first turn to their parents. There is a drop-off as children get older. 90% of 12 and 13-year-olds say they rely on parental advice.
“Not having enough time together” with their parents is a top concern among teenagers today.
True: Family time is tied with education for first place on teens’ list of concerns.
Teens have enough after-school activities in their communities.
False: 52% of teens say they wish they had more after-school activities in their community, and 62% of unsupervised teens say they would participate in after-school programs if they were available. When teens participate in after-school programs they avoid risky behavior and do better in school. Teens that don’t participate in after-school activities are five times more likely to be “D” students, three times more likely to use drugs, and twice as likely to get into a fight at school.
Sources: Talking With Teens: The YMCA Parent and Teen Survey Final Report and After School for America’s Teens: A National Survey of Teen Attitudes and Behaviors. Both available at www.ymca.net
.
|
Result: Youth develop a sense of purpose and meaningful goals, communication skills, conflict resolution and problem solving skills, personal responsibility, coping and stress reduction strategies, and empathy toward others. These protective factors enable teens to succeed in challenging times and sustain them into adulthood.
For more information on resiliency and developing assets, visit the SEARCH Institute at www.search-institute.org
|
Risk Factors |
Domain |
Protective Factors |
|
Early Aggressive Behavior |
Individual |
Self-Control |
|
Lack of Parental Supervision |
Family |
Parental Monitoring |
|
Substance Abuse |
Peer |
Academic Competence |
|
Drug Availability |
School |
Anti-drug Use Policies |
|
Poverty |
Community |
Strong Neighborhood Attachment |
40 Developmental Assets® for Adolescents (ages 12-18)
Search Institute® has identified the following building blocks of healthy development—known as
Developmental Assets®—that help young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible.
This page may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only.
EXTERNAL ASSETS
SUPPORT:
1. Family support—Family life provides high levels of love and support.
2. Positive family communication—Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parents.
3. Other adult relationships—Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults.
4. Caring neighborhood—Young person experiences caring neighbors.
5. Caring school climate—School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
6. Parent involvement in schooling—Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person succeed in school.
EMPOWERMENT:
7. Community values youth—Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth.
8. Youth as resources—Young people are given useful roles in the community.
9. Service to others—Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.
10. Safety—Young person feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.
BOUNDARIES AND EXPECTATIONS:
11. Family boundaries—Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the young person’s whereabouts.
12. School Boundaries—School provides clear rules and consequences.
13. Neighborhood boundaries—Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people’s behavior.
14. Adult role models—Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
15. Positive peer influence—Young person’s best friends model responsible behavior.
16. High expectations—Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.
CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF TIME:
17. Creative activities—Young person spends 3 or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.
18. Youth programs—Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in the community.
19. Religious community—Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution.
20. Time at home—Young person is out with friends “with nothing special to do” two or fewer nights per week.
INTERNAL ASSETS
COMMITMENT TO LEARNING:
21. Achievement Motivation—Young person is motivated to do well in school.
22. School Engagement—Young person is actively engaged in learning.
23. Homework—Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.
24. Bonding to school—Young person cares about her or his school.
25. Reading for Pleasure—Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.
POSITIVE VALUES:
26. Caring—Young person places high value on helping other people.
27. Equality and social justice—Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.
28. Integrity—Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs.
29. Honesty—Young person “tells the truth even when it is not easy.”
30. Responsibility—Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
31. Restraint—Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs.
SOCIAL COMPETENCE:
32. Planning and decision-making—Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices.
33. Interpersonal Competence—Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.
34. Cultural Competence—Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.
35. Resistance skills—Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.
POSITIVE IDENTITY:
36. Peaceful conflict resolution—Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.
37. Personal power—Young person feels he or she has control over “things that happen to me.”
38. Self-esteem—Young person reports having a high self-esteem.
39. Sense of purpose—Young person reports that “my life has a purpose.”
40. Positive view of personal future—Young person is optimistic about her or his personal future.
Copyright © 1997, 2006 by Search Institute, 615 First Avenue N.E.,
Suite 125, Minneapolis, MN 55413; 800-888-7828; www.search-institute.org. All Rights Reserved.
The following are registered trademarks of Search Institute: Search Institute®, Developmental Assets® and Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth®.