Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p> Background Research on youth suicide has traditionally focused on risk factors, with growing attention to protective factors. However, existing reviews largely describe <italic>what</italic> protects rather than <italic>how</italic> protection occurs. This umbrella review synthesised evidence on protective factors to develop a mechanism-based framework describing how protection may operate across suicide-related outcomes in young people. Methods Five databases were searched from inception to October 2025 for reviews examining protective factors for suicide outcomes among young people aged 10–24 years. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist. Protective factors were inductively synthesised into higher-order mechanisms and contexts. Results Forty-nine reviews, representing 522 unique primary studies, were included; 35 (71.4%) were rated high quality. Fifty-six protective factors were inductively synthesised into six higher-order conceptual mechanisms operating across multiple ecological contexts: connection and belonging; cognitive appraisal and meaning-making; emotion regulation; adaptive capacity, agency & help-seeking; behavioural engagement and routine; and enabling environments and systems. Connection and belonging was the most frequently represented mechanism and was consistently supported across multiple ecological contexts. Conclusions This review proposes a mechanism-based conceptual model of youth suicide protection, suggesting prevention strategies should strengthen interacting protective mechanisms across ecological contexts rather than targeting isolated factors. </p>