Ungar, M. (2010). Families as navigators and negotiators: Facilitating

One must wonder how a person with Steve’s shocking childhood could grow into a man who is successful, not only in his career but in his personal life as well. Resilience theory is a possible explanation as to why Steve survived, despite the odds that were stacked against him. Resilience theory is a strength based approach which provides a framework that focuses on positive outcomes and not just the negative ones. The idea is that it promotes what works best while de-emphasizing psychopathology. Resilience theory defines resilience and possesses several key terms, which include protective/risk factors. Research on resilience has been valuable in directing attention toward youth who succeed in spite of high levels of stress and economic instability, as it identifies factors that can serve as protective functions which foster competence.

According to Minuchin (1985), six basic principles outline the Family Systems theory. Each principle describes the function in which a family and its subsystems operate and the inextricable relationships within the system. The first principle of Minuchin’s (1985) theory implies that each member develops and is enveloped within the family unit, while the second principle states that there is a continuous loop in which each member feeds the behaviours of another. Thirdly, family systems have homeostatic elements which restore the family back to its equilibrium when disarrayed (Minuchin, 1985).

The purpose of this paper is to define the concept of resilience using Wilson’s concept analysis. Wilsons method was developed expressly for students to develop the abiity to “gain skills in answering questions of a conceptual nature.” (Walker & Advant 2011, p. 55) The process he developed provides the necessary structure for the development of a concept without being overly laborious in process. It is meant to assist the user in “clear thinking and communitcation”. (2011, p. 55). It uses the process of question isolation: deciding on a concept to address, finding right answers or researching meaning of the concept to be investigated, example cases in which this paper will only identify a model case, social context in which the concept

Resilience, fundamentally, is the ability to bounce back from hardship and the phenomenon of overcoming stress or adversity, for example: personal crises, poverty, mental illness and trauma (Occupational Health & Wellbeing, 2012). This skill can help individuals overcome the most difficult of situations (Occupational Health & Wellbeing, 2012). Resilience theorists generally agree that the presence of protective factors can reduce the effects of exposure to adversity. The more protective factors (or “assets”) available, the more resilient a person will be. Protective factors are conditions or attributes that help people deal more effectively with stressful events and eliminate risk. On the contrary, risk factors are attributes or characteristics

The theory itself allows us to understand the dynamics of family and how the changes of relationships are influenced by life experiences. Such theory can aid families in understanding what they may endure during the specific life stages

Resilience is a term that is often applied to those who have faced hardship and viewed the experience in a positive light as an opportunity to grow and change for the better (Wagnild & Collins, 2009). The definition however seems to vary from place to place. Ungar et al. (2008) stated “definitions of resilience are ambiguous when viewed across cultures" (p.174) which is why the understanding of resilience may be difficult to capture (as cited in Windle, Bennett & Noyes, 2011). Although the literature agrees on several common themes about resilience there are many varying opinions on how to define the concept or the attributing factors. Earvolino-Ramirez (2007) and

The greatest and most prominent strength of the family is their ability to adapt to differences in culture and expectation. Although they are having their struggles in America, they are still ultimately successful in making a living for themselves in a different world. Along with the stress, the parents are still in conjunction with one another with regards to family values and it is clear that each member deeply cares for one another. This aspect of resilience is crucial because it has positive implications as to their willingness to change as a family unit for the better. Additionally, it is clear that the family is a set of very hardworking individuals, who have hope for a better life despite all the obstacles faced, and the very definition of resilience is the ability to see have hope in situations that others (non-resilient individuals) would not. Again, this particular set of strengths is important in allowing and assisting in the family altering their problems. With hope, it will help the family work towards their goals if they truly believe that their family can change

With everyone being conditioned, nobody in their community knows what a family is anymore. “Try to imagine what ‘living with one’s family’ meant.” They tried; but obviously

This paper will discuss the differences between families from the 1960’s and the families of today. There are many differences between the different times. I have focused on the parentage portion of the families. I explained what the ideal family is and how it is different today. I’ve also included ways that will help these families of today become stronger as a family.

When I consider family systems, I am reminded of a metaphor I heard while in undergraduate school about a mobile. A mobile is used to soothe an infant, normally placed above a crib or basinet. Each of its parts are in balance, when working correctly, however if one section becomes off balance the objects become out of sync. This is true with families. If each member of the family unit is doing their part, there is complete balance or homeostasis (Henson). This balance is viewed as a healthy family system. However, if one part of the unit becomes off balance, it disrupts the whole unit causing an unhealthy response with possible long term consequences. As families grow, each member plays an equally important role in the family unit. Children learn quickly the importance of relationships and adapt quickly to their environment. No one can deny the family unit is the most complex system in existence.

The goal of systems theory in this case is to help Deborah transform her behaviour patterns so that they are more adaptive and productive (Family Solutions Institute, 2005). By exploring this time using a family systems perspective, Deborah will see how her current ways interacting and relating with others may be influenced by the way her entire family functioned during these difficult years (Nichols, 2011).

In system theory, behaviors and family members responses influence the family pattern and life. Meanings and values are vital components of the

Families and individuals attempting to achieve resilience can be described as subystems of larger systems. According to Hutchison (2013), many systems have boundaries that indicate who is in and who is out (p. 39). The systems idea of boundary is pertinent to the culturally competent resilience model because in many cases boundaries can keep families away from resources that could be employed to help them be resilient. In the same way, in cultures where these boundaries tend to be more open or loose, individuals may be more well-equipped with the skills they need to access resources. Luhmann in his 1987 work on systems theory touches directly on the idea of culture and closed systems proposing that as systems become very complex, they become more and more closed to each other (as cited in Hutchison, 2013, p. 41). Luhamnn posits that with the development of culture and languages within a closed system they become unable to receive feedback from other systems. On the individual level, this could manifest in the inability of an individual or family to fare well unless met with culturally specific interventions which Ungar emphasizes the importance of.

. Family systems theory is one of many theories that can be used to describe and analyze families. The family systems theory thinks of the family as a whole, not just as individuals. Individuals form a family system through their interaction and communication patterns. When something with an individual changes, it impacts the entire family. This theory emphasized interdependence among family members and says that problems should not be blamed on one individual, but should be looked at in terms of the family context. Individual components join together within a family system to form a whole. When a change occurs, the whole family must adapt to the new situation. This theory is a great way to look at families as a whole. There are seven descriptive features that define a family system which are: interdependence, wholeness, patterns/self-regulation, interactive complexity/punctuation, openness, complex relationships, and equifinality. Using these seven pieces, I will relate them to the family from Pieces of April and how that family uses or fails to use the features.

Taiki Matsuura, a researcher in forensic psychology at NYU Langone Medical Center, once said “Despite all the talk of human resilience being an individual trait, most of us are only resilient as we are loved.” I believe, in many ways, community resilience is of similar nature – communities may survive only by the participation of all its members. Community resilience is a process in which many individuals may themselves be strong enough to survive a disaster on their own, but lack of collaboration will result in a dysfunctional post-disaster community. In terms of a recovery framework, Norris and Pfefferbaum call upon a linking of “adaptive capacities” in order to successful have a community survive, adapt, and thrive following disturbances