Certified Prevention Specialist CPS Practice Exam 2025 - Free CPS Practice Questions and Study Guide

The factors identified by Hawkins and Catalano are aimed at addressing and countering risk factors that contribute to negative outcomes, such as substance abuse and other behavioral issues. In the context of their research, protective factors are the aspects of an individual’s environment, relationships, and characteristics that help to reduce the likelihood of engaging in harmful behaviors.

When protective factors are robust and present, they effectively mitigate the influence of risk factors. Therefore, the presence of more protective factors correlates with a decreased risk of undesirable behaviors and outcomes. This principle emphasizes the importance of promoting resilience and strengthening supportive environments to enhance individual and community well-being. Protective factors can include supportive family structures, positive peer influence, and strong community ties, all of which contribute to lowering the overall risk.

Consequently, the understanding from Hawkins and Catalano’s work is critical in developing prevention strategies, as the focus is placed on fostering environments that promote protective factors, thereby leading to a significant reduction in risk.