Resilience for Today: Gaining Strength from Adversity

The increased bombardment of information on the world’s dangers, from imminent disasters to terror and wars reported in the media, make us particularly vulnerable to stress and feelings of helplessness. This volume is unique in describing how to promote resilience in different groups, under different circumstances, and dealing with different adversities.

Resilience is the human capacity to deal with stress, adversities, and threats--and somehow emerge stronger. Today, the increased bombardment of information on the world’s dangers, from imminent disasters to terror and wars reported in the media, make us particularly vulnerable to stress and feelings of helplessness. This volume is unique in describing how to promote resilience in different groups, under different circumstances, and dealing with different adversities. The contributors--psychologists, medical doctors, teachers and physical therapists among them--show how we can learn to draw on supports, build inner strength, and acquire interpersonal and problem-solving skills to deal with adversity.

This volume will be useful for parents, service providers, researchers, policymakers, curriculum writers, and program developers. Research findings are applied to actions and policies so that the knowledge can be used in everyday life. Topics addressed include a basic understanding of resilience, resilience in families, the role of schools in resilience, and resilience for those needing health care. The text includes a discussion of the concern that too many children are protected from adversity, are unprepared to face future stressors, and become overly dependent upon others.

EDITH HENDERSON GROTBERG is Adjunct Professor at the Institute for Mental Health Initiatives at The George Washington University.