Protective Factors in Child Abuse and Neglect

This chapter examines the protective factors for child maltreatment from child, parent, family, and community aspects as there are individual differences in how children, parents, families, and communities respond to maltreatment. Protective factors have not been studied as extensively or rigorously as risk factors; however, they can promote health and well-being for maltreated children. These factors can also help to develop interventions to reduce impairment following exposure to child maltreatment. Resilience is another term for protective factors and focuses on examining children’s capacity to overcome or manage child abuse and neglect and achieve positive developmental outcomes. Despite the growing emphasis on resilience and protective factors, it must be understood that the existence of protective factors does not deny the negative consequences of child maltreatment or that maltreatment is wrong.