Lancaster University alumnus Jonathan De Vita has a BSc (Hons) degree in computer science as well as a graduate diploma in law from Manchester Metropolitan University. Whether building a productivity tool or designing a user interface, Jonathan De Vita recognises the importance of psychology in tech development, appreciating that the best technology is not about raw power but about connecting with the needs and thought processes of people who use it. This article will delve deeper into the topic of psychology, looking at resilience and factors that affect it.
Resilience is a powerful psychological quality that enables people to overcome challenges. Resilience enables people to overcome trauma and bounce back from adversity stronger than before. Rather than allowing challenging events, difficulties or failure to overcome them and drain their resolve, resilient people find a way to adapt, learn and heal while still moving towards their goals.
Psychologists have identified a range of different factors that make some individuals more resilient than others, chief among them a positive attitude, the ability to regulate emotions and the ability to recognise failure as a valuable learning opportunity.
Optimism has been shown to cushion the impact of stress on both the mind and the body. A positive outlook enables the individual to access their own cognitive resources, analysing what went wrong in a cool-headed way to identify paths that may have been more productive.
The roots of resilience are a popular topic of study today. Rather than resilience stemming solely from a genetic predisposition, leading researchers contend that it is early experiences and life circumstances that largely dictate how resilience genes are expressed. Diet also has a role to play, with research showing that gut microbiota can affect brain structure and cognitive function. In terms of resilience, gut microbiome composition has been found to be a significant factor.
A study led by Eric An of the David Geffen School of Medicine analysed how brain structure and the gut microbiome affect mental health and resilience. In the cross-sectional study, which involved 116 healthy patients from Los Angeles, the researchers used a multimodal MRI to capture images of the participants’ brains. The researchers also gathered dietary information via surveys and collected stool samples. The latter were used to detect DNA, RNA and metabolites, enabling the team to better understand each patient’s gut microbiome composition.
In the study, resilience was measured using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. The team also gathered data via various questionnaires to measure personality, anxiety, mindfulness and other psychological factors. They compared clinical factors between participants who scored highly in terms of resilience versus those with a low resilience score. First, the team found that more resilient individuals also tended to have lower anxiety and neuroticism scores and higher mindfulness. In addition, Eric An and his team also discovered that a lower volume and surface area of subcallosal gyrus, or ‘grey matter’, correlated with high resilience scores. The researchers also found that both genetic makeup and gut microbiome disposition are crucial to an individual’s ability to adapt to stress and adverse circumstances.
Traumatic experiences can have a debilitating impact on a person. Most people are exposed to one or more traumas throughout the course of their lifetime, but there are huge variables in terms of how people respond to traumatic events. Many people who have undergone trauma go on to become highly resilient individuals. Nevertheless, in some instances, traumatised individuals develop maladaptive coping skills that negatively impact them, reducing their ability to cope with future challenges.
Many factors that determine resilience, including genetics, early experiences and sheer luck, cannot be modified. However, specific resilience-building techniques such as pushing back against catastrophising, breaking out of negative thought cycles and looking for the positives when faced with life’s setbacks are highly teachable. By learning to accept failure, overcome setbacks and recognise how failure can actually help them, people can learn to take control of their lives, learning from mistakes, bouncing back from adversity and building resilience through powerful learning experiences.
