Section 2. Understanding Risk and Protective Factors: Their Use in Selecting Potential Targets and Promising Strategies for Intervention

Tool 1: Determining which risk or protective factors to focus on

In the table below, list all of the risk and protective factors that you have determined in the first column. In the next column, rate the importance of the factor, with one "1" being very important, two "2" being moderately important, and three "3" being slightly important. Note that more than one factor can have the same number. Do the same in the column labeled "Changeability," with one "1" being completely changeable, two "2" being partially changeable, and three "3" for factors you are unable to change. Finally, in the last column, add up the numbers you have gotten in each row. The factor(s) which has/have the lowest final value is/are the risk and protective factors you should start with, those with the second lowest value should come second, and so on.

Tool 2: Understanding the factors that contribute to the problem

Download this editable worksheet here.