Linked lives: A transgenerational approach to resilience.

Abstract

rie Bronfenbrenner has often remarked that the family is the pri-U mary, as well as the most efficient and effective, agent for promoting child development. But how does this come about? From the perspective of the ecology of human development, the psychological and social resources of parents can be important ingredients in fostering their children's healthy development. And we know that potentially stressful transitions and turning points in the family-the death of a family member, divorce, a major move-can transform the very fabric of children's lives. But do these childhood experiences and parental resources have lasting implications, leaving their imprint on the next generation as it moves into and through adulthood?A key component of healthy development is the cultivation of psychosocial resilience. This concept refers to a sense of competency and effectiveness, on the one hand, and to connectedness to the broader community, on the other. Those who possess such resources can best cope with life's inevitable setbacks and challenges. In this chapter, we draw on both the ecology of human development and the life course frameworks to propose a transgenerational approach to resilience in adult children. These

The Stress Process Model: Some Family-Level Considerations

“…Though in the face of calamities and their aftermath, families are often referred to as shattered or dysfunctional, they are less often viewed as resilient (Walsh 1996), which at the family level may mean both connectedness among members and a shared sense of family mastery (Moen and Erickson 1995). The idea of family resilience is a promising addition to literatures on individual resilience that reflect the cultural bias of the rugged individual, standing alone in his strengths (Walsh 1996).…”

Resisting or embracing institutional models of parenthood: an analytical framework

“…First, the couple perspective helps to illuminate the ways in which individual experiences of parenthood and parenting-choices are tied to the plans and choices of the other parent (Elder 1998;Moen and Erickson 1995). We assess how couples with non-normative work-care plans negotiate and frame work and care during the early stages of parenthood and explore the diverse strategies new mothers and fathers use to cope with this life course transition.…”

Chapter 3 Decision-Making and Satisfaction with a Continuing Care Retirement Community

“…Third, the life course principle of linked lives leads us to consider how the decisions of individuals are made in the context of significant others' life circumstances (Elder, 1995;Moen & Erickson, 1995). For example, being married or having a sick spouse can be expected to shape both decision strategies and subsequent satisfaction with a CCRC.…”