Module 1 The Importance of Resilience ECE College Program Curriculum

3 The Importance of Resilience Resilience is the ability to: Persevere or adapt when things go awry Overcome obstacles Bounce back from major setbacks Reach out and broaden your world Reivich, K. & Shatté, A The Resilience Factor. New York: Broadway Books.

4 Influences on Resilience Biological  Autonomic, endocrine, immune systems Environmental  Number of stressful events, nature of events, availability of social support, cultural norms Psychological  Thought to be a very powerful influence on our response to stress

5 Beliefs Beliefs are central to resilience…  Hardiness  Self-efficacy  Optimism

6 3 C’s of Hardiness Commitment  Resilient people believe what they do is important Control  Resilient people believe they can influence outcomes Challenge  Resilient people consider a demand to be a challenge rather than a threat Kobasa, S.C., Maddi, S. R., Puccetti, M.C. & Zola, M.A Effectiveness of hardiness, exercise and social support resources against illness. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 29,

7 Why is Resilience Important? Resilience affects:  Success in school & work  Health & longevity  Risk for depression  Quality of relationships Early resilience can lead to more effective coping strategies later in life.

8 Resilient Thinking vs. “Thinking Ruts” Resilient Thinking Creative problem solving Move on despite obstacles Flexible & accurate Able to see others’ points of view Can be learned anytime Thinking Ruts Developed over a long period of time Unproductive habits Often illogical & irrational Reivich, K. & Shatté, A The Resilience Factor. New York: Broadway Books.

9 Why is Resilience Important for Adults Working with Children? Enhances adult coping and well-being Children learn through adult models Adults can provide support and strategies to build resilience

10 RIRO – A Unique Approach Focuses on adults in children’s lives  Childcare providers  Parents Aims to increase adults’ awareness of their own stress responses Helps adults to develop accurate & flexible thinking skills  Teachers  ECE students

11 What Can I Do to Be More Resilient? Learn relaxation techniques Increase awareness of relationship between thinking & feeling Gain insight into your beliefs when things go wrong Look for alternative beliefs when experiencing debilitating emotions

12 Where Should I Start? Relaxation techniques  Based on truth that you can’t be stressed & relaxed at the same time Controlled breathing Yoga, meditation, positive imagery