Dr Imelda Santos Caleon, Assistant Dean (Partnerships), Office of Education Research (OER)

Like to develop greater mental strength and tenacity in the face of adversities? Learning from others, being grateful, and staying connected have the power of everyday magic that can nurture resilience.

Experiencing adversities is part and parcel of being human. Some people can get negatively affected by adverse conditions, reach breaking points, and never return to normal functioning. But some are able to quickly rebound and, at times, even emerge better and stronger than before. These are the individuals we would often think of as being resilient.

Resilience is a nebulous concept. It can be viewed as a trait or process. Using the process perspective, resilience can be conceived as a journey. It is developed over time and evolved through the dynamic interaction of an individual’s character traits and external factors. In line with this perspective, resilience is defined as a positive or successful adaptation to significant adversities or stressors (Luthar & Cicchetti, 2007).

Positive adaptation—the hallmark of resilience—may mean bouncing back (i.e., returning to baseline functioning or maintaining normal development), achieving better than expected competencies or thriving (i.e., showing growth in terms of surpassing better than normal functioning) during or after adverse experiences. In some cases, under extremely stressful conditions, like the loss of a loved one, maintaining near-baseline functioning can be construed as a manifestation of positive adaptation to adversity and is regarded as an adequate marker of resilience development.

For positive adaptation to occur in one’s resilience journey, the role of protective factors and processes that come from within an individual and his or her environment is crucial. Protective factors facilitate resilience by buffering the effects of stressors. In describing an individual who developed resilience, a compendium of traits and competencies are often used: This typically includes adaptability, empathy, optimism, perseverance, problem-solving, self-efficacy, sense of purpose, self-regulation, and social competence (Masten, 2015; Werner, 1993).

These traits and competencies, which have been robustly linked to resilience in many studies, serve as resources that an individual can draw upon to be able to deal with life’s slings and arrows effectively. The development and effectiveness of such resources are enhanced in the presence of supportive relationships and the opening of opportunities that offer potential turning points in the lives of people that are going through a vicious downward spiral.

So, what can we learn from five decades of research on resilience and the growing field of positive psychology to effectively deal with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic?

As the presence of hardships is intertwined with the concept of resilience, the uncertainty, stress, and disruptive changes commonly linked to the pandemic can serve as teachable moments or good opportunities to learn about as well as build resilience. Below are three key activities that can help in harnessing and developing the seeds of resilience from within us and from our environments so we can learn to bounce back quickly in the face of challenges posed by the pandemic.

1. Reading stories of resilience

   Reading anecdotes about how others beat the odds during the pandemic or other stressful situations can provide useful examples of tracing resilient pathways. These examples could be about tapping on personal strengths, seeking out support, engaging in productive mental processes concerning failures, working towards goals or turning setbacks into stepping-stones for adaptation and growth (Wood et al., 2012).

   Resilience stories that take place during the pandemic (for example, American Psychological Association, 2020) may not only teach vicariously how to triumph over mental and social challenges in the face of uncertainties but serve as reminders that we are not alone in our suffering. Enhancing the sense of belongingness and meaning can help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, which are protective against mental health problems and suicidal tendencies.

2. Practising gratitude

   Practising gratitude, which points to the recognition and affirmation of the good in life, can trigger positive cascading effects in terms of building positive relationships. This, in turn, can help build resilience and enhance well-being (Caleon, et al., 2019).

   Reflecting and writing on the blessings that we receive each day from people around us can help counter or supersede the negative energy that permeates the pandemic atmosphere. Research has shown that writing a list of what we are grateful for each day can help improve life satisfaction, increase hope, enhance experiences of positive emotions, and reduce depression and anxiety for both youths and adults alike (see Bono, Krakauer, & Froh, 2014, for a review).

   Expressing gratitude, such as writing letters of appreciation to others, can not only help recipients of gratitude feel appreciated and motivated to continue doing good for others but help build stronger bonds between people (Algoe, 2010) that are essential ingredients of the resilience process (Fredrickson et al., 2003).

3. Connecting optimally

   The most ubiquitous feature of any resilience story is the presence of warm and caring relationships. During the pandemic, forging and maintaining such relationships have been made challenging by social distancing. However, this precarious time is accompanied by the realisation of the value and potential of technology in reaching out to others regardless of distance or location.

   It is important that we make the most of our limited and tempered interaction time with our friends and colleagues during online interactions. Studies have shown that using synchronous and multi-modal approaches of communication, such as doing video calls, tend to offer more meaningful and rewarding connections than single-mode and asynchronous approaches, such as sending emails or text messaging, during the pandemic (Juvonen et al., 2021).

   Connecting electronically with others may serve as a means to cope with isolation and loneliness during the pandemic as long as the exchange is a satisfying one (Juvonen et al., 2021). For more satisfying online bonding experiences, we should turn on the video instead of hiding behind the static images of us and use good quality cameras and microphones so that others can see our unmasked faces and hear us clearly. Sharing our experiences with others, be it negative or positive, can help moderate our emotions. Having positive relational bonds can serve as sources of affirmation and varied forms of support.

The development of resilience in times of crisis, like the pandemic, is built on ordinary rather than extraordinary elements or processes (based on Masten, 2015). These could be simple practices that orientate us towards positivity, the appreciation of what we have, and exemplification of our inner strengths; or motivating experiences within a milieu of supportive relationships. A warm smile, a word of gratitude, an offer of help, a pat on the back, or a message of encouragement has the power of everyday magic that nurtures resilience.

You can be the everyday magician who can help turn around your or someone’s life journey!

Keen to learn more about using everyday magic to conjure resilience? Contact Dr Imelda Caleon at imelda.caleon@nie.edu.sg about her two large-scale research projects focusing on students’ resilience development, as well as the seminars and workshops she conducts on fostering resilience in school settings.

Reference:

• American Psychological Association (2020). Stories of hope, resilience and inspiration during the coronavirus pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/international/global-insights/stories-pandemic.
• Caleon, I., Ilham, N.Q., Ong, C., & Tan, J. (2019). Cascading effects of gratitude: A sequential mediation analysis of gratitude, interpersonal relationships, school resilience and school well-being. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 28, 303-312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-019-00440-w.
• Fredrickson, B. L., Tugade, M. M., Waugh, C. E., & Larkin, G. R. (2003). What good are positive emotions in crisis? A prospective study of resilience and emotions following the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11th, 2001. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 365–376. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.2.365
• Juvonen, J., Schacter, H.L., & Lessard, L.M. (2021). Connecting electronically with friends to cope with isolation during COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 38(6), 1782-1799. doi:10.1177/0265407521998459.
• Luthar, S. S., & Cicchetti, D. (2000). The construct of resilience: implications for interventions and social policies. Development and Psychopathology, 12(4), 857–885. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954579400004156
• Masten, A. (2015). Ordinary magic: resilience in development. Guilford Press.
• Werner, E. (1993). Risk, resilience, and recovery: Perspectives from the Kauai Longitudinal Study. Development and Psychopathology, 5(4), 503-515. doi:10.1017/S095457940000612X
• Wood, L., Theron, L., & Mayaba, N. (2012). ‘Read me to resilience’: Exploring the use of cultural stories to boost the positive adjustment of children orphaned by AIDS. African Journal of AIDS Research, 11, 225 - 239.