Resilience Concept Analysis
Introduction
Concepts are the building blocks from which theories are constructed. A concept analysis will clarify the meaning of a concept and help us understand the current theoretical and operational definitions of the concept for use in theory and research (Walker & Avant, 2005). The concept resilience was chosen for analysis because of its many uses in the literature today, and the need of a central, encompassing, modernized definition. In wake of the recent tragedies that have been occurring, resilience has become more widely used and its definition has been stretched. If this concept is to be used in its entirety, a centralized definition will need to be developed and a consensus on the defining attributes will need to be proposed. This concept analysis will look at how the word is used, and narrow the analysis from resilience in other professions, families, and communities to resilience in the individual person.
Concepts change and grow over time when new information is generated and when new interpretations of the concept are formed. This concept analysis will delineate the many definitions of the concept and allow us to view it in its entirety and with the most current definitions. Walker & Avant’s (2005) concept analysis method was chosen and includes the following steps: select a concept; determine the defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences; identify a model case and a borderline, related, and contrary cases; and define the empirical referents of the concept.
Uses of the concept
Resilience has use across disciplines, age groups, and cultures. The original use and research on the concept are found in literature looking at children who experienced adverse life situations and differentiating those that bounced back after the event and those who did not (Werner & Smith, 1982). Other definitions stem from studies on human behavior and can be defined as the ability to overcome pain and transform the self (Greene, Galambos, & Lee, 2003), or
Concepts are the building blocks from which theories are constructed. A concept analysis will clarify the meaning of a concept and help us understand the current theoretical and operational definitions of the concept for use in theory and research (Walker & Avant, 2005). The concept resilience was chosen for analysis because of its many uses in the literature today, and the need of a central, encompassing, modernized definition. In wake of the recent tragedies that have been occurring, resilience has become more widely used and its definition has been stretched. If this concept is to be used in its entirety, a centralized definition will need to be developed and a consensus on the defining attributes will need to be proposed. This concept analysis will look at how the word is used, and narrow the analysis from resilience in other professions, families, and communities to resilience in the individual person.
Concepts change and grow over time when new information is generated and when new interpretations of the concept are formed. This concept analysis will delineate the many definitions of the concept and allow us to view it in its entirety and with the most current definitions. Walker & Avant’s (2005) concept analysis method was chosen and includes the following steps: select a concept; determine the defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences; identify a model case and a borderline, related, and contrary cases; and define the empirical referents of the concept.
Uses of the concept
Resilience has use across disciplines, age groups, and cultures. The original use and research on the concept are found in literature looking at children who experienced adverse life situations and differentiating those that bounced back after the event and those who did not (Werner & Smith, 1982). Other definitions stem from studies on human behavior and can be defined as the ability to overcome pain and transform the self (Greene, Galambos, & Lee, 2003), or
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