Factors and Processes Contributing to Resilience

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214 Karol L. Kumpfer
The primary implication of resiliency research for prevention programming
with high-risk youth isthat prevention programs should focus more directly
on the development of the primary resiJient characteristics identificd in this
review. These resilient traits can be developed by modifying the external
environment to increase proteelive processest employing small challenges,
creating opportunities for involvement and the demonstration of competence,
and increasing involvement, bonding and attachment to prosocial
groups. Interventions should strive to improve the quality of caregiving,
teaching parents and youth workers how to increase resiliency characteristics
in children, reducing environmental inequities and stressors for children
in high-risk or unhealthy environments. Some interventions should work
directly with children and youth to increase personal power and resilience.
Assessments of personal and academic competence could provide information
for tailored resilience interventions, possibly through computer
interactive programs or video tapes for caretakers and families.
Summary
Why is it that we have invested so much into material and scientific
technology to build better material goods, yet we know so little about how
to build better children? The future success of our country depends on
increasing our technology and interest in building better children. For this
reason, increased research into this field of resilience and child development
is critical to the prevention field and our nation's prosperity and weil
being. Promoting resilience in youth holds promise for creating more effective
prevention programs. As can be concluded from this extensive review
of research, there are no simple formulas for instiUing resilience. Research
on resilience, while holding much promise for the alcohol and drug preverition
field, is also plagued by a number of definitionaJ issues and research
limitations. This review suggests that virtually all aspects of a child's personality
and environment as weil as transactional relationships between the
child and his/her environment inßuence positive life adaptation. Determining
the most salient variables is compJicated by gender, culture, history,
local environmental issues and developmental appropriateness. A number
of caveats on the quality of the research have been discussed including
issues in theoretical paradigmst definitions, measurement, designs and
statistical analysis procedures. Because of the increasing willingness to
see behaviors of individuals as influenced by dynamic transactions with
significant others and the environment, studying the predictors of resilience
have become much more complicated. Additional transactional, crosslagged
prospectfve studies are needed incJuding multivariate data collec-