Overview & Description:

Resilience theory emphasizes understanding and analyzing the processes and factors that enable individuals, communities, and systems to withstand and recover from adversities.

Example:

After losing a loved one, a person might utilize various coping strategies, such as seeking social support, engaging in meaningful activities, and adapting their goals, which enables them to continue to function and even thrive despite the loss.

Implications:

• Positive Psychology: Resilience theory is pivotal in positive psychology, focusing on strengths and adaptive capacities.
• Psychotherapy: Enhancing resilience might be a focus of psychotherapies, especially when dealing with trauma or significant stressors.

References:

• Masten, A. S. (2014). Ordinary Magic: Resilience in Development. Guilford Press.
• Southwick, S. M., Bonanno, G. A., Masten, A. S., Panter-Brick, C., & Yehuda, R. (2014). Resilience definitions, theory, and challenges: interdisciplinary perspectives. European journal of psychotraumatology, 5(1), 25338.