Trait Resilience Research Articles

The role of resilience in navigating work stress and achieving daily work goals

SummaryOn a daily basis, resilience is critical for employees to cope with difficulties and challenges in achieving work goals. Understanding the dynamic resilience process throughout the workday is crucial for gaining insights into how employees can effectively leverage their resilience to meet their daily work goals. The present study aims to examine this dynamic resilience process in response to work stress while pursuing work goals among employees with different levels of trait resilience. Drawing on resilience literature and the conservation of resources theory, we propose a resilience‐depleting process in response to morning work stress within a short, half‐day timeframe. We further examine whether state resilience impacts subsequent work goal striving at the within‐person level. Additionally, we explore the buffering effect of trait resilience on the resilience‐depleting process after experiencing work stress. To test our hypotheses, we employed the experience sampling methodology with 108 full‐time employees over five consecutive workdays. Multilevel analyses revealed that morning work stress significantly diminished state resilience, indirectly influencing daily work goal progress through work goal activation. Notably, trait resilience buffered the negative impact of work stress on state resilience. These results offer insights into theoretical understanding and practical implications for managing employee state resilience in the face of work stress to achieve daily work goals.

An Evaluation of Resilience as a Protective Factor for Mental Health Among Sexual and Gender Minority Young People.

Purpose: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals often face minority stressors that negatively affect their mental health, making it important to identify protective factors against the adverse psychological effects of minority stress. We investigated the potential protective effect of trait resilience in SGM individuals assigned female at birth (SGM-AFAB), who are understudied despite being at particularly high risk for mental health problems. Methods: As part of an ongoing longitudinal cohort study, 452 SGM-AFAB young people (age 16-31 years) completed measures of resilience, minority stressors (victimization, microaggressions, internalized heterosexism, and cisgenderism), and mental health (depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation) in 2017-2018. Moderating effects of resilience on associations between the minority stressors and mental health outcomes were tested using regression analyses. Results: Resilience attenuated the positive associations of microaggressions with both depression and anxiety and of internalized cisgenderism with depression (in transgender and gender-diverse participants), suggesting protective effects. Resilience did not moderate any other associations. Conclusion: These findings suggest that resilience serves as a protective factor against depressive and anxiety symptoms following experiences of microaggressions and against depressive symptoms following internalized cisgenderism among diverse SGM-AFAB individuals. These results underscore the importance of identifying factors that bolster resilience and developing intervention strategies aimed at promoting resilience within SGM-AFAB individuals, especially following experiences of microaggressions and internalized cisgenderism.

Resilience and Hassles Trajectories Among Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Despite higher physical vulnerability to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), older adults reported less psychological stress than younger and midlife adults during the pandemic. However, little is known about age differences in stress within later life, and most COVID-19 studies have been cross-sectional. We examined weekly hassles exposure and severity trajectories and whether these trajectories differed by age, resilience factors (higher trait resilience and education), and vulnerability factors (identifying as a woman, being a person of color, and having chronic health conditions). Community-dwelling adults aged 50+ in Oregon (Mage = 71.1, standard deviation = 7.3; 74% women, 89% non-Hispanic White) completed weekly online surveys across 8 weeks (April 28-June 22, 2020) during the COVID-19 stay-at-home mandate. A 2-part model estimated how age, resilience, and vulnerability factors predicted weekly odds of any hassle exposure and level of severity. Across time, hassles exposure decreased and the rate of severity declined, but these patterns differed by age and other demographics. The old-old (estimated at age 78) remained stable in odds of any exposure, whereas the young-old (estimated at age 64) evidenced a J-shaped curve; age did not moderate the severity slopes. Furthermore, both resilience factors were associated with exposure trajectories, whereas vulnerability factors (race/ethnicity and chronic illness) were associated with levels of hassles severity. There were age differences in patterns of hassles during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, resilience and vulnerability factors also showed complex patterns, underscoring the need for future studies to focus on age differences in well-being in later life.

Emotional Regulation, Coping, and Resilience in Informal Caregivers: A Network Analysis Approach.

Public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic can further strain the mental health of informal caregivers who provide unpaid assistance to family members or friends who need support due to illness, disability, or aging. However, there is a lack of research exploring the resources and adaptive strategies that promote resilience in informal caregivers. This cross-sectional study used psychometric network analysis to model the interplay between coping strategies, emotion regulation, trait resilience, and anxiety and depression symptoms in 351 Italian informal caregivers. The results showed that coping through a positive attitude, emotional reappraisal, and trait resilience were the most central and interconnected nodes in the network. These adaptive strategies buffered against the negative impact of anxiety and depression symptoms, providing valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying resilience and well-being in informal caregivers. Clinically, it is crucial to assess and foster these resilience-promoting factors (positive attitude coping, cognitive reappraisal, and trait resilience) to help mitigate the mental health challenges faced by informal caregivers, especially in the context of public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

A meta-analysis of genome-wide studies of resilience in the German population.

Resilience is the capacity to adapt to stressful life events. As such, this trait is associated with physical and mental functions and conditions. Here, we aimed to identify the genetic factors contributing to shape resilience. We performed variant- and gene-based meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies from six German cohorts (N = 15822) using the 11-item version of the Resilience Scale (RS-11) as outcome measure. Variant- and gene-level results were combined to explore the biological context using network analysis. In addition, we conducted tests of correlation between RS-11 and the polygenic scores (PGSs) for 12 personality and mental health traits in one of these cohorts (PROCAM-2, N = 3879). The variant-based analysis found no signals associated with resilience at the genome-wide level (p < 5 × 10-8), but suggested five genomic loci (p < 1 × 10-5). The gene-based analysis identified three genes (ROBO1, CIB3 and LYPD4) associated with resilience at genome-wide level (p < 2.48 × 10-6) and 32 potential candidates (p < 1 × 10-4). Network analysis revealed enrichment of biological pathways related to neuronal proliferation and differentiation, synaptic organization, immune responses and vascular homeostasis. We also found significant correlations (FDR < 0.05) between RS-11 and the PGSs for neuroticism and general happiness. Overall, our observations suggest low heritability of resilience. Large, international efforts will be required to uncover the genetic factors that contribute to shape trait resilience. Nevertheless, as the largest investigation of the genetics of resilience in general population to date, our study already offers valuable insights into the biology potentially underlying resilience and resilience's relationship with other personality traits and mental health.

Leveraging plant functional traits in the design of nature‐based solutions: A research agenda

Abstract Nature‐based solutions (NbS) involve interventions that modify ecosystems to enhance multiple ecosystem services (ES). Yet, despite our increasing knowledge of the key role that functional traits play in determining ES, certain types of NbS often do not consider a functional trait perspective. A reason for this lack of translation may be the range of NbS approaches and levels of knowledge of trait–ES relationships. Functional traits may be most useful as targets for NbS design when knowledge on trait–ES mapping is established and the NbS involves a medium or high level of management intervention. A richer understanding of causality in trait–ES and trait–resilience linkages, and context dependency in those linkages, is needed to broaden the application of functional traits in NbS. An improved understanding of trait linkages with cultural ES and how traits interact with stakeholder values to shape NbS uptake would also improve application. Synthesis: A greater consideration of functional traits will increase the efficacy of NbS projects, and could be accelerated by tackling gaps in knowledge about functional traits. Here, we envision a research agenda that both advances NbS design and leverages the varied objectives of NbS to robustly test our knowledge about functional traits.

Exploring Resilience Among Midlife and Older Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Adults: A Multidimensional Analysis.

Research on resilience in sexual minority midlife and older adults is limited. Using a multidimensional approach, this study examined trait resilience (optimism), resilience as a dynamic process (perceived control), and relational resilience (social support), analyzing their roles in physical and mental health among sexual minority adults. Analyzing data from MIDUS 2 and MIDUS Refresher, we examined a sample of 492 participants, comprising 164 sexual minority and 328 propensity-matched heterosexual individuals. Among sexual minority participants, perceived control was associated with fewer chronic conditions and optimism with lower depressed affect. Among heterosexual participants, perceived control was associated with both outcomes. Subgroup analyses found variations, particularly among lesbian and bisexual women. Resilience measures were not associated with the health outcomes for gay or bisexual men. This study highlighted the complex roles of trait resilience and dynamic resilience processes in association with health outcomes among sexual minority midlife and older adults across diverse subgroups.

Static and Temporal Dynamic in Functional Connectivity of Large-scale Brain Networks During Acute Stress Regulate Stress Resilience Differently: The Promotion Role of Trait Resilience

Stress resilience has been largely regarded as a process in which individuals actively cope with and recover from stress. Over the past decade, the emergence of large-scale brain networks has provided a new perspective for the study of the neural mechanisms of stress. However, the role of inter-network functional-connectivity (FC) and its temporal fluctuations in stress resilience is still unclear. To bridge this knowledge gap, seventy-seven participants (age, 17–22 years, 37 women) were recruited for a ScanSTRESS brain imaging study. A static perspective was initially adopted, using changes in FC that obtained from stress vs. control condition during the entire stress induction phase as a static indicator. Further, changes in FC between different stress runs were analyzed as an index of temporal dynamics. Stress resilience was gauged using salivary cortisol levels, while trait resilience was measured via behavioral-activation-system (BAS) sensitivity. Results found that, for the static index, enhanced FC between the salience-network (SN), default-mode-network (DMN) and limbic-network (LBN) during acute stress could negatively signal stress resilience. For the temporal dynamics index, FC among the dorsal-attention-network (DAN), central-executive-network (CEN) and visual-network (VN) decreased significantly during repeated stress induction. Moreover, the decline of FC positively signaled stress resilience, and this relationship only exist in people with high BAS. The current research elucidates the intricate neural underpinnings of stress resilience, offering insights into the adaptive mechanisms underlying effective stress responses.

From social traditions to personalized routines: Maintenance goals as a resilience factor

AbstractWe identified and tested a novel aspect of human resilience: The daily pursuit of maintenance goals. Taking inspiration from archaeological records, which point at routinized cultural practices as a central resilience factor, we tested whether personal routine practices, governed by maintenance goals, serve a similar function to individuals as traditional practices do to societies. Namely, we hypothesized that maintenance striving increases individuals’ resilient responses to stressful events. Confirming this prediction, a longitudinal Study 1 showed that maintenance striving but not avoidance striving, predicted subsequent increases in well‐being following the third wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic in Germany. Study 2 confirmed our predictions on trait resilience and maintenance versus avoidance motivations in the household and relationship life domains in cross‐sectional data. These studies contribute to the understanding of resilience by demonstrating the benefits of maintenance goals for both situational and trait‐level resilience.

Resilience as a Modulating Factor of Empathy in Medical Students

Resilience as a Modulating Factor of Empathy in Medical Students

Data-Informed Insights on Thriving Through Challenges: Exploring Posttraumatic Growth, Resilience, and Social Support in Hemodialysis Patients

Hemodialysis is one treatment option for end stage renal disease which does not cure the disease completely but increases the patients’ span of life. It imposes a lot of physical and psychological burden on the patients. Identification of factors protecting the patients from these burdens is needed. Recent studies have focused on posttraumatic growth (PTG) as a protective factor against the distressing health outcomes. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the occurrence of PTG in patients on maintenance hemodialysis and examine its association with perceived social support and resilience. A convenience sample of 200 patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis was recruited from two government hospitals of Lahore, Pakistan. Data was collected using Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Perceived Social Support Scale, and Trait Resilience Scale. Individuals undergoing hemodialysis showed high levels of PTG and the mean total score for PTGI was 60.1+ 11.5. Resilience (r = .79, p&lt;.001) and perceived social support (r = .51, p&lt;.001) were significantly correlated with PTG. Hierarchical multiple regression indicated increasing age, longer duration of hemodialysis, and resilience to be significant predictors (p&lt;.001) of PTG in patients and explained 52% of the variance. The results provide helpful information which could be used to develop interventions for patients to transform their adversity into positive growth by improving their resilience and social support.

Patient mistreatment, social sharing of negative events and emotional exhaustion among Chinese nurses: the combined moderating effect of organizational support and trait resilience

BackgroundAs a primary form of work-related violence in the healthcare sector, patient mistreatment negatively impacts nurses’ well-being. To date, there has yet reached a definitive conclusion on the mediating mechanism and boundary conditions behind the influence of patient mistreatment on nurses’ emotional exhaustion.MethodsThis study employed a convenience sampling method to recruit a sample of 1672 nurses from public hospitals in Western China. The data were collected through anonymous self-report questionnaires and analyzed using hierarchical regression and conditional processes to investigate a theoretical framework encompassing patient mistreatment, emotional exhaustion, social sharing of negative events, organizational support, and trait resilience.ResultsPatient mistreatment led to emotional exhaustion among nurses (β = 0.625, p <.001), and social sharing of negative events mediated this positive relationship (effect = 0.073, SE = 0.013). The combined effects of organizational support and resilience moderated the mediating effect of the social sharing of negative events between patient mistreatment and emotional exhaustion (β=-0.051, p <.05). Specifically, nurses with a high level of resilience would benefit from organizational support to alleviate emotional exhaustion caused by patient mistreatment.ConclusionsThis study validated a significant positive association between patient mistreatment and emotional exhaustion, which aligns with previous research findings. Integrating conservation of resources theory and goal progress theory, we addressed previous contradictory findings on the impact of social sharing of negative events on emotional exhaustion. Social sharing of negative events served as a mediator between patient mistreatment and emotional exhaustion. Additionally, the moderating effect of organizational support on the relationship between social sharing of negative events and emotional exhaustion depended on individual trait of resilience.

Invigorating the spirit of being adaptive: Examining the role of spiritual leadership in adaptive selling

This study investigates the role of spiritual leadership in shaping salesperson adaptive-selling behavior, a crucial factor for enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. Despite its significance, research on the leadership-adaptive selling link remains limited. Grounded in the conservation of resources theory, this study predicts that spiritual leadership is positively associated with adaptive selling. The present work also examines the mediating and moderating roles of salesperson trait resilience and salesperson political skill, respectively. Our results based on data from 505 supervisor-salesperson dyads corroborated our predictions. Specifically, the results reveal that spiritual leadership positively impacts adaptive selling directly and via resilience. Further, our findings illustrate that salespeople high on political skill benefit more from spiritual leadership to enhance their resilience and adaptive selling. This study provides actionable insights for managers to foster their salespeople’s resilience and promote adaptive selling to improve organizational effectiveness.

Time to get your hands dirty: Bricolage or pro-organizational unethical response to entrepreneurial adversity

AbstractAs the business landscape escalates the level of uncertainty and thus profoundly disrupts entrepreneurship, it is crucial to understand risk-taking as a coping strategy for entrepreneurs with limited resources. Past studies have been fragmented: Some researchers have focused on creative risk-taking, whereas others have looked at unethical risk-taking. Little is known about how and when entrepreneurs respond to adversity in either a creative or an expedient manner. We posit that entrepreneurs respond to adversity by using either entrepreneurial bricolage behavior (EBB) or unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). Drawing from the emotivational account, we develop each theoretical model of bricolage and UPB to better understand how entrepreneurs’ emotional states play a critical role in their reactions to adversity. We theorize that, and test whether, entrepreneurial adversity is positively related to EBB and increase in EBB over time through increased interest when trait resilience is high. Also, we conceptualize and examine whether entrepreneurial adversity is positively related to UPB and increase in UPB over time through increased anger when trait resilience is low. We conducted a five-month longitudinal study of 100 entrepreneurs (482 observations). Our findings largely corroborated the hypotheses. Our study advances our understanding of entrepreneurs’ risk-taking by showing when and how they respond creatively or unethically.

Networking trait resilience: Unifying fragmented trait resilience systems from an ecological systems theory perspective.

This study reconceptualized trait resilience, defining it as a network of systems; utilizing direct resilience assessments-engineering, ecological, adaptive capacity, social cohesion-and proxy resilience assessments-personality, cognitive, emotional, eudaimonia, and health. The background of the study addresses the fragmented conceptualization of trait resilience by proposing a unifying network model based on ecological systems theory, illustrating the dynamic interplay of resilience factors across varying levels of disturbance. In Study One, four USA or UK samples (total n = 2396) were used to depict the trait resilience network. Study Two (n = 1091) examined the relationship between the network and disturbance at two time-points, using mental health levels as a disturbance metric. Study One found that adaptive capacity, and sometimes positive emotional processes, were central variables to the network. Study Two found that in lower disturbance groups, adaptive capacity remained important, while in higher disturbance groups, a broader set of variables became central to the network. Study One suggests a Broaden-and-Build approach, where adaptive capacity is a foundational resilience capability, reciprocally associated with positive emotional mechanisms. Study Two suggests a new "Dynamic Resilience Spectrum Theory," proposing that increased disturbances necessitate the use of a more diverse set of resilience traits.

Predicting Burnout, Well-Being, and Posttraumatic Growth in Correctional Officers

Correctional officers work in a stressful environment and are exposed to elevated levels of critical incidents. Such exposure can lead to negative psychological outcomes like burnout. However, positive psychological experiences including well-being and posttraumatic growth are also possible under such adverse conditions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore predictors of burnout, well-being, and posttraumatic growth in a sample of correctional officers ( N = 142). The results of multiple regression analyses indicated that age, workplace adversity, and resilience were significant predictors of correctional officer burnout. A sense of workplace belongingness and the use of adaptive coping strategies were significant positive predictors of well-being and posttraumatic growth. Trait resilience and the receipt of social support were additional significant positive predictors of well-being. These results highlight the importance of individual, interpersonal, and organizational factors in promoting positive health outcomes, preventing negative health outcomes, and providing avenues for staff support.

Insider versus outsider workplace mistreatment and their impact on affective ill-being in healthcare professionals: Can personal resources act as buffers?

Workplace stress can negatively impact healthcare providers' professionalism and quality of care. One source of workplace stress is the experience of workplace mistreatment. Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources theory, this study aimed to (a) investigate the impact of mistreatment frequency experienced by healthcare workers from insider sources (i.e. co-workers, supervisors) and outsider sources (i.e. patients, visitors) on affective ill-being and (b) the potential moderating role of trait resilience and trait self-efficacy, as personal resources, in the mistreatment-ill-being relationship. Lagged design. We collected data from 153 Irish healthcare workers between January 2018 and June 2019 via three surveys, separated by 1-week intervals. Personal resources were measured at Time 1, frequency of mistreatment from the two sources was assessed at Time 2 and affective ill-being was assessed at Time 3. We used moderated regression analyses to evaluate the association of mistreatment frequency from the two sources and affective ill-being and the moderating effect of personal resources. Only insider mistreatment frequency was positively related to affective ill-being. Furthermore, the positive impact of insider mistreatment on affective ill-being was moderated by self-efficacy (but not by trait resilience). In contrast to our expectations, the relationship was stronger at high levels compared to low levels of self-efficacy. Mistreatment from co-workers and supervisors is linked to higher levels of affective ill-being. Additionally, healthcare workers with high self-efficacy were more vulnerable to the negative consequences of co-worker and supervisor mistreatment as it impacted their affective ill-being. These findings extend the literature on workplace mistreatment by integrating insider and outsider perpetrators of mistreatment and examining their differential impact on the employees' affective ill-being. It also highlights mistreatment from organizational insiders as a significant factor in the relationship between mistreatment and affective ill-being. No patient or public contribution. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER CONTRIBUTE TO THE WIDER GLOBAL COMMUNITY?: The findings underscore the detrimental impact of workplace mistreatment on the well-being of healthcare professionals. The study findings of higher frequency of insider mistreatment being associated with increased affective ill-being call for action, with line managers and supervisors being critical to achieving respective changes in healthcare workers' environment. The findings have implications for policymakers interested in developing a framework to support healthcare professionals in addressing workplace mistreatment, enabling them to effectively fulfil their role as care providers.

Flexible emotional regulation typology: associations with PTSD symptomology and trait resilience

BackgroundMultiple factors influence posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) risk in trauma exposed individuals. An established association exists between trait resilience and decreased PTSD distress and between emotion regulation (ER) ability/flexibility and trait resilience. Typologies in ER ability/flexibility, associated with trait resilience and PTSD experience, could explain the difference in risk. This study aimed to explore the relationship between ER ability, ER flexibility, context sensitivity, resilience, and PTSD.MethodsData from N = 563 trauma exposed UK residents was used in a latent profile analysis (LPA) and membership in the resultant profiles was explored in a logistic regression of sociodemographics, resilience, and PTSD symptomology.ResultsAnalysis showed 2 latent profiles (High Flexibility, Low Flexibility) typified by emotion regulation ability and context sensitivity. Members of the Low Flexibility profile were more likely to be younger, male, endorsing less trait resilience, and experiencing negative cognition/mood and hyperarousal PTSD symptomology.ConclusionsDifficulties in ER ability and flexibility could be improved with targeted learning in a therapeutic or home setting, potentially increasing trait resilience after trauma exposure and reducing PTSD distress.

Exploring the Associations of Emotion Regulation and Trait Resilience with the Efficacy of Cognitive Processing Therapy for Active Duty Military Personnel with PTSD

Exploring the Associations of Emotion Regulation and Trait Resilience with the Efficacy of Cognitive Processing Therapy for Active Duty Military Personnel with PTSD

Canadian Workers’ Well-Being During the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Latent Profile Analysis

To explore workers’ well-being during COVID-19, researchers have primarily utilized variable-centered approaches (e.g., regression) focusing on describing workers’ general level of well-being. Given the diversity of factors that may have impacted workers’ well-being during the pandemic, focusing on such well-being trends do not provide sufficient insight into the different lived well-being experiences during the pandemic. Moreover, positive well-being in workers’ general lives and work has been understudied in such complex public health crises. To address these issues, we use latent profile analysis, a person-centered analysis, to explore the diverse well-being realities Canadian workers (employed before COVID-19 or working at the time of the survey) experienced at the beginning of COVID-19. Canadian workers (N = 510) were surveyed between May 20-27th, 2020, on positive (meaning in life, flourishing, thriving at work) and negative (distress, stress, impaired productivity, troublesome symptoms at work) well-being indicators, as well as on factors that may be associated with experiencing different well-being profiles. Five well-being profiles emerged: moderately prospering, prospering, moderately suffering, suffering, and mixed. Factors at the self- (gender, age, disability status, trait resilience), social- (marital status, family functioning, having children at home), workplace- (some employment statuses and work industries, financial strain, job security), and pandemic-related (perceived vulnerability to COVID-19, social distancing) ecological levels predicted profile membership. Recommendations for employers, policymakers, and mental health organizations are discussed.