Children and adolescents today are increasingly faced with adversity, including poverty, chronic exposure to violence, and traumatic life events. The ability to thrive despite these significant stressors—or being “resilient”—has been a focus of interdisciplinary research spanning the past several decades. Resiliency theory focuses on the “protective processes” both within the individual and their environmental circumstances.1 Despite the complexity of these processes, research suggests that resilience can be learned and schools can play an essential role in the development of resilient skills among youth.2
Much of the research to date has focused on contextual factors such as parent and school relationships. Comparatively fewer studies have focused on specific internal attributes or processes that enable youth to thrive even in the face of adversity. Further, most of the research is correlational. There is a need to understand the efficacy of evidence-based interventions to promote resiliency in youth.
School Psychology invites authors to submit empirical studies evaluating universal or targeted school-based interventions aimed at promoting resiliency or teaching resilient skills among school-aged youth. We are especially interested in studies that utilize rigorous research designs to empirically evaluate short- and long-term outcomes. Studies that address the sustainability of these intervention in school settings and the role of the school psychologist in their delivery are especially encouraged.
The deadline for initial submission is October 15th, 2019. Any questions related to this special section can be addressed to Stephanie Fredrick ([email protected]).
1Luthar, S. S., Cicchetti, D., & Becker, B. (2000). The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation and guidelines for future work. Child Development, 71, 543-562.
2Forbes, S. & Fikretoglu, D. (2018). Building resilience: The conceptual basis and research evidence for resilience training programs. Review of General Psychology, 22, 452-468.