Resilience: Health and Literature Review Page
Resilience Theory: A Literature Review with special chapters on deployment resilience in military families & resilience theory in social work
by Adrian DuPlessis VanBreda October 2001
RESILIENCE THEORY: A LITERATURE REVIEW
Author: Title: Date: Report No: Institution:
Adrian DuPlessis VanBreda Resilience Theory: A Literature Review October 2001 MPI/R/104/12/1/4, dd October 2001 South African Military Health Service, Military Psychological Institute, Social Work Research & Development
City: E-mail: Address:
Pretoria, South Africa Adrian@vanbreda.org Major A.D. Van Breda Military Psychological Institute Private Bag X02 Gezina 0031 South Africa
Resilience Theory: A Literature Review
Page i
CHAPTER TWO: INDIVIDUAL RESILIENCE
2.1 INTRODUCTION TO INDIVIDUAL RESILIENCE
Resilience is the capacity to maintain competent functioning in the face of major life stressors. (Kaplan, Turner, Norman, & Stillson, 1996, p. 158) George Vaillant (1993) defines resilience as the “self-righting tendencies” of the person, “both the capacity to be bent without breaking and the capacity, once bent, to spring back” (p. 248). (Goldstein, 1997, p. 30) Resilience means the skills, abilities, knowledge, and insight that accumulate over time as people struggle to surmount adversity and meet challenges. It is an ongoing and developing fund of energy and skill that can be used in current struggles. (Garmezy, 1994 in Saleebey, 1996, p. 298) [Resilience is] the capacity for successful adaptation, positive functioning or competence … despite high-risk status, chronic stress, or following prolonged or severe trauma. (Egeland, Carlson, & Sroufe, 1993, in Sonn & Fisher, 1998, p. 458) Resilience is primarily defined in terms of the “presence of protective factors (personal, social, familial, and institutional safety nets)” which enable individuals to resist life stress (Kaplan et al., 1996, p. 158). An important component of resilience, however, is the hazardous, adverse and threatening life
by Adrian DuPlessis VanBreda October 2001
RESILIENCE THEORY: A LITERATURE REVIEW
Author: Title: Date: Report No: Institution:
Adrian DuPlessis VanBreda Resilience Theory: A Literature Review October 2001 MPI/R/104/12/1/4, dd October 2001 South African Military Health Service, Military Psychological Institute, Social Work Research & Development
City: E-mail: Address:
Pretoria, South Africa Adrian@vanbreda.org Major A.D. Van Breda Military Psychological Institute Private Bag X02 Gezina 0031 South Africa
Resilience Theory: A Literature Review
Page i
CHAPTER TWO: INDIVIDUAL RESILIENCE
2.1 INTRODUCTION TO INDIVIDUAL RESILIENCE
Resilience is the capacity to maintain competent functioning in the face of major life stressors. (Kaplan, Turner, Norman, & Stillson, 1996, p. 158) George Vaillant (1993) defines resilience as the “self-righting tendencies” of the person, “both the capacity to be bent without breaking and the capacity, once bent, to spring back” (p. 248). (Goldstein, 1997, p. 30) Resilience means the skills, abilities, knowledge, and insight that accumulate over time as people struggle to surmount adversity and meet challenges. It is an ongoing and developing fund of energy and skill that can be used in current struggles. (Garmezy, 1994 in Saleebey, 1996, p. 298) [Resilience is] the capacity for successful adaptation, positive functioning or competence … despite high-risk status, chronic stress, or following prolonged or severe trauma. (Egeland, Carlson, & Sroufe, 1993, in Sonn & Fisher, 1998, p. 458) Resilience is primarily defined in terms of the “presence of protective factors (personal, social, familial, and institutional safety nets)” which enable individuals to resist life stress (Kaplan et al., 1996, p. 158). An important component of resilience, however, is the hazardous, adverse and threatening life