Childhood Resilience: Review and critique of literature

In recent times, research has been conducted into childhood resilience, a term which, according to Masten, Best and Garmezy (1990) is defined as the process of, capacity for, or outcome of successful adaptation despite challenging or threatening circumstances. Rutter (1990, p. 181) suggests the term refers to 'the positive pole of the ubiquitous phenomenon of individual difference in people's responses to stress and adversity'. This paper presents a brief review and critique of the most influential literature in the area which includes work by, for example, Rutter (1994), Garmezy (1994), Garmezy and Rutter (1983), Werner and Smith (1988, 1990) and others. In particular, the way in which the concept of resilience has been taken up in the educational literature will be examined (e.g. Benard, 1991, 1993; Winfield 1994; Comprehensive Training to Assure Resiliency in Students, 1996; Wang, 1995). The paper concludes by suggesting that while the twin concepts of risk and resilience have been carefully explored in the research reviewed, there is room for further work in the area. Future studies, especially those which are to have an applied focus, should be guided by three important principles. First, they should adopt a theoretical and practical ecological framework (Bronfenbrenner, 1979); secondly, they should be extremely mindful of the social context within which the research is carried out; and thirdly, they should take account of children's understanding of the key concepts which may well differ from those of the adult researchers.