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Resilience

Kumpfer, K. L. (1999). 'Factors and processes contributing to resilience.' In Glantz & Johnson (Eds.), Resilience and development: Positive life adaptations. New York: Kluwer Academic.

In this article, Kumpfer writes that a focus on resilience involves highlighting optimism and hope rather than the frustration and despair that can result from focusing on risk factors. Although Kumpfer's focus is upon children and adolescents, the message about resilience has the potential to generate discussions about more diverse populations.

Factors contributing to resilience in the face of adverse events and conditions are increasingly becoming the focus of research with a view to preventing ill health.

A definition of resilience offered is 'a process, capacity or outcome of successful adaptation despite challenges or threatening circumstances … good outcomes despite high risk status, sustained competence under threat and recovery from trauma' (p. 426, Masten, Best & Garmezy, 1990, cited in Kumpfer, 1999, p. 181). Resilience is a complex interaction between the person and the environment, and can be related to self-agency (Bandura, 2001). However, with this complexity comes difficulties in isolating just exactly what contributes to resilience.

Kumpfer proposes a dynamic framework of six key constructs with a view to organising the research literature about factors that contribute to resilience:

  • stressors or challenges that disrupt equilibrium and the perceived degree of stress
  • environmental contexts such as family, culture, community, school and peers
  • person-environment transaction, including perception, reframing, changing environments, active coping
  • internal resilience factors - including cognitive, emotional, spiritual, physical and behavioural
  • resilience processes - stress-coping processes that allow the individual to bounce back
  • positive outcomes.

Although there are no simple formulas, resilience may be enhanced through:

  • modifying the external environment to increase protective processes
  • employing small challenges, creating opportunities for involvement and the development of competence
  • increasing involvement and attachment to pro-social groups.

Related reading can be found at:
Self-agency
The School as a System

References
Bandura, A. (2001). 'Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective.' Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 1-26.