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Protective factors, resiliency and healthy youth development
1Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455-2002, USA.
Adolescent Medicine (Philadelphia, Pa.)
|January 20, 2000
Summary
Promoting adolescent health requires a dual approach: strengthening protective factors and healthy development while reducing risks. Evidence shows this strategy is effective for all youth, including those at high risk.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Health
- Public Health Interventions
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Growing focus on effective strategies for adolescent health and well-being over the past decade.
- Existing research emphasizes enhancing protective factors and promoting healthy youth development.
- Historical frameworks (1970s-1980s) identified concepts of resiliency, risk, and protective factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize evidence on effective interventions for adolescent health promotion.
- To provide insights into best practices and promising strategies for youth well-being.
- To counter the notion that interventions are ineffective for high-risk adolescents.
Main Methods:
- Review of accumulating evidence on adolescent health promotion strategies.
- Analysis of research frameworks focusing on risk and protective factors.
- Identification of best practices and "best bets" based on evidential weight.
Main Results:
- A dual strategy of enhancing protective factors and reducing risk factors is effective.
- Evidence supports interventions across various domains like pregnancy, substance use, and violence prevention.
- Demonstrated effectiveness of interventions for high-risk youth populations.
Conclusions:
- The dual approach of risk reduction and protective factor enhancement is a powerful strategy for adolescent health.
- Evidence-based practices are crucial for advancing adolescent health and well-being.
- Interventions can effectively support even high-risk youth, challenging previous assumptions.