Citation

Louis R. Carnet Notes Maltraitances Infant. 2019; 9(2): 27-50.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Cairn)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Although resilience has been scientifically studied from a number of different angles, its activation, with the help of significant professional assistance, is of particular interest in the search for innovative intervention strategies, specifically for children exposed to abuse. Based on the practical knowledge of fifty social workers in Ontario’s child welfare services, this study documents in detail the activation of the resilience process in children who have experienced abuse, and who are considered by participants to have used their full resilience potential. The interdisciplinary position taken here leads us to open up several fields of investigation, as well as to bring together a range of disciplinary knowledge, using empirical data and theoretical materials. Neuroscientific breakthroughs, for example, help us to gain a better understanding of the subject matter. Our analysis of accounts reveals that the mechanism by which the process of resilience is activated is really set in motion in interventions that emphasize the support, assistance, help, and the use of resources—the circumstance favorable for the activation of resilience. In this study, we break new ground and propose the concept of “activated resilience,” which we define as follows: A situation in which individuals, with the help of a resilience mentor, can grasp the present and overcome their fears, appropriate their sense of existence, and find their place within society.

Language: en