Positive Psychology & Resilience

is_that_so

Thought this piece was interesting, especially seeing how absent resilience appears at times nowadays. Reference too to the excellent Martin Seligman's ideas.

https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2019/1018/1084574-what-positive-psychology-teaches-us-about-resilience/

My own feeling, as stated in the article, is that a caring supportive adult is key along with a personality type that can embrace challenges.

So is resilience something that can be taught or built or is it a factor innate to particular personality types?

Freedive Ireland

I don't think it's innate and I don't think it's teachable. If you are homeless and need food you can't (imho) be taught resilience. If there is the presence of a caring adult as in the above scenario it's more likely (although not stated in the article) that other basic needs may also be fulfilled. I'm a big fan of Seligmans and Chechgetmihi (not googling it) idea of PERMA but added diet activity and sleep to it.
Imho this can only be utilised after the trauma/social problem has been dealt with.

SuperRabbit

How come you think it isn't teachable? There is so much evidence to the contrary

Freedive Ireland

Sorry didn't structure that well. I meant I don't think it's teachable while you are in the midst of something traumatic, ie homelessness. I don't think you can teach a child resilience and then pack them back to a hotel room and a "TV dinner". I think we have a **** storm coming down the tracks there tbh.

(An opinion and open to correction/learning.)

SuperRabbit

Oh yeah, I'd share that opinion! I think it's something to do while things are going ok, a partially effective vaccine rather than a treatment or cure.

JuliusCaesar

We're entirely lacking the social bit of bio-psycho-social approaches.
An individual exists in a society.

Freedive Ireland

From what I can see in the services it's a bio bio bio approach. Many/most are discharged if they come of medication.