A Systematic Review of the Research on Protective Community Resources for Children and Youth

The purpose of this systematic review is to provide a comprehensive account of the research on protective community resources (PCRs) for children and youth, and to examine the association between PCRs and child and youth outcomes. Three electronic databases (JSTOR, ERIC, and PubMed), the internet, and literature reviews from 2012 to 2022 were searched for empirical studies that investigated community-level characteristics in relation to outcomes for participants from birth to 24 years. Findings from the review underscore the range of community-level factors that can buffer children and youth from harmful risks and promote healthy development, while also identifying important methodological and conceptual limitations in the current literature. We provide recommendations for future research on PCRs to inform policies and practices to promote the well-being of children and youth.