How to Choose a Measure of Resilience: An Organizing Framework for Resilience Measurement

Existing measures of resilience include disparate content that is based on qualitatively different conceptualizations of the construct. Consequently, there is confusion and inconsistency regarding the measurement and application of resilience. To promote clarity, the authors conduct an examination of resilience measurement approaches. This was accomplished by elaborating on three fundamentally distinct conceptualizations of resilience that can serve as an organizing framework for measurement; (1) attribute/resource-focused; (2) process-focused; and (3) outcome-focused. To verify the utility of this framework, qualified and trained subject matter experts (SMEs) completed a content analysis categorization task by sorting 227 items from 11 scales into these categories. Frame-of-reference (FOR) training was used to prepare the SMEs. Results were largely supportive of the three category framework, as overall SME agreement was 86.76 percent and only 10 of 227 items (4.41%) were categorized as “unclear” with regard to the categories. At the same time, SME agreement varied across the scales and sub-dimensions examined, suggesting that some scales/sub-dimensions are more conceptually clear than others in terms of the three categories. Based on the results, the authors provide guidance for how to choose a measure of resilience and discuss different workplace applications that are aligned with the aforementioned categories.     

The Family Resilience Inventory: A Culturally Grounded Measure of Current and Family-of-Origin Protective Processes in Native American Families

The purpose of this article is to introduce the Family Resilience Inventory (FRI) and present findings on initial efforts to validate this measure. The FRI is designed to assess family resilience in one's current family and in one's family of origin, enabling the assessment of family protective factors across these generations. The development of the FRI was the result of many years of ethnographic research with Southeastern Native American tribes; yet, we believe that this scale is applicable to families of various backgrounds. Items for the FRI were derived directly from thematic analysis of qualitative data with 436 participants, resulting in two 20-item scales. Due to missing data, eight cases were removed from the 127 participants across two tribes, resulting in an analytic sample size of 119. Conceptually, the FRI is comprised of two factors or scales measuring distinct dimensions of family resilience (i.e., resilience in one's current family and resilience in one's family of origin). The results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesized two-factor structure (X²(644) = 814.14, p = .03, X²/df = 1.10, RMSEA = .03, CFI = .97, TLI = .96). Both the subscales and the total FRI scale (α = .92) demonstrated excellent reliability. The results also provided preliminary evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. This measure fills a gap in the absence of community-based, culturally grounded, and empirical measures of family resilience. The examination of family resilience, which may occur across generations, is an exciting new contribution of the FRI.     

Building Resilience

Abstract

The context for the National School Intervention Project-Israel has been the ongoing security situation that has exposed the entire civilian population to extremely high levels of trauma. This project places itself within the framework of the resilience literature, focusing on characteristics of resilience that can be brought into the classroom and empower school staff. This article highlights the Building Resilience project, a series of teacher workshops. An initial evaluation of teachers participating in the Building Resilience project found change in knowledge, skills, and willingness to use tools learned with their students in the classroom.     

Postwar Recovery to Stress Symptoms Ratio as a Measure of Resilience,Individual Characteristics,Sense of Danger,and Age

This study maintains that postwar resilience should be defined by the proportion of recovery from war adversity and level of postwar symptoms. We hypothesize first that four resilience-promoting factors will predict this measure of resilience. Second, these associations will be mediated by sense of postwar danger. Third, war-afflicted older people will be comparable to younger people on these variables. The sample included 829 Israeli adults who experienced the 2006 second Lebanon war. Results that have generally supported these hypotheses have been discussed in terms of the definition of resilience, the role of sense of danger in postwar adjustment, and the resilience of older people to war.     

Strengthening Family Resilience

Abstract

Researchers in the field of marriage and family therapy have largely ignored the effect of gender bias on clinical decision making. The purpose of this study was to explore if patient gender influenced prognostic judgments and if male and female therapists utilized different client characteristics when formulating prognostic judgments. Prognostic judgments were based on clinical profiles of couples seeking marital therapy for inhibited sexual desire. The multidimensional scaling procedure, KYST, was utilized to analyze the data. The findings indicated that the identified patient's gender did not influence prognostic judgments. However, therapist gender did influence the client characteristics used to formulate prognostic judgments.     

Resilience and Rationality

In this article, I consider the relationship between rationality and resilience. First, I outline six responses to life’s adversities: (a) a true disturbed response; (b) a feigned disturbed response; (c) a feigned indifferent response; (d) a true healthy response; (e) a feigned healthy response; and (f) a mixed response. These responses underpin two rational resilience credos, which will be then outlined: an ideal rational resilience credo and a realistic rational resilience credo. The implications of these credos for coaching will be explored.     

Resilience and Factors Contributing to Resilience Among the Offsprings of Parents with Schizophrenia

The study attempts to explore resilience and its correlates among the offsprings of parents with schizophrenia. A sample of 45 adults with one parent diagnosed with schizophrenia was selected using a purposive sampling. They were assessed using Socio-demographic data sheet, Connor Davidson Resilience Scale, The Coping Checklist, Assessment of Social Support, Six-Factor Self-Concept Scale and Internal- External Locus of Control Scale. The findings of the study show that majority of the offsprings reported medium (60 %) resilience, 24 % and 15 % reported high and low resilience respectively. High and medium resilient group had internal locus of control, engaged in coping mechanisms such as acceptance, religious coping, problem solving, and seeking social support; had positive self concept such as likeability, task accomplishment, giftedness and morality, more satisfaction with emotional support and less non utilization of support compared to low resilient group. The study highlights that majority of the offsprings were resilient and that the factors associated with resilience are presence of good support system, use of problem focused coping strategies and having positive self concept. The results endorse the importance of addressing the above said factors in interventions involving offsprings of parents with schizophrenia.     

Varieties of Resilience in MIDUS

Population‐based studies of health typically focus on psychosocial contributors to illness and disease. We examine findings from a national longitudinal study of American adults, known as MIDUS (Midlife in the U.S.) to examine the role of psychosocial factors in promoting resilience, defined as the maintenance, recovery, or improvement in health following challenge. Classic studies of resilience are briefly noted, followed by a look at three categories of resilience in MIDUS. The first pertains to having good health and well‐being in the face of low socioeconomic standing. The second pertains to maintaining good health and well‐being despite the challenges that accompany aging. The third pertains to resilience in the face of targeted life challenges such as abuse in childhood, loss of spouse in adulthood, or having cancer. Across each area, we summarize evidence of positive health, and where possible, highlight protective influences that account for such salubrious outcomes. We conclude with opportunities for future research in MIDUS such as examining cultural and genetic influences on resilience as well as utilizing laboratory challenge data to illuminate underlying mechanisms.     

Resilience in Children of Poverty

Most studies reviewed show that poverty has a negative impact on school success and the social and emotional functioning of learners in schools. Students' personal beliefs about their capabilities were found to influence their motivation and learning in schools. However, some children reared in poverty can become notably resilient and adaptive.     

Resilience and Severe Burns

To define resilience and its components for individuals with severe burns, the authors integrated findings of a general literature review with opinions offered by 39 burn survivors through individual interviews. Results indicate that core factors influencing resiliency include social support (cultural influences and community, school, personal, and familial support,), cognitive skills (intelligence, coping style, personal control, and assignment of meaning), and psychological resources. Counseling strategies to strengthen resilience are suggested.     

Resilience in Remarried Families

The present study aims to identify those resilience factors that enable remarried families to withstand and rebound from the disruptive challenges they face. A parent and a child from 38 families independently completed seven questionnaires and answered an open-ended question. The following resilience-associated factors were identified: (1) supportive family relationships, (2) affirming and supportive communication, (3) a sense of control over outcomes in life, (4) activities and routines that help the family to spend time together, (5) a strong marriage relationship, (6) support from family and friends, (7) redefining stressful events and acquiring social support, and (8) spirituality and religion within the family.     

Clinical Implications of Family Resilience

Family resilience is becoming an increasingly visible concept in the family field. This article discusses resilience as a family level construct and offers several ideas about how viewing families as resilient may affect clinical work. These include a focus on strengths, recognizing resilience as a developmental pathway, a search for commonalties among diverse paths of resilience, and an emphasis on helping families identify and develop a useful family schema. A case study utilizing these ideas is presented and discussed.     

Resilience Processes in Context

Abstract

This article considers resilience as a multiplicity of psychological characteristics that are shaped by the ecological interplay of relational, social, and cultural contexts. Bronfenbrenner's (1979) person-process-context model of human development is examined in terms of its implications for research and for both micro- and macro-level interventions. Attention is given to “the first context” and to the role of early attachment in the cultivation of resilient functioning. Attachment theory and research are reviewed. Themes are extracted from this research to suggest how psychotherapy with trauma survivors can mobilize the resilient capacities of trauma survivors and function as a reparative context. Implications of an ecological perspective and attachment theory and research for national and community-level interventions are considered.     

Resilience,Life Events,and Well-Being During Midlife: Examining Resilience Subgroups

Developmental midlife processes involve resilience, changing challenges, and perceptions of getting older. In Study I and II, the Managing Life Survey resulted in growth, managing uncertainty, objectivity, adversity, and strategy use subscales. In Study II, resilience subgroups were identified. High and non-religious resilience groups had significantly higher averages for MLS subscales, time orientations, grit, life satisfaction; and significantly lower averages for adversity and negative event scores, compared to other groups. Noteworthy findings herein consist of (1) differences across resilience groups, with spiritual strategies emerging as an important discriminator; (2) the role of future perspectives on well-being characterizing early midlife; (3) the influence of growth and purpose on well-being characterizing late midlife; and (4) the cumulative effect of education on life satisfaction in late midlife. The results herein are consistent with the psychological benefits of moderate levels of challenge; with developmental differences across early and late midlife, and with Socioemotional Selectivity Theory.     

大学生的心理韧性及其与积极情绪、幸福感的关系

以207名大学生为被试,采用心理韧性量表(CD-RISC)、积极情感量表(PAS)和总体幸福感量表(GWB) 进行了为期9周的追踪测查,考察大学生心理韧性的特性及其与积极情绪和幸福感的关系。结果表明:(1)大学生的心理韧性具有一定的稳定性;(2)心理韧性与积极情绪显著正相关,积极情绪可以预测9周后的心理韧性;(3)心理韧性可以预测幸福感,积极情绪在该路径中起部分中介作用。     

家庭韧性对抑郁的影响：个体心理韧性的部分中介作用

为考察家庭韧性和个体心理韧性对个体抑郁的影响以及二者的关系,本研究运用家庭韧性量表、个体心理韧性量表和流调中心用抑郁量表对301名被试进行问卷调查。结果发现家庭韧性与个体心理韧性显著正相关,二者与抑郁均存在显著负相关。多元逐步回归分析发现家庭韧性及个体心理韧性均对抑郁有显著预测力,共同解释了变异量的28.6%。以抑郁为结果变量,构建以家庭韧性和个体心理韧性为预测变量的中介模型,检测结果显示中介模型拟合良好,个体心理韧性在家庭韧性与抑郁之间起到部分中介作用。因此,家庭韧性既可以直接负向预测抑郁,也可以通过提升个体心理韧性负向预测抑郁。