Protective Factors
An integral part of youth suicide prevention are protective factors. The more of these a youth has it will help balance out the risk factors of suicide. Many of these are learned during the course of adolescence through the teen years to adulthood.
These are protective factors for youth:
The last one on this list may be the most important protective factor of all. The supportive adult can be a family member, a coach, auntie or uncle. For a better understanding of this please read the Kauai Longitudinal Study
Another useful tool to build protective factors in youth is Mental Health America of Hawaii’s, Net of Support. To use, print out the document and ask the youth to put their name inside the circle in the center of the fishing net. We use a net because the strength of it is key when catching large amounts of fish. So too will be the strength of the youth’s connections in life. Ask them to write in all the fun things they like to do and who they like to do them with. This could be activities like, surfing, shopping, reading, movies, eating, writing, reading, etc and doing these with your BFF, brothers, sisters uncle, auntie, neighbors, classmates, etc. For example, I like surfing with my uncle Keoni. This support exercise is fun and helps protect youth from the risk factors of suicide.
For Adults, self-care is just as important. Mental Health America of Hawaii has pamphlet on this. We suggest 10 easy self-care tips that you likely already know but may have forgotten. Please click here to print and use to help you stay mentally fit and healthy.
These are protective factors for youth:
- Good problem solving skills
- High self esteem
- Feeling in control of your life
- Consistent family routine
- Parental/familial support
- Avoiding alcohol, tobacco and drugs
- Spirituality
- Monitoring of youth activities
- Regular school attendance and academic performance
- Having a good social support system
- Economic Security
- Availability of recreational activities
- Community Bonding
- Feeling close to at least one adult.
The last one on this list may be the most important protective factor of all. The supportive adult can be a family member, a coach, auntie or uncle. For a better understanding of this please read the Kauai Longitudinal Study
Another useful tool to build protective factors in youth is Mental Health America of Hawaii’s, Net of Support. To use, print out the document and ask the youth to put their name inside the circle in the center of the fishing net. We use a net because the strength of it is key when catching large amounts of fish. So too will be the strength of the youth’s connections in life. Ask them to write in all the fun things they like to do and who they like to do them with. This could be activities like, surfing, shopping, reading, movies, eating, writing, reading, etc and doing these with your BFF, brothers, sisters uncle, auntie, neighbors, classmates, etc. For example, I like surfing with my uncle Keoni. This support exercise is fun and helps protect youth from the risk factors of suicide.
For Adults, self-care is just as important. Mental Health America of Hawaii has pamphlet on this. We suggest 10 easy self-care tips that you likely already know but may have forgotten. Please click here to print and use to help you stay mentally fit and healthy.