Risk & Protective Factors
The risk and protective factor charts show the percentage of students at risk and with protection for each of the risk and protective factor scales. The risk and protective factor scales measure specific aspects of a youth's life experience that predict whether he or she will engage in problem behaviors. A definition of each risk and protective factor scale is contained in Table 3. The factors are grouped into four domains: community, family, school, and peer/individual.
-The Bars on the risk and protective factor charts, represent the percentage of students whose answers reflect significant risk or protection. There are bars for the last three administrations of the NRPFSS: 2003, 2005, and 2007. By looking at the percentage of youth at risk and with protection over time, it is possible to determine whether the percentage of students at risk or with protection is increasing, decreasing, or staying the same. This information is important when deciding which risk and protective factors warrant attention.
