How people survive and thrive through adversity is a question which has prompted much research. There is little agreement on the definition of resilience beyond the basic idea of "bouncing back", resulting in many studies which offer contradictory and confusing information. This study sought to organise the literature into broad conceptual categories, and attempted to explain some of the differences in definitions and research methods at the level of paradigm. A need to reconceptualise resilience was identified and undertaken in view of input from ecosystemic, cybernetic and postmodem paradigms. Attention was given especially to the role oflanguage, meaning and description, and the role of the observer/researcher in such a reconceptualisation. Guidelines were offered for approaching research in future. Finally, the context of the researcher was examined in an attempt at self-reflexivity as part of the process of research as proposed in the reconceptualisation. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

I denna studie är syftet att skapa en förståelse kring vad som utmärker socialsekreterarnas eftervårdsarbete med ungdomar placerade på särskilda ungdomshem. Studien använder sig av semistrukturerade intervjuer som datasamlingsmetod där socialsekreterarna delat med sig av sina erfarenheter och kunskaper. Utifrån intervjuerna har det i analysen gått att urskilja tre teman som beskriver vad som utmärker socialsekreterares eftervårdsarbete. Dessa teman är: Bibehålla ungdomarnas utveckling, Motstånd i eftervården och Förväntningar på ungdomarnas framtid. De olika insatserna som socialsekreterarna lämnar samt de framgångar och motgångar de har erfarenheter av i eftervården har tolkats utifrån resilience och gräsrotsbyråkrati. Med stöd av dessa teoretiska utgångspunkter framkommer områdena boende, sysselsättning, behandling och socialt nätverk, som socialsekreterarna anser främjar ungdomarnas chans att klara sig efter avslutad placering. I studien framkommer även att socialsekreterarna upplever motstånd från ungdomarna och på vilket sätt de bemöter detta. Studien belyser även att socialsekreterarna arbetar med att integrera ungdomarna i det övriga samhället och vilka förväntningar de uppfattar de kan ställa på dessa ungdomar. / In this study the aim is to create an understanding of what characterizes social workers measures in leaving care for young people in secure units. The study uses semi-structured interviews as a qualitative data collection method where social workers shared their experiences of working with leaving care for young people in secure units. Based on the interviews, our analysis found three themes that describe what characterize social workers’ work. The themes are: Maintain young people’s achievements, Resistance in leaving care and Expectations for young people’s future. What kind of measures the social workers provided along with what they experienced benefited or hindered their work has been analyzed on the basis of resilience and street-level bureaucracy. With the support of these theoretical perspectives housing, employment, treatment and social network was found to be a part of the social workers’ measures to promote young people’s chances for an independent living. It was also found that social workers experiences resistance from young people and how they worked with these setbacks. The study also highlights how the social workers’ strived to integrate young people back into society.

Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It is a well known phenomenon that people from historically disadvantaged communities, tend to do well in society despite the numerous risk factors that complicate life for them. This study has this phenomenon as it's subject. The unit of analysis of the study was Grade 12 achievers from a historically disadvantaged community. The main purpose of this study was to determine why these Grade 12 learners managed to excell academically despite the risk factors present in their community. The secondary focus of the study was to identify the risk factors that the learners had to face to eventually achieve academic success and the protective factors which contributed to their academic success. The literature review focussed on the concept "resilience" and related concepts such as risk factors, protective factors and the adolescent development phase within the framework of positive psychology, eco-systemic and asset based approaches. The research was conducted using a qualitative interpretive study approach. Seven achievers from the coloured community in the Western Cape, were interviewed. The data was analysed using qualitative content analysis. The data was discussed by placing the risk factors and the protective factors in five different systems namely, the individual, the family, the school, the peergroup and the community. The findings of the study indicate that the above systems are in constant interaction with one another and that the protective factors can be utilized to overcome the risk factors. The study thus proves that, although the participants were exposed to risk factors, they managed to display great resilience in using protective factors. The community was identified as one of the biggest risk factors, but by utilizing certain protective factors as are found in the individual, the family, the school and the peergroup, the participants were able to protect themselves against the risk factors resulting in their academic success. The personal strengths of the participants proved to be the most important protective factor in a historically disadvantaged community. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit is 'n bekende fenomeen dat persone wat in histories benadeelde omstandighede grootgeword het, ten spyte van risikofaktore, suksesvolle produktiewe lede van die samelewing word. Dit is juis hierdie fenomeen wat dié studie ondersoek het. Hierdie studie het pertinent bruin graad 12-presteerders uit 'n histories benadeelde gemeenskap as eenheid van analise geteiken. Die doel van hierdie studie was om uit te vind waarom graad 12-leerders ten spyte van verskeie risikofaktore binne 'n histories benadeelde gemeenskap daarin geslaag het om akademies goed te presteer. Die newevraagstellings van die studie was om uit te vind watter risikofaktore die deelnemers moes trotseer ten einde akademiese sukses te behaal en ook watter beskermingsfaktore tot hierdie deelnemers se akademiese sukses bygedra het. Die literatuuroorsig het die konsep "veerkragtigheid" en aanverwante begrippe soos risikofaktore, beskermingsfaktore en die adolessente ontwikkelingsfase binne die raamwerk van positiewe sielkunde, die ekosistemiese en bategebaseerde benaderings ondersoek. 'n Kwalitatiewe interpretatiewe studie is geloods om die navorsing uit te voer. Individuele onderhoude is met sewe presteerders uit 'n bruin gemeenskap in die Wes-Kaapprovinsie gevoer. Die data is met behulp van kwalitatiewe inhoudsanalise ontleed. Die data is bespreek deur risikofaktore en beskermingsfaktore binne vyf sisteme naamlik die individu, die gesin, die skool, die portuurgroep en die gemeenskap te plaas. Die bevindings van die studie toon dat bogenoemde sisteme in voortdurende wisselwerking met mekaar is en dat die beskermingsfaktore gebruik kan word om die risikofaktore te bowe te kom. Die bevindinge toon derhalwe dat, alhoewel die deelnemers voortdurend risikofaktore ervaar het, hulle met behulp van sekere beskermingsfaktore veerkragtigheid aan die dag kon lê. Die gemeenskap is as een van die grootste risikofaktore uitgelig, maar met behulp van sekere beskermingsfaktore soos gevind in die individu, die gesin, die skool, en die portuurgroep, kon die deelnemers hulleself teen risikofaktore buffer en akademiese sukses behaal. Die persoonlike sterktes van die deelnemers het as die belangrikste beskermingsfaktor in 'n histories benadeelde gemeenskap na vore getree.

The Canterbury region of New Zealand experienced four earthquakes greater than MW 6.0 between September 2010 and December 2011. This study employs system dynamics as well as hazard, recovery and organisational literature and brings together data collected via surveys, case studies and interviews with organisations affected by the earthquakes. This is to show how systemic interactions and interdependencies within and between industry and geographic sectors affect their recovery post-disaster. The industry sectors in the study are: construction for its role in the rebuild, information and communication technology which is a regional high-growth industry, trucking for logistics, critical infrastructure, fast moving consumer goods (e.g. supermarkets) and hospitality to track recovery through non-discretionary and discretionary spend respectively. Also in the study are three urban centres including the region’s largest Central Business District, which has been inaccessible since the earthquake of 22 February 2011 to the time of writing in February 2013. This work also highlights how earthquake effects propagated between sectors and how sectors collaborated to mitigate difficulties such as product demand instability. Other interacting factors are identified that influence the recovery trajectories of the different industry sectors. These are resource availability, insurance payments, aid from central government, and timely and quality recovery information. This work demonstrates that in recovering from disaster it is crucial for organisations to identify what interacting factors could affect their operations. Also of importance are efforts to reduce the organisation’s vulnerability and increase their resilience to future crises and in day-to-day operations. Lastly, the multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the recovery and resilience of organisations and industry sectors after disaster, leads to a better understanding of effects as well as more effective recovery policy.

Tidigare forskning har visat att mer än hälften av alla barn som utsatts för risk under uppväxten inte utvecklar allvarliga psykiska problem. Uppväxt på barnhem kan anses vara en sådan risk då det typiska samspelet mellan barn och vuxna saknas. För att förstå vad det är som gör att barn på barnhem ändå kan växa upp och få en tillfredsställande vardag tar denna studie sin utgångspunkt i begreppet resiliens. Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka vilka möjligheter och begränsningar det finns för utveckling av resiliens på ett barnhem i Tanzania. Studien har en kvalitativ metod med mikroetnografisk ansats. Data har samlats in genom deltagande observationer som kompletterats med semistrukturerade intervjuer med tre informanter från personalen på barnhemmet. Studiens resultat beskriver barnhemmet som en institution där rutiner och en tydlig struktur var en viktig del av vardagen. Kristendomen hade en central roll på barnhemmet och i barnens uppfostran. Resultaten visar att aga och disciplinering användes i uppfostrande syfte. Vidare synliggjordes ambitionen att barnen skulle bli självständiga och de äldre barnen lärde sig att ta hand om de yngre. Betydelsen av kärlek lyftes fram i många sammanhang och barnens känsla av att tillhöra en familj ansågs vara betydelsefull. Personalen arbetade för att uppväxten på barnhemmet skulle bli så lik uppväxt i en biologisk familj som möjligt. I resultatet framkom även hur barnens tid med vuxna var begränsad. Slutligen redogjordes för betydelsen av de personliga egenskaper som barnen bär med sig från sina biologiska familjer. Med begreppet resiliens som teoretisk utgångspunkt blev slutsatserna att barnhemmet har potential att utgöra en god grund för utveckling av resiliens. Samtidigt som en begränsning för utvecklingen av resiliens kan vara den brist på tid med vuxna som framkommer i resultatet. Den här studien lyfter både faktorer inom den sociala kulturen och sociala relationer som kan underlätta och försvåra utvecklingen av resiliens. Hur dessa faktorer påverkar resiliens skiljer sig mellan individer vilket kan försvåra att nå en generell slutsats.

The occurrence of custodial grandparents is increasing greatly. These grandparents face added stress and many adversities that arise from caregiving. Findings of current research tends to be mixed on the effects of grandparents raising grandchildren experience. Much research concludes that grandparent caregivers experience negative declines in overall health and well-being, while other research points out that the caregiving role may actually be a positive experience for the grandparent. The current study hypothesizes that mixed research may be a result of varying levels of resilience in the custodial grandparent population. The model proposed in this study looks at resilience as a mediator between several variables that effect custodial grandparenting. The current sample consisted of 239 custodial grandparents. A regression/correlation analysis was conducted on the data, and it was found that resilience levels were significant in mediating the effects of grandparent caregiving.

Research has shown that students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) typically have poor life outcomes. Students with EBD who are placed in an alternative education setting are likely to continue a path toward failure without carefully designed effective services. Existing studies have independently examined resilience in children and youth and alternative education settings. However, there is a gap in research examining resilience in students who have graduated from alternative education settings. Using semi-structured interviews, the present interpretive and descriptive qualitative study sought to explore factors of resilience in individuals who graduated from alternative education settings. The study sought to identify elements, specific to alternative education settings, that have contributed to resilience in young adulthood and to further our understanding of how alternative education placements have contributed to the participants’ current life status. Findings revealed three themes specific to alternative education settings that contributed to participants’ resilience: teachers who show that they care about their students, a positive learning environment, and a small student-teacher ratio where participants were able to get more one-on-one instruction. Additionally, two other themes arose from the data: having a supportive family and an innate sense of self.

The Team Resilience Assessment Method for Simulation (TRAMS) is an instrument that consist of several measurements, such as team-member exchange, workload, the TRAMS observation protocol etc. This thesis researches the observation protocol. The TRAMS protocol is an assessment method for resilience in simulation games. The aim of this protocol is to support the identification of resilience strategies used and developed by the participants in a simulation game. It is a challenge to assess resilience in teams and that is why the TRAMS protocol has been developed. The scenario of the simulation games is a disruption for 10 days in the card payment system. During the simulation games, the participants work in teams and have to try to cope with the disruption in the card payment system. During the course of this study, 14 simulation games have been conducted with seven different teams. Each of the simulation games has been executed during one whole day, and the participating teams have in total played two games each. During every simulation game there were three observers equipped with the TRAMS protocol. To interpret the data collected with the TRAMS protocol, two methods have been used: transcription and thematic analysis. As a result, guidelines and design changes was formed. In addition, results showed that the distribution and frequency of observations of resilience strategies made were similar, that the observations noted by the observers were similar, and lastly eight themes from the data collection could be extracted: Coordinate and collaborate, Payment options, Cash circulation, Safety, Fuel and transportation, Inform, communicate and the media, Hoarding and rationing, Vulnerable groups. In conclusion, the TRAMS protocol is still under development and 15 more simulation games are planned to be conducted within the ongoing CCRAAAFFTING project. However, the protocol has been applied in this study´s 14 simulation games so far, and the similarities in how the observers filled in the protocol and how similar the observations were, indicate that it hopefully can develop into a recognized research tool in the future.

Après avoir analysé au travers d'une recherche exploratoire et clinique, certains des facteurs de protection mis en jeu lors d'un traumatisme, une investigation approfondie de la littérature internationale a été menée afin de mettre en évidence la pertinence d'un instrument permettant d'appréhender la présence d'un panel plus large de facteurs de résilience. Face auxlimites des outils psychométriques actuels et en vue de les pallier, une échelle de mesure a été élaborée. Ainsi, cette thèse sur travaux rapporte les étapes de développement et de validation d'un outil construit afin d'évaluer les facteurs de protection concourant à la résilience. Une analyse factorielle exploratoire des données a été conduite auprès de 299 participants francophones dans le but d'éprouver la structure de l'I.F.R-40 (Inventaire des Facteurs de Résilience). La validité convergente, la stabilité temporelle de même que la cohérence interne de l'outil ont fait l'objet d'une évaluation. Les résultats obtenus soutiennent une structure en trois dimensions (facteurs de protection personnels, familiaux et extra-Familiaux) et appuient la validité ainsi que la fidélité de l'I.F.R-40. D'autres analyses ont également été menées afin devalider la structure factorielle de l'Inventaire des Facteurs de Résilience (I.F.R-40) au moyen d'une A.F.C (Analyse Factorielle Confirmatoire). Les analyses réalisées confirment la présence de trois facteurs, interprétés en termes de facteurs de protection familiaux, facteurs de protection individuels et facteurs de protection extrafamiliaux. L'étude de la validité divergente confirme les liens prédits entre l'I.F.R-40 et l'échelle composite de dépression de Berndt et Kaiser (1999). Enfin, l'I.F.R-40 différencie les adolescents exposés à un traumatisme présentant des scores de dépression à la MDI-C de ceux ne manifestant pas de dépression. Ainsi, l'I.F.R-40 est une échelle tridimensionnelle présentant des propriétés psychométriques satisfaisantes. Les résultats sont discutés à la lumière de leurs implications à la fois théoriques et pratiques. / After having analysed through an exploratory and clinical research, some protection factors playing a part after a traumatism, an in-Depth investigation of international literature was conducted in order to bring to light the relevance of an instrument enabling to comprehend the presence of a larger set of resilience factors. Confronted with the limits of actual psychometric tools and in order to overcome them, a measurement scale has been worked out. Thus, this thesis reports the development and validation steps of a tool constructed with the aim of evaluating the protection factors working together towards resilience. An exploratory factorial data analysis was conducted on 299 French-Speaking participants to test the structure of the I.R.F-40 (Inventory of Resilience Factors). The convergent validity, the temporal stability as well as the internal consistency of the tool have been assessed. The results obtained approve of the three dimension structure (personal, familial and extra-Familial protection factors) and support the validity as well as the reliability of the I.R.F-40. Other analyses have also been conducted in order to validate the factorial structure of the Inventory of Resilience Factors (I.R.F-40) thanks to C.F.A (Confirmatory Factorial Analysis). The analyses conducted confirm the presence of three factors, interpretedin terms of familial protection factors, individual protection factors and extra-Familial protection factors. The study of the divergent validity confirms the predicted links between the I.R.F-40 and Berndt and Kaiser’s composite depression scale (1999). Finally, the I.R.F-40 differentiates the adolescents exposed to a traumatism and who have depression scores atMDI-C to those who experience no depression. Therefore, the I.R.F-40 is a three dimension scale presenting satisfactory psychometric properties. The results are discussed in the light of both their theoretical and practical implications.

Thesis (M.A. (Clinical psychology) --University of Limpopo, 2011 / The purpose of this study was to describe the influence of family resilience on teenagers’ adaptation following parental divorce. Quantitative and qualitative, descriptive research was conducted to determine if there was a relationship between family resilience and teenagers’ adaptation. Data collection was done using structured questionnaires. Affected teenagers, n=60 and their families (n=60), were sampled using a screening tool at three schools in Capricorn district in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Data was collected using family resilience scales and coping scales: Ways of Coping (WCS). The data was analysed in line with ABCX-model to choose subscales that correlated significantly with adaptation scale of family resilience as potential resilience factors; and coping by avoidance, behavioral and cognitive strategies using (WCS). The study highlighted potential family resilience factors and specific ways of coping used by teenagers among families with teenagers following parental divorce. The findings have revealed that there are family characteristics which enable teenagers to cope following parental divorce. Teenagers who cope have been found to mostly use behavioural and cognitive strategies and less of avoidance strategies. Family resilience factors among the families of these teenagers were effective communication (Family Problem Solving and Communication-FPSC), family hardiness (Family Hardiness Index-FHI) and, the problem solving and behavioural strategies utilised by families in crisis situations (Family Crisis Oriented personal Evaluation Scales-F-COPES). Further research should focus on longitudinal and context-specific that tracks family and teenagers’ adaptation to stressful events as a process that unfolds over time and those that recognises bi-directional and, transactional influences among fa