Have you ever heard of protective factors? If you have, you may be aware of organizations in the United States dedicated to improving society for individuals and communities.
At Sunset Bay Academy, an alternative school for troubled youth, we believe in the transformative power of community. After all, we are all striving to make our planet a better place to live, right? But which is a protective family factor? Let us delve into this interesting topic.
The Importance of a Healthy Family
Did you know that as many as 70-80% of Americans consider their families to be dysfunctional? This high percentage not only impacts the families themselves but also communities. One might think, “If so many people come from dysfunctional families, is it really that bad?” Quite the opposite.
Individuals raised in dysfunctional families often struggle to discern healthy relationship boundaries. They frequently perceive dysfunction as the norm, perpetuating harmful behaviors across generations and adversely affecting the broader community.
This is precisely why organizations like the Center for the Study of Social Policy exist, dedicated to advocating for public policies that promote social justice. Through initiatives such as the Strengthening Families approach, they have developed a framework known as Protective Factors.
According to their research, protective factors are attributes present in individuals, families, communities, or societies that mitigate risks and nurture positive well-being and growth. These factors are often regarded as “qualities that empower families to navigate challenging circumstances successfully.” But which is a protective family factor?
Protective Factors
There are five key protective factors that represent the ideal goals for enhancing family resilience:
Parental resilience
This involves the implementation of strategies to effectively cope with stress, challenges, adversity, and trauma.
Social connections
Encompassing supportive relationships that provide emotional, informational, instrumental, and spiritual support.
Knowledge of parenting and child development
Entails possessing sufficient information regarding child development alongside effective and supportive parenting strategies.
Concrete support in times of need
This factor emphasizes access to tangible support and services to address a family’s specific needs and alleviate stress during difficult circumstances.
Social and emotional competence of children
By fostering family interactions that cultivate children’s social and emotional skills, including communication, emotion regulation, and relationship-building, overall competence is nurtured.
Now that you are familiar with protective family factors, don’t you agree they are essential for the healthy development of families? We certainly do. Unfortunately, many families overlook these factors, contributing to dysfunction and leading some to consider boarding schools for troubled youth in California as an option. If this resonates with you and you’d like more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Also, you can visit our interesting blog: Why Is Effective Communication Important For The Family? or What Can You Do To Improve Communication In Your Family?
