TIPS
Parent's Prevention Primer Risk and Protective Factors
Janet Hanna, Extension Educator
University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension
You try to keep your kids healthy, right? You make sure they get enough sleep, eat properly, and brush their teeth. Prevention is key to keeping your child well. When it comes to alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs, preventive measures - also called "protective factors"- can help keep your child from using substances. In contrast, risk factors are like red flags that can warn you about possible dangers in your child's future - and help you prevent those dangers.
A child deals with many types of risk and protective factors at home, in school, and in his neighborhood. The more risk factors a child faces, the more likely he is to have substance abuse and related problems as a teen or young adult. And the reverse is true; with more protective factors at work, a child is more likely to make healthy decisions.
Protective Factors
Parents can provide one of the most important protective factors: a strong family bond. When you and your children have fun together, you develop a sense of closeness and trust and help strengthen family ties. Time together also gives you a chance to share your values and expectations about different topics, including substance abuse. If you let your child know up front that you don't approve of using alcohol, tobacco, or drugs, your child is less likely to use them. Research shows that parental influence is a primary reason that youth don't do drugs, so speak up and let your children know where you stand.
Risk Factors
Many types of risk factors are rooted in a child's family life. Parents' permissiveness is a bigger factor in teenage drug use than is peer pressure. Parents need to establish regularly enforced rules to guide their children in developing daily habits of self-discipline.
Risk and Protective Factors in Your Family's Regular Routine
You have a chance to improve many of your child's protective factors every day. Start by spending time together - eat dinner together, go for a walk, or do other activities that you and your child can enjoy together. Like the steps you take to keep your child's body healthy, a solid relationship with you can help protect from substance use and help keep her well in body, mind and spirit.
For more information about parenting and families, log on to unlforfamilies.unl.edu and click on TIPS. If you want to leave some feedback about this article click on Feedback. You can also find more information on (your county).unl.edu.
