Search Results

PsyCap Resiliency: Bouncing Back and Beyond

Fred Luthans, Carolyn M. Youssef, and Bruce J. Avolio

in Psychological Capital: Developing the Human Competitive Edge

This chapter first provides the historical background on the mainly clinically-oriented work on resiliency. PsyCap resiliency is defined as not only this traditionally recognized ability to bounce ... More

This chapter first provides the historical background on the mainly clinically-oriented work on resiliency. PsyCap resiliency is defined as not only this traditionally recognized ability to bounce back from adversity, but also includes coming back from very positive, challenging events and the will to go beyond the normal, to go beyond the equilibrium point. Specific attention is given to the three major dimensions of resilience: assets, risk factors, and values. The rest of the chapter is devoted to the positive role PsyCap resilience can play in the workplace in terms of performance and human resource development, as well as the importance of resilient employees, leaders, and organizations. Career resiliency is singled out for special attention. The concluding sections recognize some potential pitfalls and future directions for research and practice.Less

Introduction to Psychological Capital

Fred Luthans, Carolyn M. Youssef, and Bruce J. Avolio

in Psychological Capital: Developing the Human Competitive Edge

This introductory chapter provides the meaning and overview of psychological capital or PsyCap. After first providing the current perspective and need for PsyCap, attention is given to the ... More

This introductory chapter provides the meaning and overview of psychological capital or PsyCap. After first providing the current perspective and need for PsyCap, attention is given to the contributions of positive psychology, positive organizational scholarship (POS), and positive organizational behavior (POB). Particular emphasis is given to the POB definitional inclusion criteria of theory, research, measurement, “state-like” development, and performance impact. The balance of the chapter then introduces the criteria-meeting positive resource capacities of self-efficacy (confidence), hope, optimism, and resiliency and, when combined, the second-order, core construct of psychological capital. The concluding sections support psychological capital as a type of psychological resource theory, how it is measured and developed, and future directions for research and practice.Less

Altruistic Love, Resiliency, Health, and the Role of Medicine

Gregory Fricchione

in Altruism and Health: Perspectives from Empirical Research

This chapter reflects on the relationships between attachment, resiliency, altruism, and health within the background of brain evolution and allostasis. It begins by discussing the disconnected ... More

This chapter reflects on the relationships between attachment, resiliency, altruism, and health within the background of brain evolution and allostasis. It begins by discussing the disconnected relationships between doctors and patients that have arisen in our culture due to our preoccupation with evidence-based medicine and the doctor's disregard of the important psychological and social concerns that accompany human disease. It uses the separation-attachment dialectic to advocate an attachment solution to this separation challenge in which the doctor and patient are reconnected through the healing power of compassionate love. The chapter concludes by advocating resiliency-building techniques to prevent disease and to encourage altruistic behaviour in the human population.Less

Neighborhood Obituaries, Resilient Communities

Mérida M. Rúa

in A Grounded Identidad: Making New Lives in Chicago's Puerto Rican Neighborhoods

Notions of loss, death, and resiliency from the 1960s to the present are brought together in this chapter to examine the effects of urban renewal and gentrification on Puerto Rican residents. It ... More

Notions of loss, death, and resiliency from the 1960s to the present are brought together in this chapter to examine the effects of urban renewal and gentrification on Puerto Rican residents. It delineates how Puerto Ricans and other Latinos transformed “default” neighborhoods into desirable ones, making evident a community’s restorative ability as well as the new challenges that these achievements produce.Less

Justice, Restoration, and Social Work

Nancy P. Kropf

in Social Work and Restorative Justice: Skills for Dialogue, Peacemaking, and Reconciliation

This chapter introduces the values, ethics, and practices that comprise social work, and examines the profession's rich history of working to improve the lives of individuals and to create a more ... More

This chapter introduces the values, ethics, and practices that comprise social work, and examines the profession's rich history of working to improve the lives of individuals and to create a more just society. It includes a historical summary of some of the major events that have shaped the profession, and then explores ethics and values as the foundation of social work practice. The chapter also examines the proliferation of various social work contexts and roles, and some of the major concepts such as empowerment and resilience that are keys to contemporary social work. Finally the chapter turns to the future of social work and some of the issues that will shape the profession in coming years. It offers a way to appreciate how social work and restorative justice practices share some common ground, while maintaining unique practice positions.Less

Mentoring to Facilitate Resiliency in High-Risk Youth

J. Eric Vance

in Community Treatment for Youth: Evidence-Based Interventions for Severe Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Community mentoring is a rapidly growing movement that affiliates high-risk youth with healthy adult role models from outside their immediate families. This chapter looks at the notion of mentoring, ... More

Community mentoring is a rapidly growing movement that affiliates high-risk youth with healthy adult role models from outside their immediate families. This chapter looks at the notion of mentoring, discusses the rationale for this type of intervention, and describes a model of community mentoring designed to enhance psychosocial resiliency in high-risk youth. Research evidence for the effectiveness of mentoring as an intervention strategy for youth with severe emotional disorders is examined.Less

Pushing Back the Frontiers of Knowledge on Desistance from Crime

Lila Kazemian

in The Future of Criminology

This chapter summarizes current knowledge about desistance, the study of which has moved from event to process analyses based on a combination of social and cognitive factors. It argues that future ... More

This chapter summarizes current knowledge about desistance, the study of which has moved from event to process analyses based on a combination of social and cognitive factors. It argues that future research needs to integrate better several criminal career parameters, including desistance in frequency, seriousness, and versatility, and involve multiple outcomes such as improvements in mental and physical health and substance use. It also favors a better integration of desistance research with prisoner reentry programs and resiliency research.Less

Dealing with cancer recurrence

Lidia Schapira

in Handbook of Communication in Oncology and Palliative Care

Cancer survivors often describe the period following their initial diagnosis as a time of heightened awareness and worry. Many describe being unable to enjoy the present for fear of recurrent ... More

Cancer survivors often describe the period following their initial diagnosis as a time of heightened awareness and worry. Many describe being unable to enjoy the present for fear of recurrent disease, a condition termed the Damocles syndrome. Personal choices and coping styles determine a person's adaptation to his or her illness, and shape their transition to dealing with recurrence. Cancer clinicians know that there is no set formula for coping; individual resources and coping strengths, collectively referred to as resiliency, vary considerably among individuals. This chapter reviews the central themes and frequent scenarios that physicians, nurses, and therapists need to consider in working with patients with recurrent cancer. Before considering the strategies and skills necessary to signal a change in prognosis and support cancer patients and their families, it first takes a critical look at the role that language plays in mediating communication. It also examines the special features of communication about a cancer recurrence as well as the skills and strategies necessary to provide therapeutic and supportive interventions.Less

Invariance

James Woodward

in Making Things Happen: A Theory of Causal Explanation

This chapter systematically explores the notion of invariance, which is the key feature that a generalization must possess if it is to figure in causal explanations. A generalization is invariant if ... More

This chapter systematically explores the notion of invariance, which is the key feature that a generalization must possess if it is to figure in causal explanations. A generalization is invariant if it is stable in the right way under interventions. A generalization may be invariant even if it fails to satisfy such traditional criteria for lawfulness as exceptionlessness, expressability in ter m s of purely qualitative predicates, and wide scope. Laws are one kind of invariant relationship but not the only kind. Invariance is also different from Skyrms’ notion of resiliency, and satisfaction of the Mill-Ramsey-Lewis criteria for lawfulness is neither necessary nor sufficient for invariance.Less

Theoretical Perspectives

Wendy B. Smith

in Youth Leaving Foster Care: A Developmental, Relationship-Based Approach to Practice

Chapter 2 introduces the reader to theoretical perspectives which provide the framework for the book and inform all subsequent chapters. Dynamic nonlinear systems theory, based on general systems ... More

Chapter 2 introduces the reader to theoretical perspectives which provide the framework for the book and inform all subsequent chapters. Dynamic nonlinear systems theory, based on general systems theory, suggests the continuous interactive and reciprocally influencing nature of individuals and their environments. The developmental perspective includes development from infancy through adulthood and developmental traumatology. Attachment theory is the primary interpersonal perspective of the book. The biopsychosocial perspective incorporates aspects of all of these theories and underscores the importance of considering how each individual young person is situated biologically, psychologically, and socially and where practice and policy interventions might best be made. Finally, resiliency theory assists the reader in developing a strengths-based approach to working with youth. An extended case example of a former foster youth illustrates aspects of the theories.Less

⋆ The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions

Barbara L. Fredrickson

in The Science of Well-Being

This chapter discusses the long-term effect of positive emotions on a person's well-being. A brief history on the research done on positive emotions is reviewed and several trends are identified. ... More

This chapter discusses the long-term effect of positive emotions on a person's well-being. A brief history on the research done on positive emotions is reviewed and several trends are identified. First, positive emotions have been neglected relative to negative emotions. Second, positive emotions have often been confused with related affective states. Third, the functions of positive emotions are identified as facilitating approach behaviour. The author then proposes an alternative model, the broaden-and-build theory, to better capture the unique effects of positive emotions. This is then contrasted with traditional models based on specific action tendencies. The chapter ends with a discussion on the research findings which reveal that positive emotions broaden thought-action repertoires, undo lingering negative emotions, fuel psychological resiliency, build personal resources, promote physical and psychological well-being, and engender the complex dynamics that enable humans to thrive and flourish in their day-to-day lives.Less

Last in Line

Donald L. Rosenstein and Justin M. Yopp

in The Group: Seven Widowed Fathers Reimagine Life

Leaders of a support group often debrief after each meeting. So, when we started the group for widowed fathers, we made a point of scheduling time for this ... More

Leaders of a support group often debrief after each meeting. So, when we started the group for widowed fathers, we made a point of scheduling time for this practice, even though it would make long days even longer. We used these conversations to reflect on any new themes that emerged during the session, the interpersonal dynamics between the men, and any changes we needed to make to the group. What neither of us anticipated was how moved we would be by these men and what they were building together. Month after month, as the two of us talked following each meeting, we marveled at the fathers’ willingness to share their fears and vulnerabilities. Their authentic exchanges with each other belied the stereotype that men are reluctant to talk openly about their feelings. Each time a father articulated a concern or newly discovered insight, the others responded with honesty and compassion. They were becoming part of something larger than themselves. We found this project as interesting and meaningful as any professional work either of us had ever done. It was also uncharted territory. Because no one had ever led a support group for widowed fathers whose wives died from cancer, there were no books, articles, or lectures to guide us as group leaders or to shed light on the unique challenges these men were facing. Like the fathers, we were participants in this experiment and were committed to giving it our best shot. The group sessions generated plenty of painful, awkward moments during which we had little or no comfort to share. They also sparked moments of profound insight, inspiration, and humor. Our post-meeting discussions gave us a chance to compare notes and appreciate the progress of each man and the group as a whole. Returning home after each session, we would tell our wives how great the group was that evening. Once a month we each felt especially grateful that we could share these successes with our spouses. During our debriefing session on the night “Ring Watch” ended, we sensed that the group was at an inflection point. Less

Introduction

Nancy Nason-Clark, Barbara Fisher-Townsend, Catherine Holtmann, and Stephen McMullin

in Religion and Intimate Partner Violence: Understanding the Challenges and Proposing Solutions

Intimate partner violence is a complex, ugly, fear-inducing reality for large numbers of women throughout the world. When violence exists in a relationship, safety is compromised, shame abounds, and ... More

Intimate partner violence is a complex, ugly, fear-inducing reality for large numbers of women throughout the world. When violence exists in a relationship, safety is compromised, shame abounds, and peace evaporates. Violence is learned behavior, and it flourishes most when it is ignored, minimized, or misunderstood. This chapter outlines the authors’ program of research and their intellectual indebtedness to diverse bodies of literature on domestic violence and on lived religion. It is organized around a series of pertinent questions that enable the exploration of concepts such as vulnerability, resiliency, cultural competency, and accountability in the lives of families impacted by abuse.Less

Abusers

Nancy Nason-Clark, Barbara Fisher-Townsend, Catherine Holtmann, and Stephen McMullin

in Religion and Intimate Partner Violence: Understanding the Challenges and Proposing Solutions

Focusing on data collected from interviews and focus groups with men who have acted abusively, this chapter tells the story of men’s lives by reflecting on their childhood, trouble with the law, ... More

Focusing on data collected from interviews and focus groups with men who have acted abusively, this chapter tells the story of men’s lives by reflecting on their childhood, trouble with the law, altercations with family and friends, and their early days of intimacy. Most men who batter do not believe they are violent. This chapter focuses on how religious beliefs and practices intersect with, and impact, the experience of controlling, abusive behavior. The contours of how men talk about their experience of interacting with the criminal justice system and other intervention services in the aftermath of their own violence toward an intimate are discussed. Also, issues such as vulnerability, entitlement, and resiliency are discussed, and explicitly spiritual factors such as guilt, remorse, uncertainty, forgiveness, and accountability are considered. The role pastors and other spiritual leaders can play in calling men who abuse to change thinking and change behavior is discussed.Less

The Proven Benefits of Spending Time in Nature

Rakow Donald

in Nature Rx: Improving College-Student Mental Health

The chapter focus is the science behind the mental health benefits of spending more time in nature, specifically the ways in which such time improves concentration and reduces stress. Models include ... More

The chapter focus is the science behind the mental health benefits of spending more time in nature, specifically the ways in which such time improves concentration and reduces stress. Models include Attention Restoration Theory and Stress-Reduction Theory, and practices include Forest Bathing, Wilderness Adventure Experiences and gardening. The potential of each approach to reduce stress and build resilience is described.Less

School Partnerships

Polly L. Knowlton Cockett, Janet E. Dyment, Mariona Espinet, and Yu Huang

Alex Russ and Marianne E. Krasny (eds)

in Urban Environmental Education Review

This chapter examines how schools that establish rich and sustaining partnerships with local communities enhance opportunities for urban environmental education. It considers “socioecological ... More

This chapter examines how schools that establish rich and sustaining partnerships with local communities enhance opportunities for urban environmental education. It considers “socioecological refrains” that incorporate stewardship, pedagogy, interrelationships, and heritage and highlight the role played by schools in shaping sustainable cities through urban environmental education. These refrains promote a connectedness to place through the use of the local environment to stimulate learning, the development of curricula and pedagogies that embrace the development of sustainable cities, and the establishment of links with the community to foster relationships, stewardship, and resiliency. Case studies from Canada, Australia, China, and Spain are presented to illustrate these refrains and to show initiatives at work such as green schools. The chapter demonstrates that urban schools can use local environments to serve as stimulus, context, and content for teaching and learning about sustainability.Less

School Climate and Culture and Its Relationship to Dropout Prevention

Howard M. Blonsky

in The Dropout Prevention Specialist Workbook: A How-To Guide for Building Skills and Competence in Education

This chapter describes how a positive school climate can contribute to students bonding with and staying in the school. It also describes how a negative or “toxic” school climate can contribute to ... More

This chapter describes how a positive school climate can contribute to students bonding with and staying in the school. It also describes how a negative or “toxic” school climate can contribute to the dropout problem. The chapter looks at the important role of teacher(s) and how they contribute to students staying in or leaving school prior to graduation. The chapter also looks at school climate as a “therapeutic intervention.”Less