resiliency in children and youth toronto district school board model school study dr. ruth...
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Resiliency in Children and Youth
Toronto District School BoardModel School Study
Dr. Ruth StirtzingerThursday, May 24, 2012
Resilience is…..
The capacity of a dynamic system to withstand or recover from significant challenges that threaten its stability, viability or development
Developmental Research
Developmental Research states it is:
the capacity, processes or outcomes of successful adaptation in the context of significant threats to function or development
doing well in life despite adversity
Two Components of Risk
threat, adversity, trauma
Good Adaptationcompetence, adjustment, health
Resilience helpsmove through adversityovercome childhood
disadvantagerecover from traumareach out to new opportunities
People who are resilient arehealthier and live longermore successful in lifehappier in relationshipsless prone to depression
Tools of Resilience1. calming and focusing2. thought catching3. connections – how we feel and what
we do4. challenging beliefs5. detecting barriers• putting the ‘catastrophic’ into perspective• freeing self from thinking traps
6. generating alternatives – finding new coping and problem solving
What groups have been researched?child soldiers immigrants and refugeessurvivors of natural disastersorphaned or maltreated childrenchildren from uneducated or
impoverished families
To Study Resilience - need - 1. Criteria for ‘doing OK’ in life• competence in developmental
tasks• health• subjective well-being
2. Measures of Risk• adversive life experiences (acute
and chronic, and cumulative)
3. Measures of what might make a difference• personal attributes, relationships,
context• promotive and protective factors in
child, relationships, family, school, and community
Risk and Problems Snowballtransitions increase risks in a
concentrated time windowemotional, behavioural,
educational and health problems rise as risk levels rise
developmental cascades occur (one kind of problem leads to another)
BUT Assets also pile up
ConsiderCumulative risk gradient – the
more risk factors – the lower the function if few protective factors
Homelessness – high risk factor for children
Parent involvement in child’s school – a protective factor
Consider furtherParenting quality moderates riskExecutive functioning mediates
parenting effect on academic success
Elements of Resilience in Young Peopleclose relationships with
competent caregiversconnections to other competent
adultsproblem solving and self
regulating skillspositive self perceptionhope, belief, faith, meaningful
affiliations
Elements of Resilience (cont’d)SES advantagespro social peersconnection to effective schools
and organizationscommunity safety and collective
effecacy
Greatest Dangers for Childrenparent killed or disabledseparation from secure basebrain injurymastery motivation system
extinguishedfaith and hope, life meaning
destroyedpersistent severe trauma
overwhelms all adaptive capacity of child and family
Mobilizing and Improving Adaptive Systemsfoster secure attachmentsimprove bonds with competent/caring
adultssupport healthy family formation and
functionsfoster friendship with pro social peersfoster school bonding and
engagementimprove systems of carenurture brain development
Mobilizing and Improving (cont’d)provide opportunities to succeed
and develop talentssupport cultural traditions which
provide adaptive tools and opportunities to connect with pro social adults