Risk, Protection, and Resilience Among Youth Residing in Public Housing Neighborhoods

Constructs of risk, protection, and resilience were examined from the perspectives of 20 ethnically diverse elementary and middle school children residing in urban public housing neighborhoods. Participants attended an afterschool program at locations in each of the neighborhoods. Analyses generated five themes: (1) challenges (community-neighborhood, peer, school, family, and personal); (2) coping (behavioral, emotional, spiritual, and cognitive); (3) health (community-neighborhood, peer, school, family, and personal); (4) connection (relationships that provide companionship, esteem, information, and instrumental support); and (5) aspirations. Implications of the findings for preventing problem behavior and promoting healthy development among young people in public housing settings are identified.