Uncertain Legacies: Resilience and Institutional Child Abuse - A Literature Review - Research Findings

Factors which affect resilience

There was an extensive list of factors discussed in the literature, often divided into two categories: 'risk' and 'protective' factors. Risk factors were associated with heightened chances of suffering negative outcomes as a result of adverse events or experiences, while protective factors acted as a buffer to offset potential harm caused by these experiences. However, risk does not always translate into harm, and neither do protective factors act as a concrete safeguard against it. What is important is the balance between these factors for any individual, at any one time, and in any given situation.

The review found that resilience is dependent on interactions between internal personality characteristics (internal/personal), relationships with other people (external/social) and the social and political environment (structural factors).

Internal/personal factors include self image, control, meaningfulness and hope. They relate to how we see ourselves, the world around us, and also how we perceive the past, the present and the future. External/social factors relate to relationships with family, friends, and the wider community. Structural factors, including gender and race, influence experiences and responses to them. The literature focussed on individuals at different points in the lifespan, and consistently identified the quality of relationships, within and outwith the family, as a critical influence on resilience (Daniel et al, 1999). Relationships which were consistent and stable provided some insulation against the impacts of adversity and negative experiences. In fact, for abuse survivors, safe and caring relationships might help to accelerate healing (Rutter, 2000).