BLOQUE B.- CUESTIÓN 4.-

Payne (2005) presents an argument on how educational research have disproportionately focused on factors related to school failure and underachievement rather than looking into high level of academic success amongst students who experience adversities. Theron and Theron (2010) conducted a critical review on resilience studies within the South African context. The authors reviewed the conceptualisation of resilience amongst young people, and protective factors proved to be prominent in defining resilience. Moreover, the authors emphasised the strong urgency to promote assistance provided by professionals such as teachers, psychologists and social workers (Theron & Theron, 2010). The paper then explored on the strength-based approaches to resilience and attempts to gain an understanding of how South African students perceive this phenomenon as it occurs in different systems.

Numerous researchers have documented the negative implications of being exposed to adversities during childhood (Masten, Powell, & Luthar, 2003; Turner, Finkelhor, & Ormrod, 2006; Varese et al., 2012). However, this stands as an illustration of how little is known about resilience protective factors (Banyard, Hamby, & Grych, 2017). Previous studies had a shortfall of limiting their research to only one protective factor at a time. Researcher such as Lenzi et al. (2015) with work on school victimisation among high school learners revealed that protective factors such as self-efficacy, social support and positive family relationships assisted in fostering protection against victimisation. Despite the negative outcomes anticipated from children and young people in socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, resilience literature has turned the focus into studying the developmental assets and highlights the importance of positive resources including enabling factors in overcoming adversities (Ellis et al., 2017).

2.9.1 Defining protective factors

Arguably, resilience studies following traumatic events have misguidedly focused mostly on mechanisms of flourishing but neglected the processes on greater resilience which also buffers the

33 impact of factors that put individuals at risk (Luthar, Ciccheti, & Becker, 2000; Wingo, 2010). Protective factors are defined as factors that moderate the effect of risk young people encounter in their different environment which extensively encourage resilience (Hawkins, Catalano, & Miller, 1992). Furthermore, protective factors are suggested to vigorously lessen an individual’s vulnerability to risk factors and increase resilience to these risk factors by means of protecting them from developing, internalising and externalising problems (Hawkins et al., 1992). The authors claim that these promote positive outcomes. It is both the individual’s internal assets along with their systemic external strengths that are referred to as protective factors or defensive mechanisms (Johnson, & Howard, 2007). Therefore, Toland and Carrigan (2011) later asserted that protective factors refer to those factors that act to protect an individual from developing a problem even in the face of adversity.

2.9.2 Protective resources anchored in personal life

Protective factors that are instilled within personal life persist in numerous studies on resilience more so among young people (Theron & Theron, 2010). Personal traits were previously argued to form the foundational basis of the early definition of resilience. However, studies now have progressed to include factors found within personality traits to be contributing towards resilience. Achievement orientation, autonomy and the ability to self-regulate forms part of the personality traits and are acknowledged as individual factors of resilience (Theron & Theron, 2010). In addition to traits, the authors discovered that skills such as problem solving, positive cognitive appraisal and having an internal locus of control are linked to resilience (Theron & Theron, 2010).

Many scholars such as Ellis and Del Giudice, 2014; Frankenhuis and de Weerth, 2013; Mittal, Griskevicius, Simpson, Sung and Young, 2015 (as cited in Ellis, Bianchi, Griskevicius, & Frankenhuis, 2017) support the claim and further state that individuals who grow up in harsh and unstable environments develop the ability to specialize their cognitive to match the high impact of the adversity. The abilities developed thereafter tend to enhance any intervention outcomes and resilience. Moreover, Ellis et al. (2017, p.562) proposed that “harsh, unpredictable environments do not exclusively impair cognitive abilities, instead individuals become developmentally adapted for solving problems that are ecologically relevant in such environments”.

34 2.9.3 Protective factors embedded within social environments

According to a report by Theron (2007), both parents have the capabilities that encourage resilience. However, mothers were singled out to have prominent impact. These mothers displayed a strong bond with their children which encouraged resilience more so in violent contexts (Theron & Theron, 2010). Young people are said to most likely to imitate the parents’ response considering an adverse or traumatic experience (Theron & Theron, 2010). They are reported to draw from the strengths and positive qualities perceived as worth imitating.

Families with supportive relationships are perceived to buffer violence and promote enabling factors to overcome molestation and motivate black youth to thrive in their tertiary studies (Theron & Theron, 2010). Masten (2014) adds that effective caregiving; close relationships with capable adults and romantic partners also promote resilience. Supportive family relations extend to shared participation in activities, experiences of belonging, a sense of love and being valuable within the family. Dass-Brailford (2005) also noted how siblings play an eminent role in moulding youth resilience.

Teachers play a pivotal role in impacting, inspiring and motivating young lives (Theron, 2007). In addition to teaching, schools provide a safe and secure space in which others have an opportunity to vent emotions (Theron, 2007). Schools are regarded as a community of young people that functions at maintaining academic excellence, with extra-curricular activities significantly promoting resilience (Theron, 2007). Community support is often referred to as resilience- promoting, however the particulars of the nature of the support are not clearly defined (Theron, & Theron, 2010). Dass-Brailsford (2005) further attempts to conceptualise the specifics by connecting attributes found in resilience literature such as support of youth success from adults, provision of therapy and bereavement counselling and encouraged peer interactions.