Resilience Science Research Articles

Dispelling the “They’ll Grow Out of It” Myth: Implications for Intervention

Dispelling the “They’ll Grow Out of It” Myth: Implications for Intervention

The Science of Resilience: Implications for the Prevention and Treatment of Depression

Human responses to stress and trauma vary widely. Some people develop trauma-related psychological disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression; others develop mild to moderate psychological symptoms that resolve rapidly; still others report no new psychological symptoms in response to traumatic stress. Individual variability in how animals and humans respond to stress and trauma depends on numerous genetic, developmental, cognitive, psychological, and neurobiological risk and protective factors.

Analytical methods for ecosystem resilience: A hydrological investigation

In recent years a number of papers have quantitatively explored multiple steady states and resilience within a wide range of hydrological systems. Many have identified multiple steady states by conducting simulations from different initial state variables and a few have used the more advanced technique of equilibrium or limit cycle continuation analysis to quantify how the number of steady states may change with a single model parameter. However, like resilience investigations into other natural systems, these studies often omit explanation of these fundamental resilience science techniques; rely on complex numerical methods rather than analytical methods; and overlook use of more advanced techniques from nonlinear systems mathematics. In the interests of wider adoption of advanced resilience techniques within hydrology, and advancing resilience science more broadly, this paper details fundamental methods for quantitative resilience investigations. Using a simple model of a spatially lumped unconfined aquifer, one and two parameter continuation analysis was undertaken algebraically. The shape of each steady state attractor basin was then quantified using Lyapunov stability curves derived at a range of precipitation rates, but was found to be inconsistent with the resilience behavior demonstrated by stochastic simulations. Most notably, and contrary to standard resilience concepts, the switching between steady states from wet or dry periods (and vice versa) did not occur by crossing of the threshold between the steady states. It occurred by exceedance of the two steady‐state domain, producing a counterclockwise hysteresis loop. Additionally, temporary steady states were identified that could not have been detected using equilibrium continuation with a constant forcing rate. By combining these findings with the Lyapunov stability curves, new measures of resilience were developed for endogenous disturbances to the model and for the recovery from disturbances exogenous to the model.

Poster #154 NEUROCOGNITIVE PROFILES OF MARGINALIZED PERSONS WITH COMORBID PSYCHOSIS AND POLYSUBSTANCE ABUSE

Individuals who face significant adversity are typically able to resume normal functioning despite this hardship. Resilience is a dynamic process at any level of functioning that encompasses the capacity by which these individuals adapt positively following adversity. Resilience science aims to elucidate the mechanisms of successful adaption following adverse situations, allowing researchers to better understand why some individuals adapt better than others. In the present chapter we synthesize literature on biologic systems and their resilient functioning, including neurobiologic, hormonal, and genetic aspects of resilience. Utilizing a developmental psychopathology approach, we emphasize the importance of taking an integrative, multiple systems perspective when examining resilient functioning by incorporating biologic and psychosocial systems and the necessity for collaboration among researchers from a variety of disciplines. Finally, we discuss the application of resilience science and how these results can be integrated into intervention efforts aimed to promote resilient functioning in individuals.

Life on the Rebound: Resilience Science, Extreme Events, and Coastal Resilience

Life on the Rebound: Resilience Science, Extreme Events, and Coastal Resilience There is a fundamental tension between resilient ecosystems, shaped by extreme events, and humans need for sustainable resources in a changing world. This tension is best understood through ecological science, but best resolved through multi‐disciplinary efforts.

Resilience in children threatened by extreme adversity: Frameworks for research, practice, and translational synergy

This article delineates parallel frameworks that grew out of the research on risk and resilience over the past four decades, a framework for research and a framework for practice, and then discusses the promise of an emerging synthesis. The research framework defined the meaning, models, and methods that successfully guided four waves of research to date on the nature and processes involved in human resilience. The applied framework emerged in response to urgent needs of children and families faced by adversity and those charged with helping them, resulting in guidelines for translating the unfolding but incomplete research evidence into action. The application of a resilience approach transformed practice in many fields concerned with promoting resilience in people at risk for problems, revolutionizing the mission, models, measures, and methods of practice to align with the emphasis on positive adaptation and strengths defining a resilience-based approach. Yet these interventions rarely translated back to inform and refine resilience theory in ways that would accelerate progress to promote resilience more effectively. The concluding section on translational synergy discusses the potential for a synthesis of basic and applied resilience frameworks as the next steps toward realizing the original objective and promise of resilience science.

From fail-safe to safe-to-fail: Sustainability and resilience in the new urban world

The extent to which the 21st century world will be “sustainable” depends in large part on the sustainability of cities. Early ideas on implementing sustainability focused on concepts of achieving stability, practicing effective management and the control of change and growth – a “fail-safe” mentality. More recent thinking about change, disturbance, uncertainty, and adaptability is fundamental to the emerging science of resilience, the capacity of systems to reorganize and recover from change and disturbance without changing to other states – in other words, systems that are “safe to fail.” While the concept of resilience is intellectually intriguing, it remains largely unpracticed in contemporary urban planning and design. This essay discusses the theory of resilience as it applies to urban conditions, and offers a suite of strategies intended to build urban resilience capacity: multifunctionality, redundancy and modularization, (bio and social) diversity, multi-scale networks and connectivity, and adaptive planning and design. The strategies are discussed in the context of resilience theory and sustainability science, and are illustrated with innovative policies, projects, and programs selected from international examples.

Resilience 2011: Leading Transformational Change

Hundreds of researchers, practitioners, and others gathered this past March in Phoenix, Arizona for the second international conference on resilience science and policy. Organized by Marty Anderies and Sander van der Leuw, and other Arizona State University faculty, the week-long conference focused on integrating understanding among three research communities, all of whom work in coupled social-ecological systems. The first is the resilience network, the second group develops sustainability science, and the third group studies innovation. The conference themes of adaptation and vulnerability, thresholds and regime shifts, knowledge and learning, governance and scales, development and resources, and transformation were addressed in hundreds of presentations. Although some of the presented studies and information has been published in this journal, we invite others to share their results in future submissions. We also would like to thank the organizers and participants for their efforts and hard work that resulted in this highly successful meeting.

The Politics of Reflexive Governance: Challenges for Designing Adaptive Management and Transition Management

This article was first published in the Journal Ecology and Society at http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/: Vos, Jan-Peter; Bornemann, Basil: The politics of reflexive governance: challenges for designing adaptive management and transition management. - In: Ecology and Society : a Journal of Integrative Science for Resilience and Sustainability. - ISSN: 1708-3087 (online). - 16 (2011), 2, art. 9.

Reflections on the Legacy of Stuart T. Hauser: Scientist, Colleague, and Mentor

Four close colleagues reflect on Stuart T. Hauser's legacy to developmental psychology, adolescent psychiatry, and psychoanalytic research. Peter Fonagy highlights Hauser's unique contribution to the science of resilience. Alan Jacobson reflects on Hauser's groundbreaking investigations of the psychosocial dimensions of juvenile diabetes. Robert McCarley discusses Hauser's remarkable record of mentorship, and David Reiss poignantly captures defining qualities of Hauser's life that enabled his scientific contributions, and his gifts of mentorship and friendship. Together, these articles underscore the extraordinary breadth and depth of Hauser's influence on the science of understanding adolescents' interpersonal and intrapsychic journeys toward adulthood.

Planetary Boundaries: Exploring the Safe Operating Space for Humanity

Anthropogenic pressures on the Earth System have reached a scale where abrupt global environmental change can no longer be excluded. We propose a new approach to global sustainability in which we define within which we expect that humanity can operate safely. Transgressing one or more may be deleterious or even catastrophic due to the risk of crossing thresholds that will trigger non-linear, abrupt environmental change within continental- to planetary-scale systems. We have identified nine and, drawing upon current scientific understanding, we propose quantifications for seven of them. These seven are climate change (CO2 concentration in the atmosphere <350 ppm and/or a maximum change of +1 W m-2 in radiative forcing); ocean acidification (mean surface seawater saturation state with respect to aragonite ≥ 80% of pre-industrial levels); stratospheric ozone (<5% reduction in O3 concentration from pre-industrial level of 290 Dobson Units); biogeochemical nitrogen (N) cycle (limit industrial and agricultural fixation of N2 to 35 Tg N yr-1) and phosphorus (P) cycle (annual P inflow to oceans not to exceed 10 times the natural background weathering of P); global freshwater use (<4000 km3 yr-1 of consumptive use of runoff resources); land system change (<15% of the ice-free land surface under cropland); and the rate at which biological diversity is lost (annual rate of <10 extinctions per million species). The two additional for which we have not yet been able to determine a boundary level are chemical pollution and atmospheric aerosol loading. We estimate that humanity has already transgressed three boundaries: for climate change, rate of biodiversity loss, and changes to the global nitrogen cycle. Planetary are interdependent, because transgressing one may both shift the position of other or cause them to be transgressed. The social impacts of transgressing will be a function of the social-ecological resilience of the affected societies. Our proposed are rough, first estimates only, surrounded by large uncertainties and knowledge gaps. Filling these gaps will require major advancements in Earth System and resilience science. The proposed concept of planetary boundaries lays the groundwork for shifting our approach to governance and management, away from the essentially sectoral analyses of limits to growth aimed at minimizing negative externalities, toward the estimation of the safe space for human development. Planetary define, as it were, the of the planetary playing field for humanity if we want to be sure of avoiding major human-induced environmental change on a global scale.

Hippocampal and Amygdalar Volumes in Breast Cancer Survivors with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Hippocampal and Amygdalar Volumes in Breast Cancer Survivors with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Hippocampal and Amygdalar Volumes in Breast Cancer Survivors with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Although smaller hippocampi and amygdalae were found in cancer survivors with intrusions, associations between cancer-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and these volumes are unknown. The authors performed MRI volumetric analyses of these regions in 15 cancer survivors with PTSD, 15 cancer survivors without PTSD, and 15 healthy comparison subjects. The authors also examined the correlation between PTSD symptom scores of the Impact of Event Scale and these volumes in the PTSD group. These volumes were not significantly different among the groups, but the intrusion score was inversely associated with the hippocampal volume. Results suggest intrusions, not PTSD diagnosis, might be associated with hippocampal volume.

Linking vulnerability, adaptation, and resilience science to practice: Pathways, players, and partnerships

Vulnerability, adaptation and resilience are concepts that are finding increasing currency in several fields of research as well as in various policy and practitioner communities engaged in global environmental change science, climate change, sustainability science, disaster risk-reduction and famine interventions. As scientists and practitioners increasingly work together in this arena a number of questions are emerging: What is credible, salient and legitimate knowledge, how is this knowledge generated and how is it used in decision making? Drawing on important science in this field, and including a case study from southern Africa, we suggest an alternative mode of interaction to the usual one-way interaction between science and practice often used. In this alternative approach, different experts, risk-bearers, and local communities are involved and knowledge and practice is contested, co-produced and reflected upon. Despite some successes in the use and negotiation of such knowledge for ‘real’ world issues, a number of problems persist that require further investigation including the difficulties of developing consensus on the methodologies used by a range of stakeholders usually across a wide region (as the case study of southern Africa shows, particularly in determining and identifying vulnerable groups, sectors, and systems); slow delivery of products that could enhance resilience to change that reflects not only a lack of data, and need for scientific credibility, but also the time-consuming process of coming to a negotiated understanding in science–practice interactions and, finally, the need to clarify the role of ‘external’ agencies, stakeholders, and scientists at the outset of the dialogue process and subsequent interactions. Such factors, we argue, all hinder the use of vulnerability and resilience ‘knowledge’ that is being generated and will require much more detailed investigation by both producers and users of such knowledge.