Wellbeing and resilience in young people and the role of positive relationships

Abstract

This chapter explores the development of the constructs of well-being and resilience and the role of positive family, teacher and peer relationships in the development of young people's resilience and well-being. Over the last 10 years, there has been a gradual shift in both research and community and school practices away from the concept of youth welfare, with its focus on supporting young people in distress, and towards the concept of youth well-being and resilience. This trend towards well-being and resilience is consistent with a positive psychology approach (Seligman MEP, Authentic happiness: using the new positive psychology to realize your potential for lasting fulfillment. Free Press, New York, 2002) and more recently the positive psychology/positive education approach (Noble T, McGrath H, Educational and child psychology 25(2):119-134, 2008). Positive psychology focuses primarily on the empirical study of human well-being, strengths and resilience to negative life events and the conditions that allow individuals, groups and organisations to flourish.