Building Resilience in our Children and Youth: Bringing Research to Practice and Practice to Policy Caroline Burnley, Ph.D. Director, Resilience Research Lab Department of Psychology

Resilience in Health Care Be PROACTIVE and focus on PREVENTION Can we PREPARE children, youth and families to successfully navigate through adversities?

The Role of Resilience SHIFT vulnerability/disorder to resources, strengths, positive outcomes Build capacity rather than just relieve disorder?

Resilience The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. ―Nelson Mandela

Defining Resilience Capacity of a dynamic system to adapt successfully to disturbances that threaten system function viability or development (Masten, 2014).

Risks/Adaptation Chronic poverty Physical or psychological illness Violence Abuse, neglect Divorce Discrimination, social marginalization Natural disasters Wars, political violence Pandemics

Patterns of Resilience Unaffected or Resistant Recovery Normalization Transformation/Post-traumatic Growth Hidden (Masten, 2014; Ungar, 2013)

Resiliency is not the result of special children with special qualities but instead arises from ordinary processes and conditions Masten, Ordinary Magic

Protective Factors Attachment relationships; social support Problem-solving skills Self-control Mastery motivation Meaning-making/identity Cultural traditions Access to resources Effective schools and communities

Systems Approach (Bronfenbrenner and Masten)

Environments Matter The Social Ecology of Resilience (Ungar, 2012) Vancouver Island University Youth-in-Care Tuition Waiver Program

Resilience in the Face of HIV/AIDS (Burnley and Kirson, 2012) Attachment and school community

Adolescent mothers in Nanaimo, BC (King, 2012) Non-judgmental support

Challenges of Resilience Research Need more validated youth-focused measures Need theories that take into account culture and context which can contribute to more effective clinical and public health interventions (Kirmayer et al, 2012; Ungar, 2013)

Indigenous Populations Definitions of health, wellness and well- being (Kirmayer et al, 2012) ROOTS of RESILIENCE - http://www.mcgill.ca/resilience/

What does the research say about promoting resilience? Reduce risk Increase assets or resources Mobilize protective systems

Children have the resilience to outlive their sufferings, if given a chance. Ishmael Beah, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

Contact Caroline Burnley, Ph.D. Resilience Research Lab Western Resilience Network caroline.burnley@viu.ca 250-753-3245 ex 2135 http://www.viu.ca/resilience