Resilience

  • Resilience Concept

    • Developed within developmental psychopathology contexts(how mental illnesses developed overtime)

    • Influenced by ecosystem perspectives, stress theory, and coping mechanisms (Smith-Osborne, 2007).

    • Tied to the Positive Psychology movement(what makes life worth living; etc: happiness, human potential, etc) focusing on individual strengths in adversity.

  • Definition of Resilience

    • An individual's capacity to maintain functionality when faced with life stressors (Kaplan et al., 1996; Egeland et al., 1993).

    • Characteristics include:

    • Ability to cope with adversity.

    • Fortitude amidst stress.

    • Recovery from trauma (Masten and Coatsworth, 1998).

    • Not static; resilience is dynamic and evolves over time (Cicchetti and Toth, 1998).

  • Qualities of Resilience

    • Ability to face and overcome adversity (Grotberg, 1999).

    • Healthy and productive responses to trauma (Reivich & Shatte, 2002).

    • Capability to cope with suffering (Connor & Davidson, 2003).

  • Dynamic Nature of Resilience

    • Resilience includes positive adaptation in challenging situations.

    • Changes in response to time and environment (Luthar et al., 2000).

  • Richardson's Resiliency Model

    • Stressors → Adversity → Coping mechanisms → Reintegration.

    • Protective factors facilitate return to homeostasis.

  • Stress and Coping in Resilience

    • Resilience involves stressors, stress, and coping strategies.

    • Influenced by inherent risk and protective factors.

  • Risk Factors

    • Distinct from stressors; predictors of vulnerability (Kaplan, 1999).

    • Directly leads to maladjustment (Rutter, 1987, 1990).

    • Promotes problem behavior emergence: negative response/behavior(Luthar, 1999).

  • Protective Factors

    • Strengthen and provide positive influences for coping.

    • Can be designed as tools for prevention and overcoming obstacles (Hogue and Liddle 1999; Masten and Braswell 1991).

  • Characteristics of Resilient Individuals

    • Adaptability and persistence.

    • Strong self-control and ability to focus under pressure.

    • Spiritual faith and personal tenacity.

  • Developmental Perspectives on Resilience

    • Healthy development of high-risk populations: studying how people in risky environments(poverty, trauma, etc) still manage to grow up healthy and well-adjusted, by focusing on resilience factors(strong social support, etc) across their development. (Smith-Osborne, 2007).

    • Individual characteristics, experiences, and innate factors influence resilience.

    • Family as a significant microsystem in developing resilience (Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory, 1979).

  • Resilience of Disaster Survivors

    • Defined by PTSD and depression symptoms post-disaster (Mancini & Bonanno, 2006).

  • Four Elements of a Resilience Framework

    1. Context: Social group, region, institution.(enviormnet)

    2. Disturbance: Natural disaster, conflict, etc.(stressor)

    3. Capacity: Ability to respond to disturbances.(resilience)

    4. Reaction: Responses like survival, recovery, learning.(growth)

  • Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG)

    • Positive change from traumatic experiences (Tedeschi et al., 1998).

    • Serves as a catalyst for cognitive restructuring (Fredrickson, 2004), enhancing quality of life.

    • Aspects of PTG include:

    • Greater appreciation for life.

    • Improved relationships.

    • Increased personal power and new opportunities.

    • Spiritual growth (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004).

  • Resilience vs. Post-Traumatic Growth

    • Resilience: An inherent quality to bounce back, not necessarily linked to trauma.

    • PTG: Develops through trauma and changes personality.

    • Similarities: Both foster personal development and provide emotional strength.