A comparison of risk and protective profiles for young people: an analysis by maternal country of birth.
These data were derived from the Adolescent Health and Well-being Survey, a statewide survey of secondary school children conducted by the Centre for Adolescent Health in 1999 for Community Care Division (now Office for Children), Department of Human Services.
The purpose of the survey was to comprehensively assess the range of factors shown in longitudinal research to predict common psychosocial health problems in young people. The rationale for the survey was to provide a profile of risk factors and protective factors for a range of adolescent health and behaviour problems. The risk and protective factor framework is based on more than 20 years of international research and identifies important risk and protective factors that influence young people's lives. This research shows that the more risk factors in a young person's life the greater the likelihood of that person engaging in health risk behaviours. Conversely, protective factors offset risk factors and promote social development and well-being.
Risk and protective factors in this survey were measured in four important domains for young people: family, school, community and the individual/peers. These data allow the construction of a social profile for subgroups of interest that may be geographically defined or socially defines. These profiles can be used to target interventions in one or the four domains measured, which decrease risk factors and/or increase protective factors and thus promote an environment for positive social development.
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