Human resiliency : the experience and the phenomenon

The purpose of this study was to describe the human experience of resiliency. A qualitative method was utilized, guided by principles within phenomenological methodology. Ten volunteers from the general population were interviewed in an open-ended manner concerning their experience of resiliency. Their interviews were transcribed and the resulting transcripts were interpreted using a hermeneutic "narrative analysis".

The analysis resulted in a narrative structure which divided itself into three distinct phases: Worst Time, Grasping for Straws and Being Resilient. The experience was invariably described as a temporal, dynamic, ongoing process occurring within an inter-relational context characterized by concerns with self, relationships to others, the world, and time. Self-boundaries were defined in terms of three major themes: connection, continuity and control and their antithesis: disconnection, discontinuity and lack of control.

Based upon participants' descriptions, the focal experience of Being Resilient involves two inter-related processes whereby one surrenders to the desire to fall apart and then recovers, resulting in an experience of profound change. Change was described as a shift in attitude which happens only after one is able to make sense of suffering.An integral part of this process involves the ability to maintain a sense of continuity over time when confronted by adversity, even as one experiences change. This was often described in terms of recovering a sense of balance when figure/ground relationships had been disrupted. Change and the opportunity for continued growth separate the experience of resiliency from mere coping.

The narrative structure suggests resilient stories have a specific pattern which is both continuous and open, allowing one to make sense of life in a way that leaves it open for further growth. As such, resilient stories reflect the lived-experience of resiliency by promoting a sense of balance and providing opportunities to re-interpret stories in light of new knowledge.

Implications of these results were discussed in terms of clinical work with patients. Suggestions for future research were also described.