Buffer effects of resilience on psychological sensitivity: Can acquired resilience redeem innate vulnerability ?

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether acquired resilience could remove risks associated with being inherently sensitive to stress. Questionnaire results obtained from 433 adults (191 men, 242 women; average age 20.7 years) were analyzed to examine the relations between psychological sensitivity and innate and acquired resilience factors. The results of an analysis of variance indicated that the participants who were highly sensitive tended to have low levels of innate resilience factors, and that acquired resilience factors could be enhanced regardless of individuals' sensitivity. Examination of the buffer effects of resilience on the negative effect of sensitivity on psychological adaptation indicated that innate resilience factors did have a buffer effect. However, only the main effect of acquired resilience factors was significant. Thus, these results do not support the possibility of redeeming risks of sensitivity a posteriori. In addition, the results suggested that methods for enhancing psychological adaptation could vary according to individuals' level of sensitivity, and also pointed to the importance of educing individualized resilience factors.