Understanding Resilience in Children and Youth

The topic of resilience in children and youth is a critical one as we look at ways to reduce the incidence of violence. Educators are confronted with both a challenge and a dilemma.  On the one hand, research indicates that some 20% to 50% of students attending schools in the U.S. are victims of violence within their families, at school, or in their communities. Such victimization experiences contribute to emotional, behavioral and academic difficulties (high rates of school absences, lower academic functioning and decreased rates of high school graduation). On the other hand, a comparable rate of students is exposed to multiple high-risk events, but they show evidence of “resilience” and “beat the odds.”

What distinguishes these two groups of children and what can educators do to influence students’ developmental trajectory? More specifically,

• What are the characteristics of resilient students?
• What does research tell us about ways to nurture resilience?
• What can educators do to nurture resilience in children and youth?

In order to obtain answers to these and related questions, please download the following PDF file:

“Ways to Bolster Reslilience in Children”