Correlates of Resilience: Psychological Functioning and Mindfulness of Young Survivors in Cambodia

Glori Gray, George Fox University

Presented at Second Annual Interdisciplinary Conference on Human Trafficking, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2010. Copyright 2010 Glori Gray.

Abstract

Hypothesis 1: According to Luthar, Cicchetti, and Becker (2000), “resilience refers to a dynamic process encompassing positive adaptation within the context of significant adversity” (p. 543). More resilient individuals are believed to be competent in mastering their environments, though they display more internalized behavior (Luthar, 1991). Calhoun and Tedeschi(1998) also note that well-being and distress are not necessarily divergent; distress and growth often co-exist. Positive correlations were expected between depressive/anxiety symptoms when compared with the overall resilience.

Hypothesis 2: Long-term trauma effects include generalized hyper-arousal and altered neurobiological processes found in attention and concentration. Processes that promote “protective” behavior include promoting stress-regulation and attention-regulation techniques, found within mindfulness practices. The effect of mindfulness practices in providing affective regulation has been a target of recent study (Masten& Obradovic, 2006). Higher scores on mindfulness were predicted to correlate with higher resilience and less psychological disruptions.