Glossary

Question 1

Adversity

Answer 1

Experiences that threaten function, development, or survival of an individual or system.

Question 2

Assets

Answer 2

Advantages or resources associated with positive (desirable) outcomes; predictors of positive outcomes.

Question 3

Competence

Answer 3

Capability for effective function in the environment; manifested capacity for positive adaptation in regard to accomplishing expected developmental tasks.

Question 4

Developmental cascade

Answer 4

Spreading effects over time that result from interactions in dynamic systems across domains, levels, systems, or generations that cumulatively alter the course of development.

Question 5

Developmental tasks

Answer 5

Physical or psychosocial milestones or accomplishments expected for individuals in a given period of development in ecological and historical context.

Question 6

Dose gradient

Answer 6

Refers in resilience science typically to a graph showing a pattern of rising problems or undesirable outcomes as the level of trauma, exposure to disaster, or number of cumulative risk factors increases; in intervention research, this concept refers to rising level of desirable outcomes or falling symptom levels as the exposure to treatment increases.

Question 7

Human capital

Answer 7

Individu skills and attributes viewed as valuable to economies, families, or societies because they predict productivity or other kinds of success in life.

Question 8

Late bloomers

Answer 8

Individuals form high-risk backgrounds who begin to manifest resilience later in adolescence or adulthood following a period of maladaptation.

Question 9

Promotive factor

Answer 9

Moderator of risk associated with better (desired) outcomes when risk is high than when risk is low (associated with statistical interaction effects); a predictor of desirable outcomes particularly in high-risk or adversity contexts.

Question 10

Resilience

Answer 10

Capacity (potential or manifested) of a dynamic system to adapt successfully to disturbances that threaten system function, viability, or development; positive adaptation or development in the context of significantly adversity exposure.

Question 11

Resiliency

Answer 11

Property of a material object, or system to withstand stresses or spring back to its original form; sometimes used to describe a human personality trait (of questionable validity).

Question 12

Resource

Answer 12

Used synonymously in resilience research with an asset or promotive factor.

Question 13

Risk

Answer 13

Higher probability of a negative (undesired) outcome.

Question 14

Risk factor

Answer 14

Indicator of risk for a specified negative or undesirable outcome in a group or population.

Question 15

Risk gradient

Answer 15

Dose gradient showing a rising level of some negative outcome (or falling level of a positive outcome) as a function of higher scores on a risk or cumulative measure.

Question 16

Social capital

Answer 16

Assets, resources, promotive factors, or protective factors available through a person’s relationship and social connections.

Question 17

Stress

Answer 17

Effects of disturbances in an individual or system that disrupt adaptive functions; response of a dynamic system to challenge or demands.

Question 18

Stressors

Answer 18

Events of experiences that typically result in stress in a system of interest.

Question 19

Turnaround cases

Answer 19

Individuals who show a striking change in direction of the life course; in resilience science, referring specifically to positive changes in adaptive function.

Question 20

Vulnerability

Answer 20

Individual or system susceptibility or sensitivity specific to harmful consequences from threats or disturbances; moderator of adversity or risk that results in higher-than-typical negative effects.