Protective Factors: The Role of Family Support, School Engagement, and Community Resilience

Abstract

Adolescent substance use remains a persistent public health concern; however, research examining protective factors within specific regional contexts, such as Northern Cyprus, is limited. We examine the associations between specific protective factors, including family support, school engagement, reading books for enjoyment, and active participation in sport, and substance use behaviors among high school students aged 15 to 16 years. A cross-sectional survey was administered in 2024 to adolescents attending secondary schools in Northern Cyprus. Correlation analyses and simple linear regressions were conducted to assess the relationships between each individual protective factor and substance use outcomes, including tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and cannabis use. School engagement demonstrated the strongest and most consistent statistically significant inverse associations with substance use, particularly smoking and alcohol use, and to a lesser extent, cannabis use (r= -0.10 to -0.28). Family support and reading for enjoyment were weakly but consistently associated with lower substance use, especially smoking, recent alcohol use, and binge drinking. Participation in sport yielded mixed results: a small protective effect was observed for smoking, whereas a positive association emerged with recent alcohol use. These results underscore school engagement as a key protective factor for adolescent substance use prevention in Northern Cyprus. While family dynamics and extracurricular activities also play contributory roles, their effects appear more modest. These findings support the development of multi-faceted, evidence-informed prevention strategies that integrate school, family, and structured leisure domains to reduce substance use risk among youth.