Define a protective factor in substance-use prevention and provide two examples.

Define a protective factor in substance-use prevention and provide two examples.

• A. A characteristic that reduces risk and buffers against substance abuse; examples: strong family bonds, school connectedness.
• B. A characteristic that increases risk for substance use.
• C. An intervention strategy used in treatment.
• D. A policy measure that restricts availability.

Answer: (A)

A protective factor is a trait or condition that reduces the likelihood of substance use by buffering against risk and supporting healthy development. It helps a person cope with pressures and setbacks in ways that lower the chance of experimentation or escalation. Strong family bonds fit this because they provide emotional support, supervision, and positive behavioral modeling, which together discourage substance use. School connectedness offers a sense of belonging, supportive relationships with teachers and peers, and a commitment to norms and goals, which also lowers vulnerability to using substances. Other options describe factors that either increase risk, represent treatment approaches, or involve policy actions to limit access. While those can influence substance use, they aren’t protective factors in the sense of being individual-level characteristics or conditions that buffer risk.

A protective factor is a trait or condition that reduces the likelihood of substance use by buffering against risk and supporting healthy development. It helps a person cope with pressures and setbacks in ways that lower the chance of experimentation or escalation.

Strong family bonds fit this because they provide emotional support, supervision, and positive behavioral modeling, which together discourage substance use. School connectedness offers a sense of belonging, supportive relationships with teachers and peers, and a commitment to norms and goals, which also lowers vulnerability to using substances.

Other options describe factors that either increase risk, represent treatment approaches, or involve policy actions to limit access. While those can influence substance use, they aren’t protective factors in the sense of being individual-level characteristics or conditions that buffer risk.