Effects of Maltreatment: Resilience

Question 1

What is Developmental Psychopathology

Answer 1

Study of both maladaptive and adaptive developmental trajectories

Question 2

What is Multifinality

Answer 2

Multifinality: individuals with same experience may have different outcomes
- Influenced by biological and psychological processes, subsequent/past experiences, social context, timing of experiences, etc.

Question 3

What is Resilience

Answer 3

The capacity of a dynamic system to withstand or recover from significant challenges that threaten its stability, viability, or development

Positive adaptation despite experiencing adversity that typically disrupts development

Question 4

What are some examples of Resilience

Answer 4

• Positive outcomes from high-risks context
• Recovery from trauma
• Overcoming adversity to succeed in life
• Unexpected positive development

Question 5

Why study Resilience

Answer 5

• Better understand developmental theory
• Informing design and implementation of intervention programs

Resilience is not fixed or stable
- Can move from not resilient to resilient, and from resilient to not resilient
- By definition, resilience requires some adverse experience

Question 6

How is Resilience measured?

Answer 6

Competence with regard to developmentally salient tasks: a pattern of effective functioning as demonstrated by successfully engaging and achieving developmental tasks for people of a given age, culture, and time in history

Question 7

How is Competence measured through the stages of childhood?

Answer 7

• Infant: Formation of secure attachment
• Toddler: Development of effective problem-solving
• Preschool: Initiation of positive peer relationships
• School-age: Average academic performance

Question 8

How is Competence measured in adulthood

Answer 8

-Employment
-No homelessness
-High school graduation
-Social activity
-No psychiatric disorder
-No substance abuse
-No arrest
-No self-reported violence

Self-report of personal characteristics that increase resilience in the face of adversity

Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale
Low resilience scores associated with sleep quality and mental health

Question 9

What are the 10-items on the Connor-Davidson Scale

Answer 9

1. Able to adapt to change
2. Can deal with whatever comes
3. Tries to see humorous side of problems
4. Coping with stress can strengthen me
5. Tends to bounce back after illness or hardship
6. Can achieve goals despite obstacles
7. Can stay focused under pressure
8. Not easily discouraged by failure
9. Thinks of self as a strong person
   1O. Can handle unpleasant feelings

Question 10

What are Individual level predictors of Resilience?

Answer 10

• Intelligence
• Self-control (executive functioning)
• Self-esteem, confidence, self-efficacy
• Hope, positive thinking
• Motivation
• Genetic protective factors

Question 11

What are Family level predictors of Resilience?

Answer 11

Parent-child relationships
- Responsive parenting

Other close relationships
- Quality of peer relationships
- At least one reciprocal peer relationship
-Romantic partner

Question 12

What are Community level predictors of Resilience?

Answer 12

• Peer relationships
• Teacher relationships
• Effective schools
• Safe communities, resource availability

Question 13

What was the background of the research conducted by Miller et al?

Answer 13

-Children raised in low-SES families go on to have high rates of chronic illness as adults

But, a sizeable minority of low-SES children remain health across the life-span

Question 14

What was the research question for the Miller et al study?

Answer 14

What factors account for such resilience?
- Upward socioeconomic mobility?
- Parental nurturance?

Question 15

How many Participants were in Miller et al. research study?

Answer 15

• Participants: 1205 middle-aged Americans

Question 16

What was the main predictor of the Miller et al research study?

Answer 16

Main predictor: Childhood SES (parental educational attainment)

Question 17

What was the main outcome measure?

Answer 17

Main outcome measure:

• Metabolic syndrome
• Central adiposity (weight around the mid-section)

And at least 2 out of 4 additional health issues:
- High blood pressure
- Raised triglyceride levels
- Raised fasting-glucose levels
- Low high-density lipoprotein levels

Question 18

What were the moderators in the Miller et al study?

Answer 18

• Parental nurturance
  “How much did he/she understand your problems and worries?”

“How much time and attention did he/she give you when you needed it?”

• Socioeconomic mobility
  Moving from low to high SES

Question 19

Does childhood SES predict adult metabolic syndrome?

Answer 19

Yes

As you go from lower to higher education, the risk of metabolic syndrome components decrease

Question 20

Are there individuals from low-SES backgrounds that are resilient to metabolic syndrome?

Answer 20

Yes

• Lower income can still be resilient to these symptoms

Question 21

Does upward social mobility protect against metabolic syndrome for low childhood SES?

Answer 21

No

• Moving to a higher SES did not change the fact that the child grew up in a low SES

Question 22

Does parental nurturance protect against metabolic syndrome for low childhood SES?

Answer 22

Yes

• If you have a nurturing relationship even if they have low education levels you still have fewer symptoms

Question 23

What are the conclusions of Miller et al. research study?

Answer 23

-Parental nurturance serves as a buffer from health consequences for individuals from low-SES backgrounds.

This is a clear example of resilience…
- Low SES leads to Health issues
- Some low-SES individuals don’t have health issues
- Parental nurturance is a factor that predicts individuals’ resilience

Question 24

How is Resilience built?

Answer 24

• Facilitating supportive adult-child relationships
• Building a sense of self-efficacy and perceived control
• Providing opportunities to strengthen adaptive skills and self-regulatory capacities

-Mobilizing sources of faith, hope, and cultural traditions