Resilience can be defined simply as doing better than expected, or bouncing back from a traumatic event. Lepore and Revenson believed it was broken down into three parts: recovery, resistance, and reconfiguration. Recovery meaning that one returns to their basic functioning level. They described resistance as showing a lack of disturbance to a traumatic event and reconfiguration is when an individual is changed positively or negatively from a traumatic event. There are six identifying factors in those that are resilient: "reframing, experience of positive emotions, participation in physical activity, trusted social support, the use of personal and authentic strengths, and optimism"(Hefferon and Boniwell, 2011). There are also risk factors that are common in non-resilient individuals. Werner and Smith did a study that showed that those with "low birth weight, low SES, low maternal education and an unstable family structure" were more likely to be less resilient (Hefferon and Boniwell, 2011). When one believes that things will work out, understands their meaning and achievements, they then have the ability to react positively and act resilient.
Today we went to Cafe Exit and saw a real life example of resilience in individuals. Cafe Exit is a program that helps those who have finished their prison sentence and are looking for ways of starting over. The program provides opportunities of wellbeing for these ex-inmates. For instance, there is a choir that performs, which gives them something to look forward to. The choir is also a way for them to create positive relations. They also help provide financial and educational advice, teaching right from wrong. This helps give the individuals a new perspective to help them develop an understanding of their meaning in life, which leads to eudamonic wellbeing.
Good job on your post! you had a lot of good information in you post, it really gave me a good understanding of reliance and the components of it as well.
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