Childhood Resilience

Brigid DanielProfessor of Social Work

University of Stirling

Evidence for practiceMessages from research about the concept

of childhood resilience.Frameworks for practice, grounded in

research evidence and informed by practitioner experience (and incorporation into GIRFEC).

Research into how practitioners specifically put the concept of resilience into practice.

Some thoughts and issues to consider for practice.

‘a phenomenon or process reflecting relatively

positive adaptation despite experiences of adversity

or trauma’ (p6).

Luthar, 2005

Resilient children are better equipped to resist stress and adversity, cope with change and uncertainty, and to recover faster and more completely from traumatic events or episodes.

(Newman and Blackburn, 2002)

Three building blocks of resilienceSecure base / sense of security and

attachmentSelf-esteemSelf-efficacy

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Resilient people can say:

‘I HAVE………….…people I trust and love’‘I AM……………………..a loveable person’‘I CAN…………find ways to solve problems’

Grotberg, E. (1997) ‘The international resilience project.’ In M. John (ed) A Charge against Society:The Child’s Right to Protection. London: Jessica Kingsley.

Messages about young people and resilienceChronic stressors can cause more long term

problems than acute events. An accumulation of stressors is more

damaging e.g.‘Children may often be able to overcome and

even learn from single or moderate risks, but when risk factors accumulate, children’s capacity to survive rapidly diminishes’ (Newman and Blackburn, 2002).

Over-protection from stressors can reduce opportunities to develop the skills to deal with adversity.

Foundations in infancy

attachment to caregiver(s)languagedifferentiation of self from environment

self control and complianceAdapted from Masten, A. & Coatsworth, D. (1998) ‘Development of competence in favorable and

unfavorable environments’ In American Psychologist, Feb 1998 cited in Horwath, J., Ed. (2001). The Child's World: Assessing Children in Need. London, Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

During school years

Resilience associated with sense of self-efficacy, mastery and appropriate autonomy.

Unhelpful combination of attributions are those that are internal, stable and global “Its my fault, it’s going to last forever, and its going to affect everything I do.”

In adolescence

In adolescence attachments are still very important

Patterns of behaviour will have become more entrenched

Young people are likely to have developed their own repertoires of coping

Messages about intervention1. Reduce vulnerability and risk2. Reduce the number of stressors

and ‘pile-up’3. Increase available resources4. Mobilise protective processes5. Foster resilience strings

(Masten, 2004)

Models for helping to conceptualise resilience and

frameworks for practice

Devised in collaboration with Sally Wassell and Robbie Gilligan

‘Resilience Matrix’

Resilience ‘domains’

Designed with children in mind, but adaptable to other ages

Scottish Government (2008) A Guide to ‘Getting it right for every child’

Identify and support protective resources

Nurture capacity to benefit from these

resources

Understand the impact of

adversity of transition

Remove or reduce the impact of

adverse effect of transition

Model for Intervention

Resilience stringsSecure baseEducationFriendshipsTalents and

interestsPositive valuesSocial competencies

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Example of Positive ValuesIntervention

• Parent/carer factors associated with pro-social behaviour (Schaffer, 1996 and Zahn-Waxler, Radke-Yarrow & King 1979):• provide clear rules and principles for behaviour,

reward kindness, show disapproval of unkindness and explain effects of hurting others

• present moral messages in an emotional, rather than calm manner

• attribute prosocial qualities to the child by telling him or her frequently that they are kind and helpful

• model prosocial behaviour themselves• provide empathic care-giving to the child.

Example of Social CompetenciesIntervention• Need to be clear about the aim of the

intervention – consider the comment by Masten and Coatsworth that attempts to boost self-esteem to improve behaviour can lead to ‘misbehaving children who think very highly of themselves.’

Need an ethos where the approach to self-esteem takes account of relationships:‘Appreciating my own worth and importance and having the character to be accountable for myself

and to act responsibly toward others’ (California State Department of Education)

Social Competencies• Development of social competence is

associated with parenting/caring that is warm, sensitive and provides clear boundaries and requirements for behaviour.

• Antisocial behaviour is associated with an environment that is harsh, punitive, rejecting and inconsistent.

• Need to pay attention to:• cognitive areas• affective areas• behavioural areas.

Self-efficacy and competenceResilience associated with sense of self-

efficacy, mastery, planful competence and appropriate autonomy.

Self-efficacy:Problem-focused coping – change the problem

if you can or • Emotion-focused coping – change how you

think and feel about the problem

‘A body of research points to ‘problem-focused’ coping, rather than avoidant or passive responses, as being most successful for a range of adversities. This involves responding to hardship by taking active steps to modify features in the environment or oneself that are contributing to the difficulty in question’ (Hill et al, 2007)

‘Planful competence’ (Rutter) – being able to see different options.

In addition:Empathy, positive values, making a

contribution - all contribute to resilience.

Active coping‘Many children report using avoidance or

distraction as a coping strategy when there are problems at home’ (Gorin, 2004).

‘Periodically separating themselves mentally and physically from the home’ (Bancroft et al 2004).

‘Some ways of ‘escaping’ are beneficial, but others are costly in terms of an unplanned and problematic transition to adulthood and an unsettled or unstable early adult life.’ (Velleman and Templeton, 2003).

‘Resilience’ and ‘resistance’A study of US teenagers who were earning

their living by prostitution showed that they resisted the ‘victim’ label'Instead of a doe-eyed crying victim

[practitioners] confront a strong, willful, survivor who looks and acts quite differently from the victims portrayed in the media.‘ Williams (forthcoming)

Active coping strategies but some coping skills that worked in one situation, don’t work in others - e.g. withdrawal.

Work with the grain…‘The child is a person and not an object of

concern’ (Butler-Sloss, 1988).

Therefore we need to concentrate on building on, and enhancing, existing coping mechanisms; involving young people as active participants and avoiding potentially unhelpful consequences.

Daniel, B., Vincent, S., Farrell, E. and Arney, F. ‘How is the concept of resilience operationalised in practice with vulnerable children?’

When an organisation has the explicit aim of nurturing resilience in vulnerable children:how do practitioners translate that aim into

practice andhow congruent is the described practice with

the principles indicated by the existing literature on resilience?

Survey of 201 practitioners (108 in the UK; 93 in Australia) and

32 case studies (18 in the UK; 14 in Australia)

Practitioners link it with principles for practice1. respectful engagement with, and

involvement of the service user in practice2. the use of solution-focused and strengths-

based approaches to practice3. the need to target all ecological levels 4. the need to take a holistic and multi-agency

approach.

Respectful engagementNot exclusively associated with a resilience-

based approachHOWEVER

by engaging with children in a way that involves them in assessment and planning, that encourages them to contribute to decisions about their lives and that provides them with positive choices, practitioners could help to create the conditions for the development of better self-efficacy.

Solution focusedIt may be that these terms are being used as

‘shorthand’ for more positive approaches to practice that counteract the preoccupation with risk and problems that can characterise bureaucratic systems

Further research needed to examine whether the adoption of optimistic discourses can lead to better outcomes for children over and above the specific model for intervention that is used.

EcologicalUK services focused heavily on the coping

and skills of the individual child with associated support for the parents or carers, and the Australian services were dedicated to improving the well-being of parents and family unit and placing that unit within the best possible community network.

The research showing factors at different ecological levels to be associated with resilience suggests should target all levels (Werner & Smith, 1992).

Multi-agencyThe concept of resilience is one that has

resonance for all disciplinesThe promotion of the resilience of children,

families and communities can offer a shared approach for the professional network

Focusing on what can be done can galvanise the protective network.

Case studies - UKimprovement of self-esteem / to like self moreimprovement of peer relationshipsimprovement in school experience /

behaviourcontrol of anger / managing disagreementsnaming feelings / emotional literacy.

STRATEGIESanger control / emotional intelligence

     

INTENDED OUTCOMESraised self-esteem / better peer relationships /

improved school experience

In delving deeper the circularity and inter-connectedness of many of these themes becomes apparent. Improved self-esteem, for example, can be described simultaneously as an intended outcome, but also as a route to outcomes. Similarly, improvement in peer relationships can be seen as a positive outcome, but a route to better outcomes.

Some issues and questions for practiceResilience Knowledge Exchange Seminar – Scottish Social Networks Forum; Rock Trust, Stirling University

Focus on resilience in transition.

What is adversity?How do definitions of adversity vary

according to who is defining it, for example researchers, practitioners, policy makers or service users?

How can we ensure that definitions are inclusive?

What assumptions are made about the adversity that people in transition may have faced or be facing?

Situations which may be experienced as adverse or negative by some people may be perceived as relatively positive or less challenging for otherse.g. living in homeless accommodation could

be described as living in adverse conditions or as a positive improvement there was abuse in the family home.

It is often at times of transition that young people who have experienced adversity are able to display an ability to problem solve or at least be encouraged to learn this skill (Newman, 2004).

What is well-being?What factors combine to give a feeling of

well-being? Who defines it?Is it about coping or thriving? How can it be measured?

There can be different aspirationse.g. for children who have suffered significant

abuse or neglect it may be more about their ability to cope or function reasonably well than an expectation that they will thrive (Kinard, 1998).

a young person who has moved from a damaging family or care situation and is able to survive in their own tenancy may seem to be meeting a ‘well-being indicator’.

Does being ‘less miserable than before’ equate with well-being?

Capitalise on transition to make positive changes.

Further informationEvidence for practicewww.sccpn.stir.ac.uk

Accredited and short courses in Child Welfare

and Protectionhttp://www.socialwork.stir.ac.uk

Daniel, B., & Wassell, S. (2002). Assessing and Promoting Resilience in Vulnerable Children I - III. London: Jessica Kingsley.

Gilligan, R. (1998). The importance of schools and teachers in child welfare. Child and Family Social Work, 3(1), 13-26.

Gilligan, R. (1999). Enhancing the resilience of children and young people in public care by mentoring their talents and interests. Child and Family Social Work, 4(3), 187-196.

Gilligan, R. (2001). Promoting Resilience: A Resource Guide on Working with Children in the Care System. London: BAAF.

Hill, M., Triseliotis, J., Borland, M., & Lambert, L. (1996). Outcomes of social work intervention with young people. In M. Hill & J. Aldgate (Eds.), Child Welfare Services: Developments in Law, Policy, Practice and Research. London: Jessica Kingsley.

Luthar, S. S., & Zelazo, L. B. (2003). Resilience and Vulnerability: Adaptation in the Context of Childhood Adversities. In S. Luthar (Ed.), Resilience and Vulnerability. New York: Cambridge University Place.

Masten, A. S., Best, K. M., & Garmezy, N. (1990). Resilience and development: Contributions from the study of children who overcome adversity. Development and Psychopathology, 2, 425-444.

Newman, T. (2004). What Works in Building Resilience. London: Barnardo's.

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