Promoting resilience: the importance of early years

Resilience: Concept and PracticeBrigid DanielProfessor of Social WorkUniversity of Stirling

Acknowledgements to: Sally Wassell, Robbie Gilligan and Cheryl Burgess

Newman and Blackburn (2002)It has been observed for many years in the study of child development that adverse life events have contributed to psychiatric disorders in some children while others, faced with identical precipitating factors, have emerged unscathed...

Luthar (2005)

...a phenomenon or process reflecting relatively positive adaptation despite experiences of adversity or trauma.

.qualities which cushion a vulnerable child from the worst effects of adversity in whatever form it takes and which may help a child or young person to cope, survive and even thrive in the face of great hurt and disadvantage. Gilligan (1997)5Newman and Blackburn (2002)

Data suggest that only around one third of an "at-risk" child population experience negative long term outcomes; up to two thirds appear to survive without serious developmental harm...

Counter-balance to scary determinism...

All need not be lost by 3 yrs!

ResilienceExperience of adversity chronic and / or acute

Better well-being than might be expectedAdversityStressful life events can be chronic or acute and can come from outside or be related to family and individual circumstances. (Garmezy; Masten & Powell, 2003)AdversityThe higher the number of risk factors the more the problemschronic adversity is especially corrosive eg neglect or poverty.(Masten & Powell, 2003)And who defines adversity?Researchers, practitioners, policy makers or service users? A factor could be adverse for one person but not anothere.g. living in homeless accommodation could be a positive improvement if there was abuse in the family home.

111111Implications for supportDo not make assumptions on children and young peoples behalf listen.Consider the different types of adversity that can be experienced.Try to disentangle chains of adversity.Pay attention to structural factors that may be having a direct and indirect adverse impact on children and their families. What is well-being?What factors combine to give a feeling of well-being? Is it material or emotional?Is it about coping or thriving? Is it about conformity?How can it be measured? Who defines it?

131313What is a good outcome?Some research defines it as better than average functioning.Some as absence of symptomsif a child has suffered significant abuse or neglect, is it resilience to be functioning reasonably well?

Resistance and conformityIn the face of adversity people may develop resistance.Sometimes streetwise skills are needed.Sometimes such resistance is defined as problematic or anti-social.To what extent is kicking against a resilient response?People can also develop a kind of apparent resilience brittle and surface coping.

Resilience and resistanceA study of US teenagers who were earning their living by prostitution showed that they resisted the victim label'Instead of a sad-eyed crying victim [practitioners] confront a strong, wilful, survivor who looks and acts quite differently from the victims portrayed in the media. Williams (2010) Active coping strategies but some coping skills that worked in one situation, dont work in others - e.g. withdrawal.

161616Implications for supportExplore the existing coping strategies.Look at how they are helpful.Look at ways in which they may be less helpful.Focus on factors that can be changed.Go with the grain of coping.Rare is the person who shows positive adaption to all circumstances and in all domains so build on the areas of strength.Implications for supportHold high aspirations for all.Find out what children and young people themselves value.Be clear what you are working towards and that you are not thwarting what might be legitimate resistance and challenge to social structures.Support positive values.What goes on in the middle?Experience of adversity chronic and / or acute

Better well-being than might be expected in all or some domainsAdaptive qualitiesIn the context of adversitythe individual has access to internal and external resources and has the adaptive ability to make use of those resources to buffer the effects of adversity.

Resource factors can be:Additive / compensatoryChallenging / InnoculatoryProtective / moderating

Garmezy et al (1984)

Innoculation -Cotton wool kidsPractitionerTheres the other extreme which you find working in some schools, where teachers are saying theyve got an issue with resilience because our kids cannot cope with the slightest adversity. If theyre not picked for this or that theyre on the floor theyre so overprotected. So adversity is relative and different for every young person.

Protective / moderatingEspecially effective under circumstances of risk e.g:Good parenting is especially beneficial in contexts of high-risk (strictness can be helpful)High-quality child care is especially helpful for children living in at-risk familiesGood relationships with teachers and positive school experiences for young people facing risks at home or in the communityIn adults practical and emotional intelligence, and the capacities for insight, empathy, and altruism(Luthar)

Someone is more likely to develop resilience if he or she has:the sense of security that comes from a good attachment relationship and access to extended family and community support,the appreciation of his or her own worth and the worth of others that is associated with good self-esteem, the sense of mastery and insight into personal strengths and limitations that leads to high self-efficacy.

24I have...Resilience rests, fundamentally, on relationships. The desire to belong is a basic human need and positive connections with others lie at the very core of psychological development; strong, supportive relationships are critical for achieving and sustaining resilient adaptation. (Luthar, 2005)I am... and I can...Are intertwined:self-worth andself-competence.We need to:feel good about ourselves and feel that we can meet challenges we may face.

(Mruk 1999) Defensive self-esteemLow sense of self-worth, and a positive self-competence.High sense of self-worth but low self competence.We also have to appreciate the worth of others empathy is associated with resilience.

Understand the impact of adversity and traumaIdentify and support protective resourcesNurture the childs capacity to benefit from these resourcesRemove or reduce the impact of adversity Resilience MatrixDaniel, Wassell and Gilligan2828Intervention StrategiesReduce vulnerability and riskReduce the number of stressors and pile-upIncrease available resourcesMobilise protective processesFoster resilience strings (Masten, 2004)29291. Reduce vulnerability and riskMinimise the number and impact of separations.Minimise the experience of unexplained changes and decisions.Minimise the effects of neglect and abuse.Address risks flowing from domestic abuse, parental mental health problems, and parental substance misuse.Minimise the impact upon childrens access to services such as health care and education.30302. Reduce the number of stressors and pile-upNeed to try and stagger stressful experiences eg:move of schoolnew contact arrangementsPrevent pile-up of stresses and vicious cycle of events:purposeful plans for lapses in cases of substance misusegood links between adult and childrens servicesback-up arrangementsnetwork of supports.31313. Increase the available resourcesMaximise the protective power of informal resources, e.g. extended family, kin care.Maximise access to wider community networks of support ensure universal projects can be accessed by young people with additional support needs.

32324. Mobilise protective processesLay foundations of self-esteem, self-efficacy and planful competence e.g with play or activities that:encourage perseverance on tasksallow the child to fail safely and try againhelp the child feel good about self and othersnurture a sense of hope and optimism33335. Foster resilience stringsWhilst reducing negative chain reactions look for opportunities for positive chain reactionsCan a strength in one area be used to promote development in another?Framework for considering different domains in a childs life..3434

3535Resilience stringsSecure baseEducationFriendshipsTalents and interestsPositive valuesSocial competencies

3636Bernard (2002) identifies three qualities that characterise individuals who help young people resist stress, i.e. turnaround people:a caring relationshiphigh expectationsopportunities for contribution and participation. People matter37