Which of the following lines from “’The Blind Side’: How Michael Oher Made It” article support some researchers’ claim that environmental protective factors affect a person’s ability to be resilient?

Environmental Protective Factors

Caring Relationships

The term “caring relationships” means relationships that provide loving support. It means that someone is sending the message of being there, of trust, and of unconditional love. In particular, caring relationships are characterized by a sense of compassion – love that looks beneath poor behaviors in search of their causes. Compassionate caregivers do not take a young person’s behavior personally. They understand that no matter how negative it may be, it is the best that youth can muster given how she or he sees the world. Finally, caregivers who are interested in, actively listen to, and get to know the gifts of their young people send the message “You are important in this world; you matter.”

High Expectation Messages

At the heart of caring relationships are high expectations, defined as clear, positive, and youth-centered expectations. Caregivers must create a sense of structure and safety through rules and disciplinary approaches that are not only perceived as fair by young people but that include youth in their creation. “Positive” and “youth-centered” messages are those that communicate the adult’s deep belief in the young person’s ability to become all that he or she can be. When caregivers are youth-centered, using the young person’s own strengths, interests, goals, and dreams as the beginning point for learning and helping, they tap young people’s motivation, and natural drive for learning and personal growth.

Opportunities for Participation and Contribution

Providing youth the chance to participate in engaging, challenging, and interesting activities promotes personal strength. Opportunities for participation in group activities can help people fulfill their needs for belonging. Through having opportunities to be heard, to voice one’s opinion, to make choices, to have responsibilities, to engage in active problem solving, to express one’s imagination, to work with and help others, and to give one’s gift back to the community – youth develop the attitudes and abilities that are part of healthy development and success.



Full Article: [4.07 The Blindside Article] Download [4.07 The Blindside Article]


Group of answer choices

Oher, a left tackle, is already being noticed for his brute force in the trenches early in his career. (Paragraph 1)

He grew up in a rough part of Memphis, Tennessee, the son of a crack-addict mother and an absent father. (Paragraph 3)

"It was like I was starting school in the 10th grade, because all the material that I was receiving was new to me," said Oher. (Paragraph 10)

Collins was in the same grade as Oher and changed her schedule so she could share some classes. (Paragraph 11)