Psychological resilience: an update on definitions, a critical appraisal, and research recommendations

Mental health responses to COVID-19 around the world

“…These findings add to previous studies showing elevated levels of anxiety (Bareeqa et al, 2020 ; Cénat et al, 2021 ; de Pablo et al, 2020 ; Wu et al, 2021 ; Xiong et al, 2020 ), depression (Bareeqa et al, 2020 ; BinDhim et al, 2021 ; Cénat et al, 2021 ; de Pablo et al, 2020 ; Vindegaard & Benros, 2020 ; Wu et al, 2021 ; Xiong et al, 2020 ), insomnia (Cénat et al, 2021 ; de Pablo et al, 2020 ; Wu et al, 2021 ) and PTSD (Cénat et al, 2021 ; de Pablo et al, 2020 ; Vindegaard & Benros, 2020 ; Xiong et al, 2020 ) among the general population, health care workers and COVID-19 patients. The potential life threat posed by COVID-19 and the ongoing risk and uncertainty of when and how exposure and severe health consequences may occur represent peri-traumatic factors associated with psychopathology (Denckla et al, 2020 ). Given these factors, COVID-19-related events would indeed be expected to have a similar or even more severe impact on a wide range of mental health symptoms, compared to other stressful events.…”

“…Other risk factors, such as experiencing additional stressors, having a psychiatric history, or having experienced childhood trauma, may also affect responses to COVID-19-related stressors (Kim, Nyengerai, & Mendenhall, 2020 ; Qi et al, 2020 ; Sherman, Williams, Amick, Hudson, & Messias, 2020 ; White & van der Boor, 2020 ; Xiong et al, 2020 ). Psychological resilience, on the other hand, may buffer stress responses (Denckla et al, 2020 ; van der Meer et al, 2018 ). Little is known about whether these established risk and protective factors for mental health problems following other traumatic events also influence COVID-19-related psychopathology, although there is some preliminary evidence showing that variables like being male, older, having no history of mental health difficulties, and higher levels of psychological well-being are predictors of resilience in the current pandemic (Valiente, Vazquez, Contreras, Peinado, & Trucharte, 2021 ).…”

To share or not to share – 10 years of European Journal of Psychotraumatology

“…Southwick et al ( 2014 ) article on definitions of resilience is the number 1 downloaded and cited paper, clearly a pivotal subject. Denckla et al ( 2020 ) have just published an update on this important topic reflecting the current discussions.…”

Resilience-promoting policies and contexts for children of color in the United States: Existing research and future priorities

“…Resilience has been defined in a variety of ways, and tends to vary across disciplines and levels of analysis (Boon, Cottrell, King, Stevenson, & Millar, 2012; Denckla et al, in press; Kirmayer, Sehdev, & Isaac, 2009; Luthar & Zigler, 1991; Luthar, Cicchetti, & Becker, 2000; Masten, 2001; Masten, 2007; Norris, Stevens, Pfefferbaum, Wyche, & Pfefferbaum, 2008) with most definitions involving positive adaptation or recovery in the context of the adversity or stress. As a developmental psychologist committed to the application of science to policy, Edward Zigler (1930–2019) advanced policies to promote child resilience, playing a central role in the creation of Head Start, Early Head Start, and the Family and Medical Leave Act.…”