Protective Factors

What Are Protective Factors?

Protective factors are characteristics, conditions, or resources that buffer against the negative effects of trauma, stress, and adversity. They can be individual (internal resources), relational (supportive connections), or environmental (community and social support).

Understanding protective factors helps survivors recognise what’s supported their resilience and what they can intentionally strengthen in recovery.

Categories of Protective Factors

Individual Factors

• Emotion regulation skills
• Problem-solving abilities
• Self-awareness
• Self-compassion
• Sense of meaning or purpose
• Internal locus of control
• Cognitive flexibility
• Physical health

Relational Factors

• At least one stable, caring adult
• Secure attachment relationships
• Supportive friendships
• Healthy romantic relationships
• Therapeutic relationships
• Connection to chosen family

Community/Environmental Factors

• Safe neighbourhood
• Access to mental health care
• Economic stability
• Educational opportunities
• Community belonging
• Cultural connections
• Access to resources

Protective Factors in Childhood

Research on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) shows certain factors protect against childhood trauma:

Most important: One stable, caring adult who provides support.

Also protective:

• Feeling of belonging at school
• Supportive teachers or mentors
• Safe space for play
• Opportunities for engagement
• Clear, consistent boundaries
• Sense of efficacy
• Positive family relationships (when available)

Protective Factors in Adulthood

For adult survivors of narcissistic abuse:

Relational:

• Therapist who understands narcissistic abuse
• Friends who validate your experience
• Support groups or communities
• Family members who support you

Individual:

• Knowledge about narcissistic abuse
• Coping skills and strategies
• Physical self-care practices
• Meaningful activities or work
• Spiritual or philosophical framework

Practical:

• Financial independence
• Stable housing
• Access to healthcare
• Legal support if needed

Building Protective Factors

Even if you didn’t have protective factors in childhood, you can develop them now:

Build safe relationships: Even one trustworthy person makes a difference.

Develop skills: Emotion regulation, grounding, cognitive restructuring.

Increase resources: Work toward financial stability, safe housing, healthcare access.

Find community: Support groups, classes, religious communities, clubs.

Create meaning: Purpose and meaning support resilience.

Strengthen body: Sleep, nutrition, exercise build physical resilience.

Protective Factors Already Present

You may have more protective factors than you realise:

• Are you reading this? (Knowledge-seeking is protective)
• Did anyone ever believe you? (Validation is protective)
• Have you survived until now? (Survival skills are protective)
• Do you have any supportive connections? (Any support helps)
• Are you trying to heal? (Motivation is protective)

How Protective Factors Work

Protective factors buffer trauma through:

Stress reduction: Safe relationships and resources reduce chronic stress.

Alternative narratives: Supportive others provide different perspectives.

Skill building: Coping abilities reduce impact of adversity.

Hope maintenance: Connection and purpose sustain hope.

Neurological support: Positive experiences promote healthy brain development and healing.

Self-worth protection: Positive relationships buffer against self-worth damage.

Protective Factors in Recovery

Focus on building:

One relationship at a time: Quality matters more than quantity.

One skill at a time: Small improvements compound.

One resource at a time: Gradually increase stability.

One meaning source at a time: Find what gives you purpose.

What Science Says

Research consistently shows:

• Protective factors predict better outcomes regardless of trauma severity
• Factors can be developed at any age
• Relational factors are particularly powerful
• Multiple factors provide more protection than single factors
• Building protective factors is effective intervention

Research & Statistics

• One stable, caring adult relationship reduces the impact of 4 or more ACEs by nearly 50% (Bethell et al., 2019)
• Children with strong protective factors are 80% less likely to develop long-term mental health problems despite trauma exposure (Werner & Smith, 2001)
• Social support is the single most powerful predictor of trauma recovery, more significant than trauma severity (Ozer et al., 2003)
• Research shows that each additional protective factor reduces negative outcomes by approximately 20% (Masten, 2014)
• Adults who build protective factors in recovery show 60% better outcomes than those who don’t actively cultivate supportive relationships and coping skills (Southwick & Charney, 2012)
• Having even 2-3 close relationships reduces mortality risk by 50% and significantly improves mental health outcomes (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010)
• Protective factors can be effectively developed at any age, with neuroplasticity research confirming that new supportive experiences reshape the brain throughout life (Davidson & McEwen, 2012)

For Survivors

You survived without all the protective factors you needed. That survival itself demonstrates remarkable resilience.

Now, in recovery, you have the opportunity to deliberately build what wasn’t provided. Every supportive relationship, every coping skill, every resource you add is a protective factor you’re giving yourself.

You’re not just healing from the past—you’re building protection for the future. The protective factors you develop now will serve you for the rest of your life.