Child and Adolescent Resiliency Following a Residential Fire: The Role of Social Support and Ethnicity

The link between trauma and posttraumatic stress has been well-established; however, less is known about the relationship between trauma and resiliency. Traditionally, resilience has been defined as behavioral competence and adaptation following a stressful event. The purpose of this study was to examine resilience, as measured by both internal and external forms of competence, following a residential fire. This study also sought to examine the roles of social support and ethnicity in moderating the relationship between resource loss and resilience. The participants for this study were 90 children and adolescents (ages 8–18) and their families who had been affected by residential fires. Self and parent-report measures were used to assess the variables of interest. A resilience scale was developed using responses on the Child Behavior Checklist. As predicted, results indicated there was a significant relationship between loss and resilience. Specifically, resource loss was found to negatively predict resilience. However, social support and ethnicity were not found to significantly moderate this relationship. Implications for these findings are discussed.