Interrelation of value priorities and resilience in applicants to foster parents

Abstract

We assumed that certain combination of value priorities reduces or increases human resilience. The sample (n=152) according the results of RRC-ARM (Ungar, Liebenberg, 2013) was divided on two groups with high and low resilience. The groups completed Schwartz Value Survey (SVS, Schwartz, 1992). The results of the research are presented in the article. The respondents with high level of resilience are characterized by the choice of the individual priorities such as kindness; univer-salism; independence, while the respondents with low level of resilience prefer such answers as hedonism; stimulation; independence. At the level of normative ideals, foster parents' applicants with high resilience are characterized by values of tradition, conformity, and kindness. Respondents with low resilience are characterized by normative ideals of hedonism, power, and stimulation. All RRC-ARM and SVS data are significantly higher in the group with high resilience. Correlations between values in the group with low resilience show that there is a large focus on conformity and self-direction negatively associated with spirituality as the resilience context; the benevolence value is associated only with individual peer support. In the group with high resilience benevolence value correlates with the context of culture, security value is positively associated with psychological caregiving and individual social skills. High resilience group has universalism and autonomy values associated with individual skills. In low resilience group conflicting combination of such values as safety and autonomy revealed, in contrast to the group with high resilience. The combination of conflicting values affects resilience, potentially reducing it. Resilient respondents have no values, reducing the resilience components; low resilient respondents focusing on the value reduces some resilience components.