Resilience is the ability of a child to recover and show early and effective adaptation following a potentially traumatic event.
What factors might enhance resilience in children after traumatic events?
- Support from parents, friends, family, school, and community.
- Resources that help to buffer negative consequences on daily life.
- Feeling safe at home, school, and in the community.
- Having high self-esteem—an overall positive sense of self-worth.
- Possessing a sense of self-efficacy—a child’s belief that he or she can be successful in different areas of life.
- Having a sense of meaning in one’s life, which might include spiritual or cultural beliefs, connections with others, or goals and dreams.
- Possessing talents or skills in certain areas (e.g., the arts, athletics, academics).
- Possessing a variety of adaptive and flexible coping skills that he or she can use in different situations. Challenging life circumstances or adversities, for example, living in poverty, racism, ongoing community violence, social isolation, or illness can undermine children’s resilience.
