The emerging scientific and clinical literature on resilience and psychological first aid

This chapter begins by defining resilience and then describes the neurobiological and psychosocial factors that are associated with it. This is followed by a discussion of possible strategies to enhance resilience. The chapter ends with comments on potential ways to reduce the probability of developing trauma-related psychopathology. Resilience is generally understood as the ability to bend but not break and to bounce back from adversity. An individual’s ability to manage and flourish under high levels of stress has far-reaching implications for physical and mental health. Chronic stress that is poorly managed can contribute to a host of illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, gastric ulcers, and depression. On the other hand, the ability to modulate the stress response and bounce back from traumas and setbacks can be protective and even growth promoting. Resilience is a complex construct that is influenced by a host of genetic, developmental, neurobiological, and psychological factors, as well as by one’s relationships, community, available resources, culture, and religious and spiritual life. Progress has been made in both targeting resilience factors and in promoting resilience and recovery in high-risk populations, but research is still needed to determine the most effective, efficient, and acceptable programs for fostering resilience in a broad array of populations and contexts, as well as the optimal time frames for implementing resilience-enhancing interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: create)