Research Paper

EDUC 600
Pamela Noble
Dr. Albright
Liberty University

Abstract

Billions of dollars are spent every year on psychologist, psychiatrist, and counselors only to discover that one of the key elements missing in their child is resiliency. Resiliency for the purpose of this study is defined as the appropriate personality such as strength and positive adaptation that help a person or family cope with stress or life difficulties, increasing the likelihood of rebound from difficult situations (Kirby & Fraser, 1997). Children often struggle after a traumatic event because they are developmentally unprepared to handle the fallout of their parent’s choices or their own. Children who are resilient develop coping mechanisms throughout their developmental lifespan. These skills help them compartmentalize their emotions without the aid of mental health professionals. This may be explained by supportive parents and strong peer interaction. In addition to the empirical research, most of these children go on to live fruitful lives despite systematic trauma.

Keywords: resiliency, socialization, cognitive development, systemic trauma, family, competence

Introduction

The purpose of my study is to discuss how resilience is a common factor in children who are raised in traumatic environments. Everyone faces life stresses at some point in their lives whether it is job related or family induced from some unforeseen event. But students are our most valuable resource and as such they need support systems that understand and care about them. For most students entering their early adult stage can be difficult but they are confronting problems at home and at school. Symptoms of trauma manifest in many different ways. Children who seek treatment are often ridiculed or seen as having exhibited great distress would be seen as both rare and extreme. However, the author challenges these assumptions “by reviewing evidence that resilience represents a distinct trajectory from the process of recovery, that resilience in the face of loss or potential trauma is more common than is often believed, and that there are multiple and sometimes unexpected pathways to resilience”(Bonanno,2004).

References