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Reflections on resilience

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 February 2024

Edith Chen*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
Tao Jiang
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
Michelle A. Chen
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
Gregory E. Miller
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
*
Corresponding author: E. Chen; Email: edith.chen@northwestern.edu

Abstract

Resilience research has long sought to understand how factors at the child, family, school, community, and societal levels shape adaptation in the face of adversities such as poverty and war. In this article we reflect on three themes that may prove to be useful for future resilience research. First is the idea that mental and physical health can sometimes diverge, even in response to the same social process. A better understanding of explanations for this divergence will have both theoretical and public health implications when it comes to efforts to promote resilience. Second is that more recent models of stress suggest that stress can accelerate aging. Thus, we suggest that research on resilience may need to also consider how resilience strategies may need to be developed in an accelerated fashion to be effective. Third, we suggest that if psychological resilience interventions can be conducted in conjunction with efforts to enact system-level changes targeted at adversities, this may synergize the impact that any single intervention can have, creating a more coordinated and effective set of approaches for promoting resilience in young people who confront adversity in life.

Information

Type
Special Issue Article
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press

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