Recognising resilience to improve mental wellbeing: Understanding why South African youth may not require resilience building programmes

Vast swathes of the South African population face a multitude of challenges in their day-to-day lives, ranging from socioeconomic disparities to exposure to traumatic events and toxic stressors. In the course of its work, the School of Hard Knocks, (‘SoHK’, a South African-based sport for development and mental health promotion organisation) frequently hears a great deal about these challenges from the organisation’s participants. Many of SoHK’s employees, who are drawn from the same communities as the participants, experience the same challenges.

It is clear that the organisation’s participants and many of its employees face tremendous threats to their development and well-being, and the fact that they are frequently able to overcome these threats and obstacles indicates that there may be reason to believe that there are deep reservoirs of resilience within young people in South Africa – a conclusion that is at odds with much of the popular discourse, which all too often dwells on a perceived lack of ‘grit’ or determination amongst young people. After reflection and research, it appears that emerging evidence suggests that South African youth possess significant levels of resilience, cultivated through their lived experiences – and this supports our observances. 

Graph depicting baseline and endline resilience scores for two groups: South Africa (group 1) and the US and UK (group 2). Group 1's resilience scores start high and go down slightly at endline. This indicates a possible ceiling effect. Group 2's baseline starts low and increases gradually at endline. This is the expected effect of resilience-building programmes.

The disjuncture between, on the one hand, these observations and the emerging research regarding the presence of resilience and, on the other, common discourses focusing on its absence has real ramifications for organisations and individuals working in the sector: global discourses of youth development and mental wellbeing frequently promote resilience-building programmes to equip young individuals with the tools to navigate the adversities they face. However, if resilience is, in fact, present in under-resourced communities in South Africa, these programmes are targeting the wrong problem. Accordingly, this brief aims to explore the notion that rather than focusing solely on resilience building, there is a need to shift towards recognising and harnessing existing wells of resilience that are present amongst South Africa’s youth.

What is ‘resilience’?

Dr Ann Masten, a thought leader in the field, defines resilience as “the capacity of a dynamic system to adapt successfully to disturbances that threaten the viability, the function, or the development of that system” (Masten, 2014). 

Resilience Amidst Adversity

South African youth are frequently exposed to repeat traumatic events and toxic stress, stemming from factors such as poverty, violence, and systemic inequalities. Globally, people are exposed to an average of 5 Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) in their lifetime – in South Africa, the average is 5-8 a year. Research indicates that many young individuals demonstrate remarkable resilience in the face of adversity – researchers such as Masten and Ungar highlight how exposure to adverse circumstances can foster the development of resilience.

This is reflected in what SoHK hearsn from its participants. The organisation works with children in no-fee and low-fee schools, many of which are considered to be at high-risk of school drop-out or expulsion, gang affiliation, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, self-harm, suicide ideation and suicidality. When SoHK collects data, 84% of its participants report having experienced “something in the last few months that was traumatising”. Yet 85% of participants report that they “cope well with things that stress them out”, while 76% of participants report that they are generally “happy with my [their] life”.

This reflects what is being seen in research. A prospective study on suicidality and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) found that in a South African sample, even when children were exposed to multiple concurrent adverse experiences, suicidality was lower than in the United States-based sample, even at one-year follow-up.

At SoHK, reported cases of self-harm or suicide ideation or suicidality are below expected numbers, indicating that the children in the programme are showing remarkable resilience in the face of extreme adversity. Through teacher feedback data, SoHK hears that most children are not struggling to cope with daily life, as would be expected in such difficult circumstances. Most learners are able to attend to their schoolwork and do not disrupt teaching, revealing a notable resilience-building process even in the face of ongoing adversity.

When SoHK measures resilience on validated scales, there is an observable, and inevitable, “ceiling effect”. Baseline data relating to resilience collected by the organisation are so high that it is almost impossible for scores to improve at endline. In fact, often, scores often decrease, indicating seemingly reduced resilience. If this were to be the case, it would be a significant problem for non-profits needing to provide evidence of impact. In reality, researchers and field workers agree that the scores are affected by a number of factors; response bias at baseline (children telling us what they think we want to hear; increased honesty at endline as relationships build and children feel safer; and possibly low-quality unreliable data [children do not understand fully the questions posed to them]).

IMPLICATIONS OF THIS ELEVATED RESILIENCE FOR INDIVIDUALS

Implications for Youth Development Programmes

Rather than assuming a deficit model that emphasises the need to build resilience in South African youth, there is a growing recognition of the importance of acknowledging and amplifying their existing strengths. The concept of resilience awareness entails empowering youth to recognise their innate resilience and leverage it as a source of strength and empowerment. By fostering awareness of their resilience, youth are better equipped to navigate challenges and capitalise on their strengths in pursuit of positive outcomes. This means that youth development programmes in South Africa should prioritise a strengths-based approach that celebrates and amplifies the resilience of young individuals. This entails shifting away from deficit-focused interventions towards initiatives that promote resilience awareness and cultivation. Contributory elements such as social support networks, cultural practices, and adaptive coping strategies should take the spotlight. Incorporating elements such as mentorship, self-awareness and emotional intelligence building, and community engagement can further bolster the development and wellbeing of South African youth by tapping into their existing strengths and resources.

Conclusion

South African youth exhibit significant levels of resilience despite exposure to repeated traumatic events and toxic stressors. Rather than viewing resilience as a trait to be built from scratch, there is a need to recognise and amplify the resilience that already exists within young individuals. By fostering resilience awareness and leveraging existing strengths, youth development efforts can better support the positive development and wellbeing of South African youth in the face of adversity.