Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or even significant sources of stress (American Psychological Association, 2014). Moreover, resilience involves the ability to recover and maintain adaptive behavior after stressful events. Psychophysiological and neuropsychological systems involved in the successful regulation and modification of emotions and cognitions are potential underpinnings of resilience. The parasympathetic nervous system facilitates adaptation to stress by modifying some physiological responses, such as respiration and heart rate (Porges, 2007). Higher resting vagal control is linked to social and psychological well-being (Kok & Fredrickson, 2010) and trait positive emotionality (Oveis et al., 2009). In addition, cognitive flexibility is likely critical in a threatening situation, where ongoing cognitive processes need to be inhibited and resources shifted to processing the current threat.

No abstract