| Ecological Level | Protective Factors by Theme | Risk Factors by Theme |
| Intrapersonal: individual characteristics such as behaviors, attitudes, skills, knowledge, self-concept, traits, beliefs | Activity: escaping, being outside, walking, exercise, listening to music, reading, watching television, playing games on iPad®, processing Sensitivity: feeling happy, feeling relief, feeling comfort, loving and feeling loved, feeling better, getting feelings out, expressing feelings Creativity: writing, drawing, painting Spirituality: feeling close to God, praying, being in the light, seeking the light, seeking perfection through a higher being, reading the bible or devotional, hoping in new life, seeking spiritual guidance, having faith in a higher power, having purpose Comicality: having a sense of humor | Activity: sitting in the rain, having to take medicine, thinking of bad things Sensitivity: feeling like you don’t belong, feeling alone, feeling sad, feeling confined, feeling afraid Spirituality: not seeking a higher power |
| Interpersonal processes and primary groups: relationships with family, friends, neighbors, contacts at work or school, acquaintances | Security: having support, having friends, getting attention, receiving acceptance, having family, having pets, having someone or something always there, being fed by someone or feeding others, feeling cared for or caring for others Sensitivity: loving and feeling loved Responsibility: being responsible for other people or animals | Activity: living with unreasonable parent, having no escape Cruelty: being bullied, being criticized, being disrespected Sensitivity: feeling stress, feeling pressure Morbidity and Mortality: seeing death, being sick |
| Institutional Organizational: organizations such as school, worksite, corporation, agency | Facility: access to technology, provision of preventive education about protecting oneself from danger | Activity: living in a small town, attending school where there are unreasonable authorities |
| Community: 1) mediating structures or face-toface groups to which an individual belongs such as informal social networks, neighborhoods, or churches, or 2) relationships among groups such as voluntary agencies, governmental health providers, local schools, or 3) political power structures | Activity: living in a neighborhood, community being aware of signs and symptoms of adolescent depression | Activity: living in a small town, living near danger, living in a small town where there aren’t enough churches |
| Public policy: local, state, and national laws and policies | none | none |