What are risk and protective factors in substance use prevention? Give one example of each.

• A. Risk factors decrease likelihood of use; protective factors increase risk
• B. Risk factors increase likelihood of use (peer pressure); protective factors decrease risk (strong family)
• C. Both are random and have no real effect
• D. Only protective factors exist; risk factors do not influence use

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that prevention looks at factors that either raise or lower the chance of someone using substances. Risk factors are aspects that make use more likely—for example, peer pressure from friends can push someone toward trying substances. Protective factors do the opposite; they reduce that risk, such as having a strong, supportive family that provides supervision, positive role models, and clear expectations about not using substances.

This is why the best answer links risk with an increased likelihood and protective factors with a decreased likelihood, and it gives concrete examples for each (peer pressure as a risk factor; strong family as a protective factor). The other statements misstate the relationships or claim things that aren’t true—for instance, that risk factors decrease likelihood, that everything is random, or that only protective factors exist.