From Risk to Resilience: A Narrative Synthesis of Protective Factors and Proposed Mechanisms in Bias-Based Bullying Among Youth (2016–2026)

Background/Objectives: Bias-based bullying (BBB) is a public health concern associated with psychological distress, suicidality, school disengagement, and other adverse health and developmental outcomes. This review synthesized empirical evidence on protective factors and examined proposed mechanisms and contextual conditions associated with how they operate. Methods: A theory-informed narrative synthesis was conducted using empirical studies published from 2016 through 2026 identified through APA PsycInfo, APA PsycArticles, ERIC, PubMed, Web of Science, and supplementary searches. Fifty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria and were appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Findings were coded iteratively and interpreted through an integrated ecological and resource-based theoretical framework. Results: Protective factors were identified across individual, interpersonal, and institutional levels. Individual strengths were more often associated with reduced harm than reduced exposure, whereas relational and institutional resources were more frequently associated with protective outcomes. Protective associations varied according to macro climate and policy context, intersecting identities and cumulative targeting, and proximal school and peer activation processes. No single factor was associated with protection for all youth, outcomes, or forms of BBB, and protective associations were often weaker under cumulative exposure. Conclusions: The findings suggest that protection depends on coordinated, accessible, and credible resources across ecological systems. Healthcare professionals should consider identity-based victimization when assessing youth with emotional distress, self-harm risk, disordered eating, sleep problems, or school disengagement, with attention to identity-responsive environments, accessible services, and coordinated follow-up.