Cited by 2,547Resilience and Mental HealthOptimism, Hope, and Well-beingStudent Stress and Coping

The DOI matches its Crossref record, with a small difference in title or year; 91 of the 91 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 60 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Psychological Resilience: A Review and Critique of Definitions, Concepts, and Theory

Open access
Fletcher, David, Sarkar, Mustafa·2013·European Psychologist

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to review and critique the variety of definitions, concepts, and theories of psychological resilience. To this end, the narrative is divided into three main sections. The first considers how resilience has been defined in the psychology research literature. Despite the construct being operationalized in a variety of ways, most definitions are based around two core concepts: adversity and positive adaptation. A substantial body of evidence suggests that resilience is required in response to different adversities, ranging from ongoing daily hassles to major life events, and that positive adaptation must be conceptually appropriate to the adversity examined in terms of the domains assessed and the stringency of criteria used. The second section examines the conceptualization of resilience as either a trait or a process, and explores how it is distinct from a number of related terms. Resilience is conceptualized as the interactive influence of psychological characteristics within the context of the stress process. The final section reviews the theories of resilience and critically examines one theory in particular that is commonly cited in the resilience literature. Future theories in this area should take into account the multiple demands individuals encounter, the meta-cognitive and -emotive processes that affect the resilience-stress relationship, and the conceptual distinction between resilience and coping. The review concludes with implications for policy, practice, and research including the need to carefully manage individuals’ immediate environment, and to develop the protective and promotive factors that individuals can proactively use to build resilience.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This paper reviews and critiques definitions, concepts, and theories of psychological resilience, arguing that most definitions center on adversity and positive adaptation. It proposes an integrated concept of resilience as the interactive influence of psychological characteristics within the stress process and distinguishes resilience from recovery and coping.

Key findings

  • Most definitions of resilience are based around two core concepts: adversity and positive adaptation; resilience is required in response to adversities ranging from ongoing daily hassles to major life events, and positive adaptation must be conceptually appropriate to the adversity examined in terms of the domains assessed and the stringency of criteria used.
  • Resilience has been conceptualized as either a trait or a process; the authors argue it is the interactive influence of psychological characteristics within the context of the stress process, with protective and promotive factors varying contextually and temporally.
  • Resilience is conceptually distinct from recovery and coping: recovery involves a temporary period of psychopathology followed by gradual restoration, whereas resilience refers to maintaining normal levels of functioning; resilience influences how an event is appraised, whereas coping refers to strategies employed following appraisal.
  • Over a dozen theories of resilience have been proposed in the past three decades; the commonly cited Richardson et al. metatheory is critiqued as linear, focused on one event, not explaining meta-cognition and -emotion, and biased toward coping, with its model leading to four reintegration outcomes.

Methods

  • Narrative review and critique divided into three main sections: definitions of resilience, conceptualization of resilience, and theories of resilience.
  • No empirical sample or primary data are reported; the paper draws on the psychology research literature and includes tables summarizing definitions of resilience and resilience theories.
  • Main analysis is conceptual and theoretical synthesis and critique, including a critical examination of Richardson and colleagues’ metatheory of resilience and resiliency.

Limitations

  • The paper states that definitional discrepancies hinder evaluation and comparison of resilience research findings, preclude meta-analysis, and make it difficult to operationalize the construct for measurement purposes.
  • The paper states that Richardson’s model is linear, considers just one event, does not explain how meta-cognition and -emotion affect reintegration, and has a bias toward coping-orientated processes.
  • Evident from the text: as a narrative review, no systematic search strategy or inclusion criteria are reported, and no primary data are presented to test the proposed integrated concept.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1027/1016-9040/a000124

Cites

91 of 91 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

40 Not checked yet · 23 Own interpretation · 2 No basis given

Verify all 60 references — free account

Show all 18 claims

  • Probably not a substantial claim. 38
  • It may state two separate claims as one. 14
47 of 47
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Concepts provide researchers with theoretical boundaries that help determine the nature, direction and veracity of research inquiry.

    “This definitional debate is important to highlight since concepts provide researchers with theoretical boundaries that help determine the nature, direction and veracity of research inquiry.”
1 of 1

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Citations

Cites

Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. Block J. H., 1980, Minnesota symposium on child psychology, 39
  2. Bodin P., 2004, ESS Bulletin, 2, 33
  3. 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2009.00595.x · DOI
  4. Dunn, D. (1994). Resilient reintegration of married women with dependent children: Employed and unemployed . (Unpublished doctoral dissertation), University of Utah, UT.
  5. Neiger, B. (1991). Resilient reintegration: Use of structural equations modeling (Unpublished doctoral dissertation), University of Utah, UT.
  6. Paton D., 2008, International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 10, 95
  7. Walker, R. J. (1996). Resilient reintegration of adult children of perceived alcoholic parents (Unpublished doctoral dissertation), University of Utah, UT.

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Metadata

Authors
Fletcher, D., & Sarkar, M.
Affiliations
  • Loughborough University (GB)
  • Middlesex University London (GB)
Venue
European Psychologist
Published
2013-01
Volume
18
Issue
1
Pages
12-23
ISSN
  • 1016-9040 (ISSN-L)
  • 1878-531X
OpenAlex
W1985334364
Cited by
2,547
References
91
Citations by year
2026: 289 · 2025: 332 · 2024: 266 · 2023: 315 · 2022: 292 · 2021: 250 · 2020: 209 · 2019: 143 · 2018: 143 · 2017: 95 · 2016: 93 · 2015: 63 · 2014: 45 · 2013: 9
FWCI
77.89
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc-nd
Locations
  • European Psychologist (publishedVersion)
  • Nottingham Trent University's Institutional Repository (Nottingham Trent Repository) (acceptedVersion)
  • Loughborough University Institutional Repository (Loughborough University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Research Repository (University of Gloucestershire) (submittedVersion)
  • Loughborough University Research Repository (Loughborough University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Resilience and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Optimism, Hope, and Well-being
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Student Stress and Coping
Keywords
psychological resilience, adversity, positive adaptation, stress process, resilience theory, coping, protective factors, promoting factors, daily hassles, life events, resilience definitions

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