ARTICLES Connectedness as a Protective Factor

Connectedness refers to a sense of being cared for, supported, and belonging, and can be centered on feeling connected to school, families, or other important people and organizations. Youth who feel engaged and supported at school and at home in adolescence are less likely to experience negative health outcomes in adulthood. CDC findings published today in Pediatrics suggest that youth who feel connected at home and at school were less likely to experience health risk behaviors related to mental health, violence, sexual health, and substance use in adulthood. These findings suggest that increasing both school and family (i.e. parents and caregivers) connectedness during adolescence through school, family, and community-based approaches can potentially have a powerful impact on health outcomes later in life. Schools, families, and healthcare providers have a major role in ensuring that adolescents feel engaged and connected. Concrete actions schools and families can take, as well as resources, are available on our new adolescent connectedness webpage. Follow us on Twitter @CDC_DASH for more connectedness resources and graphics. We encourage you to share these resources with your colleagues. For more information about CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH), visit our website. _______________________________________________________________________________ Strong connections with family, schools, and communities can help prevent youth from committing violent and nonviolent offenses

High-quality parental relationships, and strong connections to schools and neighborhood communities, can help reduce violent and nonviolent offenses among youth, including those who have experienced maltreatment, according to research conducted by Child Trends experts. Findings indicate that youth who experienced maltreatment are at higher risk of becoming involved with the justice system. The research also examines protective factors that can benefit children who have experienced maltreatment, and aims to help families, communities, and schools understand how these factors affect potential involvement with the justice system. Click here to read the full report