Elements of Resilience

Psychology of Resilience

Describe three elements of resilience.

A healthy self-image or positive self-esteem is an important element of psychological resilience (Masten, 2001). Generally, that refers to an individual who usually interacts with others in a relaxed manner and without projecting any negative assumptions based in self doubt, negative expectations, or negative foundational beliefs. People with high self-esteem do not accept the proposition that negative experiences are their fault or that they are necessarily reflections of their worth or perceived worth in the eyes of others (

Supportive relationships are an essential element of psychological resilience (Landau & Saul, 2004). Generally, positive, long-term, and emotionally close and supportive relationships wit others promote resiliency both directly and indirectly. They support resilience directly by providing immediate encouragement, understanding, and empathy in difficult situations. They support resiliency indirectly in that they are usually fundamental components of the establishment of healthy self-esteem (

3. Maintenance of a broad and long-term overall perspective is also an important element of resiliency (Ritchie, Watson, & Friedman, 2006). Generally, that refers to the normal outlook and perspective of the individual in connection with which viewing stressors as transient short-term problems to be dealt with is much healthier and more consistent with resilience than viewing stressors as permanent or life-changing events that have no solution (

What is meant by "resilience trajectory"?

If one were to plot the events in the life on the individual from the initial onset of a stressor to the eventual long-term recovered state of the individual after the stressor has been encountered, that curve would be the resilience trajectory (

). Generally, individuals who are resilient tend to exhibit less dramatic lows, shorter spans between lows and upswings, and higher final states whereas individuals who are less resilient tend to exhibit lower lows, flatter recovery slopes, and lower final recovery states (

Discuss in detail one factor that contributes to or fosters resilience, referencing at least one source within this unit.

The maintenance of a positive self-image or high self-esteem may be one of the most significant advantages with respect to psychological resilience and one of the most direct predictors of resilience in any individual (

). Among other things, individuals with high self-esteem do not tend to internalize external stressors, especially in ways that conflict with their ability to maintain positive beliefs, assumptions and self-regard. When they encounter stressors, they tend to respond in a controlled and focused way to address the source of stress directly with the aim of reducing it. Conversely, individuals with low self-esteem do internalize external stressors and they typically allow stressors to cause them to question their abilities or their worth. Instead of responding to stressors as situations capable of being resolved, they respond to negative situational stressors as reflecting what they deserve (

Are you resilient? What has contributed to your own resilience? What might you do to enhance your resilience at this stage in your life?