Building Resilience in Youth Sara Evancho Curriculum Specialist
Building Resilience in Youth
Sara Evancho
Curriculum Specialist
Objectives
• Define resilience
• Discuss the relationship between resilience and setbacks
• Identify the effects of resilient mindset and environment on people’s responses to adverse experiences
• Provide activities for creating resilience-building environments and experiences
The Cycle
Anger
Revenge
Hurt
Health
Mental
EmotionalPhysical
Health Consequences of BullyingBullied Not bullied
Headache 16% 6%
Sleep problems 42% 23%
Abdominal pain 17% 9%
Feeling tense 20% 9%
Anxiety 28% 10%
Feeling unhappy 23% 5%
Depression scale
moderate indication 49% 16%
strong indication 16% 2%
Fekkes et al., 2004 Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2007
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE)
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, 2014
ACEs• Economic hardship “somewhat often” or “very
often”
• Divorce or separation of a parent or guardian
• Substance abuse in the home
• Mental illness, suicidal thoughts, or severe depression in the home
• Physical abuse in the home (as witness or target)
• Incarceration of a parent or guardian
• Death of a parent or guardian
National Survey of Children’s Health, 2011-12
ACEs at Local Levels
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Missouri Illinois
0
1 or 2
3+
National Survey of Children’s Health, 2011-12
P
e
r
c
e
n
t
a
g
e
Number of ACEs
Health Risk Factors Related to ACEs
• Tobacco, alcohol and drug abuse
• Obesity and lack of physical activity
• Diabetes
• Depression and suicide
• STIs
• Heart Disease
• Cancer
• Strokes
• COPD
• Broken Bones
Mental Hijacking and Learning
• Thalamus
• Cortex
• Amygdala
Expressions of Stress
Resilience
• Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress.
– (American Psychological Association)
• Related to determination,
perseverance and grit.
Everyday Resilience• Resiliency is ordinary,
not extraordinary.
• Possible contributor
to personal growth
over time
Moving Through Experiences • Responding to a setback
is difficult
• Emotions related to loss are normal
• It’s not easy to move forward
• Setbacks cause us to make decisions
• Setbacks force us to define ourselves
Resilient Mindset
• Growth : People’s abilities, skills, strengths, and intelligence develop through effort, time and experience.
• Experience includes
failure and setbacks
Carol Dweck, Ph. D. Stanford, 1988
C
O
P
E
Connection
What is a Connection?• At least 1 person who cares about you
• Can be in different forms
– Volunteering
– Church or group
– Face to face
– Online
– Human to living thing
Classroom Connection• Teach students that they are an important
part of their school environment
• Help students identify what a positive connection looks, sounds and feels like
• Help students identify safe adult relationships
• Create opportunities to care for plants, animals and one another
• Allow for clear communication about needs
Optimism
What is Optimism?• It is a skill
• It is realistic
50% Full with Water
Classroom Optimism• Help students to see themselves as strong and
capable
• Highlight the skills that it takes to solve problems of various sizes
• Focus on gratitude and joy
• Explain thought patterns that can lead to feelings of helplessness, despair or anxiety
• Help students see the role of perspective
Processing
What is Processing?• Allowing ourselves to express the entire range
of feelings
• Experiencing stages of grief as the person responds to trauma
• Leading toward insight and decisions
• Taking time to recover from setbacks and manage emotions
• Allowing ourselves to learn from mistakes
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ptuvg8mnUic
Classroom Processing• Create predictable routines and safe spaces
for students within the classroom and school
• Pair goal setting with creativity, visual aides and encouragement
• Use stories, songs and pictures to share ideas
• Teach students how to share their experiences in safe ways
• Break down problems into pieces
Emotional Self-Care
What is Emotional Self-Care?• Treating ourselves with compassion
• Incorporating all areas of physical, mental, and emotional care
• Seeing ourselves in the moment to recognize when we may need something
Classroom Emotional Self-Care• Create safe spaces students can “escape” to when
needed
• Teach ways to self-calm and self-soothe throughout the year
• Allow students to determine what strategies work for them
• Help students understand their emotional and moral boundaries
• Encourage compassionate thinking
Questions?