Leading+Experts+in+the+Field+of+Resilience

== toc =Emmy Werner =

Emmy Werner is a Professor Emeritus in Child Psychology ofthe University of California, Davis. She has received countless awardsincluding the Dolley Madison Presidential Award, University of CaliforniaDistinguished Emeriti Award, and others. She is the author of many books andarticles.

She received her Ph. D. from the University of Nebraska, andspent most of her research years at UCLA. Dr. Werner is well known in the fieldof resilience for her work with Ruth S. Smith on an over thirty yearlongitudinal study of all 698 infants born on the Hawaiian island of Kauai in1955. Werner traced the growth and resilience of these children who grew up invarious degrees of risk. Werner (2000) advised, "As long as the balancebetween stressful life events and protective factors is favorable, successfuladaptation is possible….However, when stressful life events outweigh protectivefactors, even the most resilient child can develop problems" (p. 128). Thefindings in were encouraging – over 70 percent of the children who grew up indifficult situations emerged as well-balanced and successful adults. Werner andher fellow researchers called attention to protective factors in the lives ofthese resilient individuals which, they hypothesized, helped to balance outrisk factors. This study is one of the most referenced in all resilienceresearch. It is significant because it moved research away from studies of riskfactors and toward development of protective factors such as bonds with adultssuch as teachers.

I admire Dr. Werner’s ability to write warmly andprofessionally at the same time. Her spirit of caring is evident even when sheis presenting data. The message I hear in her writing is, “I have an importantstory to tell you. The results of this study will help you make a differencefor children.”

References:

Connect.in.com(n.d.) Emmy Werner: Bio. Retrieved July 2, 2011 from http://connect.in.com

US Davis University of California. (2009). Human and Community Development: Emmy Werner. Retrievedfrom []

=Norman Garmezy =

Norman Garmezy was most recently a Professor Emeritus of Psychology, at the University of Minnesota. He is best known for his influential work on risk factors and competence as related to resilience in children and adults. Garmezy’swork helped psychologists and practitioners understand the positive human potential.

His first career choice was marketing, but an introductory psychology course caught his interest. After graduating from City College, in New York City, he earned his Master’s Degree at Columbia University. Garmezy served in the Army during the World War II. When the war ended he married and moved to the University of Iowa to earn his PhD. He studied clinical psychology where training followed pure experimental methods. Garmezy participated in an internship at Worcester State Hospital in Massachusetts in an innovative program investigating schizophrenia. Here Garmezy met Eliot Rodnick, head of the Department of Psychology at Worcester, who became an important mentor in his career. Rodnick, Austin Berkeley, and Garmezy’s advisor, I. E. Farber, guided him throughout his dissertation, which was focused on schizophrenic patients. He was also influenced at Worcester by Leslie Phillips, whose dissertation at Chicago led to the Phillips Scale of Social Competence, a critical tool in schizophrenia treatment.

Shortly after Rodnick moved to Duke University, Garmezy was invited to join the faculty of Duke University, where he stayed for 11 years.He and Rodnick worked together on experimental studies of schizophrenic patients. Next, he moved to the University of Minnesota where he worked with the Institute of Child Development as a Professor of Psychology. Garmezy and his students were among the first to study the competence among high-risk children. Supported by the National Institute of Mental Health and the W. T. Grant Foundation, Garmezy worked with O'Dougherty and Wright to study adaptation in children with inherited heart defects. He also studied physically handicapped children who were included in regular classrooms with collaborators Ann Masten, Auke Tellegen, David Pellegrini, and Patricia Morison. Very early on, he recognized the significance of intervention to build resilience in children who could overcome the odds

Garmezy was one of the earliest researchers in the field ofresilience, beginning with his studies of schizophrenia and childhood mental disorders. He recognized the potential of intervention in building resilience in students. He received many honors including the Gold Medal Award from the American Psychological Association, the Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award, and the Lifetime Contributions Award, Society for Research in Psychopathology. He was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 1986.

I was sad to see that my search for Norman Garmezy ended on his obituary page. He contributed so much to the field. One of his students, AnnMasten, continued his work and is also considered an expert in the field. Garmezy’s early work in scientific research at the University of Iowa shaped his research methods, evident in several of his journal articles which I have read. His writing advocates for those who are disadvantaged and maltreated, but does not rely on emotions to make a point. His theories and hypotheses are firmly grounded in scientific research.

References:

Masten, A. S. (1990). Gold Medal award for life contributionby a psychologist in the public interest. //AmericanPsychologist, 45//(5). 657-659. doi:10.1037/h0091622

Star Tribune: Obituaries. (22 November, 2009). NormanGarmezy. Retrieved from []

=Nan Henderson=

//“Back then I was one of a minority of voices among psychologists and social workers who were saying that yes, children do have trauma and pain and tragedy, but there is another part of their make-up that we have missed, and that is their resiliency. Kids can be amazingly resilient, and that is what’s helped the many kids who have gone through trauma and trouble to come out on the other side doing well.” (Henderson)//

Nan Henderson began her career working on a federal grant appropriated to keep kids in Albuquerque’s 42 public schools out of trouble. By 1996 she had developed a model of childhood resilience based on the power of protective factors in the midst of hardship. Her expertise was in demand almost immediately and she began publishing her work and consulting with schools, social service providers, community organizations, and counselors desperate to help kids. Henderson attended Saybrook University in California for her PhD in Psychology, following the Jungian studies program.

//“In Jungian terms,when a child goes through adversity – and I feel that modern culture is adverse for most children – what they really need is ego strengthening and ego development,” she says.“In the stress and struggles of modern adolescence, the ego takes an enormous beating, and Jungian psychology offers an incredibly rich series of tools to address that, so that their ego can develop and grow strong in ways that help them mature. I believe it is only through developing a healthy and strong ego that the Jungian goal of letting one’s life be ruled bya transcendent Self, instead of just the ego, can actually occur.” (Henderson)//

Nan Henderson is an internationally recognized author andconsultant on fostering resiliency and positive child development. She isco-founder (with Bonnie Benard and Nancy Sharp-Light) and president of Resiliency In Action, Inc., a training organization to further the significance of resiliency. She has trained in hundreds of school districts, social services, and community agencies and developed The Resiliency Training Program Training of Trainers for the Colorado Department of Education. Henderson has served on the faculty of six universities, worked as a clinical therapist, and directed youth risk behavior prevention and resiliency programs. She is the co-author/editor of five books, including //Resiliency InSchools: Making It Happen for Students and Educators// (Corwin Press, 2002). Her articles have appeared in national publications and she was the featured resiliency expert on National Public Radio’s July 16, 2002 “Talk of the Nation”program on resiliency.

Nan Henderson was one of the first resources I became familiar with in my studies. Her book, //Resiliency in Action//, is a practical resources that every educator should have on their bookshelf. What drew me to Henderson's work is her connection to schools and how schools can become a lifeline for students. Her training and structured programs are clearly geared toward schools and the environment of the 21st century. Nan's writing comes across as honest and sincere, truly a delight to read.

media type="youtube" key="XYbDfm8ZEs4?version=3" height="278" width="499" //Nan Henderson from Resiliency in Action// http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYbDfm8ZEs4

References:

Corwin Press. (2011) Speaker’s Bureau: Nan Henderson. Retrieved from []

Henderson, N. (2008). Resiliency in action: How resiliency happens. [youtube video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYbDfm8ZEs4

Resiliency in Action. (n.d.) The Resiliency Training Program. Retrieved July 2, 2011 from []

Saybrook University. (2011) Nan Henderson. Retrieved from []

=Bonnie Benard=

For over 20 years, **Ms.Benard** has brought the concept of resilience to the attention of national and international audiences. She is currently a Senior Program Associate inWestEd’s Health & Human Development Program in Oakland, CA. She writes widely, leads professional development, and makes presentations in the field of prevention and resilience/youth development theory, policy, and practice. Her 1991 WestEd publication, Fostering Resiliency in Kids: Protective Factors in the Family, School, and Community, is credited with introducing resiliency theory and application to the fields of prevention and education. Her mostrecent publication, Resiliency: What We Have Learned (2004), synthesizes a decade and more of resiliency research and describes what application of the research looks like in our most successful efforts to support young people. Benard’s work in resilience has also led to the development of the California Department of Education's Healthy Kids Survey's Resilience and Youth Development Module, which surveys students throughout California and elsewhere on their perceptions of supports and opportunities in their schools, homes,communities, and peer groups. (Peterson, 2009) Benard believes schools and teachers need to promote (1) caring relationships, (2) highexpectations, and (3) opportunities for participation.

//“A big part of promoting caring relationship is taking notice,” she says. “When we asked kids how you know a teacher or an adult in your school cares about you, the most consistent response was that the adult says hello and greets me using my name. Caring can be something as simple as recognizing a child has been absent. Most of all, itis conveying to the student the idea that ‘you are important in the world, you matter’” (Benard, B. as cited Gibson & Associates website, par. 9).//

Benard’s message to all educators, parents, guardians, andcommunity service agencies is that resilience is possible for all kids. Her writing and speaking brings resilience to life through stories of real kids in real schools. I am inspired by her positivity and her ability to relate to her audience. Benard is a critical expert for my studies because she especially speaks to the power of educators, school systems, and caring adults everywhereto make a difference in the lives of children.

References:

Gibson & Associates. (2011). Bonnie Benard – MSW.Affiliate Specialist. Retrieved from http://www.gibsonandassociates.com/about/our_team/bonnie_benard/

Peterson, A. (2009). The importance of resiliency inlearning and writing. //The NationalWriting Project//. Retrieved from http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/2808

=Ann Masten = //Text below is adaptedfrom Ann Masten’s biography on the website for the Institute of ChildDevelopment, 2011.//

Ann Masten, a former colleague and student of Norman Garmezy, has studied competence, risk and resilience in human development, with a focus on the processes leading to positive adaptation and outcomes in young people whose lives are threatened by adversity (ICD, 2011). She has studied adaptation in diverse populations of young people and their families, including low-income and homeless families, immigrants and refugees, war survivors and victims of natural disaster.

Her most recent research as a Professor at the University of Minnesota has been focused on understanding and promoting school success for homeless and highly transient children, collaborating with a team of committed partners from school districts, shelters, county and community agencies, as well as the university (ICD,2011). Her interventions focus on protective systems that are strongly implicated as important for resilience. Masten and her team focus on cognitive skills, social-emotional skills, self-regulation in children, parenting skills, and stress response systems in families, all of which appear to play a powerfulrole in the well being and success of children in school.

Masten directs the Project Competence studies of risk andresilience, which include a longitudinal study of 205 children and their families recruited from an urban school district and followed for more than 20 years (ICD, 2011). This study has researched many topics, including the development of competence and personality, developmental cascades, the role of protective factors in resilience, and the roots of adult happiness and civic engagement. Masten believes that youth who overcome childhood adversity and continue on to adult success carry more protective factors and resources in their lives than peers who do not do as well.

At the national and international level, Masten collaborates with colleagues to understand adaptation and development in relation to topics such as natural disasters and war. She is keenly interested in the integrationof resilience theory and findings across disciplines and scale in order to mitigate impact and enhance recovery from large scale disasters, and to build capacity for human resilience in children, families, and societies around theworld (ICD, 2011).

Ann's writing is personal and professional at the same time. As I read her writing, I can tell that she has important stories, insights, and ideas to share with me as a reader and student of resilience. She does not write with complicated, highly specialized vocabulary. Her audience is educators just as much as it is fellow researchers. I was both surprsied and pleased to see how much of Norman Garmezy's philosophy shines through in Ann Masten's work in competence and resilience in children who have experienced a wide variety of adversity. I believe we can learn a lot from Ann's extensive work.

References:

APA PsyNet.(2011). Ordinarymagic: Resilience processes in development. [Abstract]. Retrieved from http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/amp/56/3/227.pdf

Institute of Child Development (ICD), University ofMinnesota. (2011). Ann Masten. Retrieved from []

=Horatio Sanchez= =﻿= Horacio Sanchez is a graduate of Brown University with two post graduate degrees from Duke University. He has developed a new framework for understanding child and adolescent behavioral development and resilience through brain research and extensive studies. His service as an educator and clinician prepared him to help children with severe emotional disorders. He has written books such as //A Mentor¹s Guide to Promoting Resiliency// (2006) and //A Brain Based Approach to Closing the Achievement Gap// (2008).

//” … if you’re reallygoing to help children who are academically challenged, create an environment that is predicable and work on your school climate because reducing stress can actually improve cognitive performance across the board, from the healthiest kid to the least healthy.” (Sanchez, 2010)//

Sanchez is the president and CEO of Resiliency, Inc., a consulting firm that provides training for educators and others to help students and their families. He is currently working with teachers in a local school district to help them build a program that fosters resiliency.

References:

Resiliency Inc.(2011). [Website]. Retrieved from []

Sanchez, J. (2010,April 1). Resiliency: Helping At-Risk Students. [Interview notes]. //School leadership briefing: Audio journaland professional development for administrators//. Retrieved from []

=Suniya S. Luthar=

Suniya S. Luthar is a Professor in Clinical and Developmental Psychology at Columbia University. She received her early education at Delhi University in India and earned her PhD from Yale University. Dr. Luthar’s particular interest in resilience involves the study of populations at risk, specifically children in poverty, children in families affected by mental illness, and specific challenges faced by children in affluent communities (Columbia University). Dr. Luthar has written and edited several books including //Poverty and children's adjustment: Developmental clinical psychology and psychiatry (1999).//

Dr. Luthar has received many awards and honors, including a Dissertation Award from the American Psychological Association and an award from the SRCD’s Asian Caucus for Mentorship, Courage, and Integrity. She has served as Chair and/or member of organizations such as the Governing Council of the Society for Research on Child Development, the National Institute of Health,and the American Psychological Association.

One of the most interesting books I read during my initial literature search on the topic of resilience was edited by Dr. Luthar - //Resilience and vulnerability: Adaptation in the context of childhood adversities// (2003). I kept renewing this book from the Drexel Library as I read one excellent article after another.

Reference:

Columbia University. (n.d.) Faculty Profile: Suniya Luthar. RetrievedJuly 2, 2011 from http://www.tc.columbia.edu/faculty/index.htm?facid=sl504&page=biographical+information

Luthar. S. S. (Ed.) //Resilienceand vulnerability: Adaptation in the context of childhood adversities//. NewYork, NY: Cambridge.

=Sir Michael Rutter=

media type="youtube" key="JHHZUbc4qhk" height="334" width="596" Professor Sir Michael Rutter []

Sir Michael Rutter has brought so much to the field of resilience. His earlier background in general medicine, neurology, and pediatrics allowed him to have a solid foundation in all aspects of a child’s development. His interest in John Bowlby’s(1951) attachment theory became a driving force in his career. Rutter is well-known for his work as the first consultant of child psychiatry in the United Kingdom. He has also served as “Head of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, London, and Honorary Director of the Medical Research Council Child Psychiatry Unit” (UCL, 2011, par. 1). Rutter has taken on one of the most challenging and debatable topics in child development –the effects of nature and nurture – with his studies involving 1400 twin pairs in Virginia, in an impressive longitudinal study. His collaborative studies of young boys on the Isle of Wight also contributed so much to the field. Rutter was intriguedby the question, What causes anti-social behavior in children and adolescents?

Sir Rutter’s distinctive focus on autism, depression, reading difficulties, and ADHD in children in school settings has made his work extremely valuable among the experts inresilience. His approach to research consistently follows a scientific approach.The video posted in this section is one of 21 videos of a variety of topics in his research. It is a great help to researchers to hear his approaches to research and his understandings of the factors of resilience. These videos are like a gold mine to those interested in research in the field, and I feel very lucky to have found these. These are on my “must see” list.

Rutter’s research built solid steps for educators, therapists, and counselors to help ‘at-risk’students. In particular, he suggested altering the risk, reducing the negative impact, promoting self-esteem and self-efficacy, and providing opportunities (Rutter,1987). I find Sir Rutter's videos and writings invaluable. He has an open and friendly style that is still highly professional and scientific.

References:

Rutter, Michael.(1987). Psychosocial resilience and protective mechanisms. //American Journalof Orthopsychiatry//, 57(3), 316-331. doi:10.1111/j.1939-0025.1987.tb03541.x

The UCL Centre for the history of medicine. (2011). Professor Sir Michael Rutter. Retrieved from http://www.ucl.ac.uk/histmed/audio/neuroscience/rutter

Van de Pas, A.(Interviewer) & Rutter, Sir M. (Interviewee). (1999, March 11 //). Interview with Professor Sir MichaelRutter//. Retrieved from http://eventoddlers.xtreemhost .com /PSMRInterview.html

=Beth Doll= Beth Doll is a Professor in Educational Psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her education was completed in Michigan State University, Eastern Michigan University, and University of Kentucky. Doll’s unique experiences in School Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education have given her a wide view of the problems students face in today’s schools. Her work is important because of her attention to the school system and how the social and emotional environment affects students’ psychological health and well-being.

Dr. Doll has an impressive repertoire of published articles and books. Her most recent book, //Handbook of youth prevention science// (2010), edited with William Pfohl and Jina S. Yoon, presents a collection of effective mental health programs that can be combined to develop a supportive school and community. Dr. Doll’s leadership in the field and collected awards and honors are remarkable.

I discovered an article by Beth Doll when I was researching established surveys to measure the social and emotional aspects of school environments. Dr. Doll studied the Class Maps Survey in a very thorough manner. In examining her work and biographical information, I was not surprised to see that Dr. Doll’s research focuses on identifying and validating assessment tools to determine the effectiveness of interventions. I was especially pleased to see that Dr. Doll has participated in Response-to-Intervention Phase I Training for Nebraska, because this is exactly where effective interventions are most needed.

I noted that Dr. Doll has done quite a bit of work in collaborative teams, whether writing or consulting. She believes in involving teachers, parents, and researchers for a participatory style of research. My expectation is that this would ensure transfer of skills and strategies into the complex environments of schools and communities.

I am drawn to the work of every expert in resilience, but I read in Dr. Doll’s University of Nebraska biography that she studied “children without friends” (2009) in the 1980’s and worked to develop programs to support childhood friendships in schools. This touched my heart, and reminded me why I chose this topic to begin with. I am certain I would enjoy reading or listening to any of Dr. Doll’s works.

References:

Doll, B., Pfohl, W. & Yoon, Jina, S. (2010). //Handbook of youth prevention science.// London:Routledge. Bottom of Form

University of Nebraska-Lincoln. (2009). Beth Doll, PhD.Biography. //Children youth families andschools.// Retrieved from http://cyfs.unl.edu/faculty/fadoll.shtml#5

=Robert Brooks= //Note: Some of these notes are taken from my Weekly Log Entry for my Superintendent Internship.//

Dr. Robert Brooks spoke to the Lower Dauphin staff on April 21, 2011, about the mindsets that foster resilience. Dr. Brooks addressed the group in the Lower Dauphin High School auditorium. I was especially interested in this presentation because of its connection to my dissertation topic. Dr.Brooks was an entertaining presenter. He made important points, yet kept the atmosphere light with many humorous anecdotes and tales of real situations. Dr.Brooks asked the quintessential question, “Why is it that some people who grow up in chaos are fine and some are not?”(Brooks, 2011). Mindsets, the assumptions and expectations we carry into a situation, are critical in answering this question. Dr. Brooks explained that resilient people do not blame the situation; instead they look for what they can do to change it. He spoke of the potential of teachers to act as charismatic adults, or persons from whom a child gathers strength. This made a lot of sense to me since much of the research I have been reading has mentioned the importance of a caring adult in a child’s life. Dr. Brooks spoke of a strength based model, which I know has been the result of a shift in research from overemphasis on risk factors. In a strength-based model, “individuals must not be narrowly defined by psychiatric labels and pathological traits but instead by their assets, skills, and strengths” (Brooks, 2005, p. 6).

Empathy was highlighted as a key issue in fostering resilience in schools. “We must see the world through the eyes of the students with whom we work” (Brooks, 2011, slide 5). To do this, we must ask ourselves whether we would want someone to say or do this to us and we must determine what we hope to accomplish through this action (Brooks, 2011, slide 6). Not surprisingly, Dr. Brooks emphasized the idea of respect, functioning in multiple directions, between teachers, students, parents, staff, and administrators.

The work of Edward Deci has been central to Dr. Brooks’ theories of motivation. Deci, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Rochester, and Richard Ryan are credited with the development of the self-determination theory of motivation. Brooks (2011) drew from Deci’sfoundation to identify three components of a motivating environment:


 * theneed to belong, feel connected, and feel welcome
 * theneed for self-determination and autonomy
 * theneed to feel competent (Brooks, Slides 7-9)

These components naturally relate to Daniel Pink’s //Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us// (2009), in which he associates autonomy, mastery and purpose to intrinsic motivation. I also see Maslow’s basic needs evidenced in the need to belong. Additional discussion focused on the promotion of self-discipline and self-control, the importance of feeling dignified, and the fear of humiliation.

Dr. Brooks earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from Clark University and the Univeristy of Colorado Medical School. He works at the Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital near Boston. McLean is private psychiatric hospital where Dr. Brooks has served as Director of the Department of Psychology. He spoke to our teachers about his first position at McLean as principal in the locked door unit of the child and adolescent program. Dr. Brooks has written many books including //The Power of Resilience// (2004). He completed a video for PBS called //Look what you’ve done! Stories of hope and resilience.// Dr. Brooks also lectures nationally and internationally as well as maintaining a private practice.

Listening to Dr. Brooks on that Thursday before Easter was uplifting to all in attendance. I have included him in my list of experts because of the positive impact of his words upon the entire faculty of our school district.

References:

Brooks, R. (n.d.). Dr. Robert Brooks. Retrieved July 10, 2011 from http://www.education.com/partner/articles/dr-robert-brooks/

Brooks, R. (n.d.). //The power of mindsets: Creating a positive school climate// [Presentation and PowerPoint]. Retrieved April 28, 2011 from http://www.drrobertbrooks.com/index.html

Brooks, R. (2005). The search for islands of competence: A metaphor of hope and strength. Retrieved from http://www.drrobertbrooks.com/pdf/0506.pdf

<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Pink, D. (2009). //Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us.// New York, NY: Riverhead Books.

Page created by Mary A Klinger for EDUC815 Research Writing with support from the listed references. July 3, 2011