Resilience in developmental systems: Principles, pathways, and protective processes in research and practice

Abstract

This chapter highlights findings from the developmental research on resilience in children and families. From a developmental systems perspective, resilience is defined as the capacity of a dynamic system to adapt successfully to challenges that threaten the function, survival, or development of the system. Principles that inform this perspective are delineated, along with implications for the meaning of resilience and its applications in practice. Many interacting systems shape the development of individuals as well as families, such that capacity for adapting successfully to adversity will depend on the interactions of multiple systems. Salient models of resilience are discussed along with key concepts in developmental resilience science, such as pathways, cascades, promotive factors, and protective factors. Common resilience factors observed across system levels are identified from studies of human resilience. A resilience framework for action is described, including five components, and new horizons in developmental multisystem resilience research are summarized.