Resilience: a structuring force

The destabilizing power of a traumatic experience has been widely discussed in many studies; however, on the other hand, many studies in psychological literature show a different view of this experience. This study addresses the positive meaning and the transforming power of an event, which, although devastating, reveals to the subject skills, unknown until now. Referring to recent longitudinal studies (Cimino, S., Sinesi, S., Monniello, G., (2012); Cimino, S., Monniello, G., Cerniglia, L., Ballarotto G. (2013) it is proposed to highlight how it is an usual position which is generated in order to deal with the pain. In these studies, the traumatic event taken into account concerns parental loss in children and adolescents (development age) in the attempt to explore, by the use of specific instruments such as Symptom Checklist – 90 – R, (Derogatis, 1994); Eating Attitude Test-40 (Garner and Garfinkel, 1979) and Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale (Armstrong et al., 1997), the multiple aspects of the subjective answer to the traumatic event. In addition, a more systemic review is given to the different measures of resilience, such as: dispositional measures (Miller Behavioral Style Scale, Miller, 1987) and situational ones (Ways of Coping Questionnaire, Lazarus and Folkman, 1984); and also, to the psychotherapeutic processes intended as an element to promote the increment of such capacity with a particular reference to the cognitive-behavioral and systemic-relational model. Finally, special attention is given to the protective value of a secure attachment, together with the ability for mentalization, considered as aspects capable of strengthening some important cognitive-emotional self regulation abilities and, therefore, promoting the development of resilient behavior. In conclusion, the many aims of this study are: to provide a right definition of resilience, to try analysing and fixing solutions about the main theoretical controversies over this matter; moreover, this study tries to highlight all those factors that contribute to influence resilient behaviours and to identify strategies and procedures that can facilitate or hinder their execution