Focuses on Reinforcing Protective Factors and Increasing Perceptions of Personal Risk and Harmfulness of Engaging in Specific Unhealthy Practices and Behaviors

Description: This characteristic provides opportunities for students to examine current protective factors in their lives and think about ways to increase the modifiable protective factors. Protective factors are assets (internal to individuals) and resources (external to individuals) that counteract, reduce, or eliminate the adverse effects of risk factors.¹  Protective factors can be fixed, meaning they don’t change over time — for example, not being genetically predisposed to addiction. Protective factors can also be modifiable, meaning they can be changed over time. Examples of modifiable protective factors include having a strong social support system (i.e., family, peers), being successful in school academically, feeling connected to classmates and teachers, and participating in community engagement. Effective health education curricula focus on strengthening and reinforcing modifiable protective factors related to the topic being taught.

An effective curriculum also provides instructional strategies for students to assess their vulnerability to health problems, determine their actual risk of engaging in harmful health behaviors, and evaluate their exposure to unhealthy situations.

Example 1

For this example, the unit that is being taught is Safety, and the HBO for the lesson is S-1: Follow appropriate safety rules when riding in or on a motor vehicle (HECAT Appendix 3).

1. The focus for this activity is on preventing distracted driving. Prior to this activity, students have learned about the three categories of distracted driving and examples of each of them.
   1. Visual: Taking your eyes off the road
   2. Manual: Taking your hands off the wheel
   3. Cognitive: Mind and attention is not on driving
2. Students are given a list of activities contributing to distracted driving and are asked to circle how often (Never, Sometimes, or Always) they participate in each activity. If students aren’t driving yet, they can answer the questions based on the drivers they have ridden with in the past. Examples of activities include the following:

   a. I text when I drive.	Never Sometimes Always Not Applicable
   b. I talk on the phone when I drive.	Never Sometimes Always Not Applicable
   c. I comb or brush my hair when I drive.	Never Sometimes Always Not Applicable
   d. I program my navigation system or music when I drive.	Never Sometimes Always Not Applicable
   e. I eat or drink when I drive.	Never Sometimes Always Not Applicable
   f. I adjust my heat/air conditioning when I drive.	Never Sometimes Always Not Applicable
   g. I reach for an object (e.g., dropped phone) when I drive.	Never Sometimes Always Not Applicable
   h. I look at my passengers when I am talking to them.	Never Sometimes Always Not Applicable
   i. I look at interesting things along the road while driving.	Never Sometimes Always Not Applicable

3. After students have circled their answers, students are asked to choose one item that they have circled as “Sometimes” or “Always.” They are then asked to find a partner who has selected the same item. Each pair brainstorms reasons why their selected activity contributes to distracted driving and discusses strategies to eliminate the activity in future driving.
4. Students report their lists to classmates.
5. Students complete a pledge on reducing or eliminating a distracted-driving activity. Students should include specific activities they will do to reduce or eliminate distracted driving in their pledges. Students will post their pledges in the room to help create a health norm related to reducing or eliminating distracted driving.

Example 2 

The unit that is being taught is Alcohol and Other Drugs, and the HBO for the lesson is AOD-3: Avoid the use of alcohol (HECAT Appendix 3).

1. The teacher begins this activity by explaining the term “protective factors,” which refers to the kind of things that help protect us from risky or dangerous things. Protective factors create an environment that discourages young people from using alcohol. Protective factors can be related to the individual (e.g., has a sense of purpose), family (e.g., supportive family), school (e.g., regular school attendance), community (e.g., clear and consistent rules about underage drinking). This activity focuses on alcohol prevention.
2. The teacher divides students into small groups (three to four people) and assigns each group to a piece of chart paper hanging on the wall. Students should be directed to divide their chart paper into four squares and label them individual, family, school, and community. Students brainstorm examples of protective factors in each category that would help them avoid the use of alcohol.
3. Students report on their answers to the whole class. The teacher can correct or add to the student lists. (Refer to protective factors at https://ncsacw.acf.hhs.gov/files/TrainingPackage/MOD2/FactorsInfluencingPotential.pdf.)
4. After the protective factors are clarified, the teacher emphasizes that the more protective factors a young person has in their life, the more likely they will avoid the use of alcohol.
5. The teacher asks students to list two items on their slips of paper:
   1. One protective factor they already have in their lives
   2. One protective factor they could realistically add to their lives along with an explanation of how the protective factor could help them avoid the use of alcohol

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