Family Resilience

Throughout the 21st century, individuals and families will be characterized by increased diversity, which could be experienced as stressful. Because of this, individual and family resilience will become increasingly important.

Resilience is exercised when family members demonstrate behaviors such as confidence, hard work, cooperation and forgiveness. These are factors that help families withstand stressors throughout the family life cycle.

Some characteristics of strong families include:

• Adaptability—being able to cope with different types of stress
• Appreciation—doing positive things for one another
• Clear roles—understanding roles and responsibilities in the family and being flexible
• Commitment—recognizing each other’s worth and being committed to the family system
• Communication—being open and honest with each other and willing to listen to the views of others, being able to manage conflict in a positive way
• Community ties—being involved and connected to the community

It’s also important to remember that shared time and experiences such as vacations, holiday celebrations and other traditions can help strengthen the bonds among family members.

Source: University of Missouri Extension
GH 6640 "Promoting Family Strengths"

Diana Milne, MilneD@missouri.edu
Regional Specialist, Human Development
Clay County, Missouri
University of Missouri Extension