Resilience in elderly survivors of child maltreatment

Abstract

Resilience is a multifaceted construct that refers to the positive adaptation of individuals, despite exposure to adversity. This study of resilience in older individuals who have experienced adversity was conducted to deepen the understanding of the factors that contribute to resilience in this population. This qualitative study used purposive and homogeneous sampling criteria to recruit nine participants above the age of 65 with a past history of childhood maltreatment who were judged by their health care professionals to be unusually resilient. Resilience was found to be highly evident in this sample, despite earlier trauma and the subsequent challenges of old age. The authors found active engagement in relationships and in valued activities to be the most often mentioned contributors to resilience in these older survivors of childhood maltreatment. These findings have important implications for public policy and social interventions to preserve the well-being of older individuals who have experienced adversity. © The Author(s) 2012.