Family Resiliency:Building Strengthsto Meet Life’s Challenges

National Network for Family ResiliencyChildren, Youth and Families NetworkCSREES-USDA

July 1995

Today’s Families Are…Diverse

■ More than 26 percent of U.S. chil-dren live in single parent families.1

■ Minorities make up an increasingshare of the population.2

■ More than 12 percent of thepopulation is elderly.2

■ Sixty-one percent of U.S. childrenhave both or their only parent in thelabor force.1

Despite changes in their structure, familiesremain the most basic unit of society. Today’sfamilies need support to build the resiliencynecessary to meet life’s challenges head-on.There is encouraging evidence that research andresulting programs can contribute to thestrength and resiliency of all families.

❝Children can thrive in all kinds of families aslong as there is trust, acceptance, and love.”

—Josephine TurnerAuburn University Cooperative Extension

❝Today, more family members are involved inthe care and guidance of children. Fathers,grandparents, and other family members assumeresponsibilities when special needs arise. Ourstrong commitment to family is undaunted.”

—Billie Frazier and Merl MillerUniversity of Maryland Cooperative Extension

❝Among poor, unmarried, adolescent mothersin the Elmira, N.Y., Prenatal and Infancy HomeVisiting Program, there was a 75 percentreduction in cases of child abuse and neglect.”—Sue Miles, Cornell University Cooperative Extension

❝In New Mexico, extended families are learningparenting skills together using Baby’s First Wish,an Extension newsletter.”

—Wendy Hamilton New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension

■ Approximately half of all marriagesend in divorce.2

■ Fewer jobs provide earningssufficient to meet basic needs.2

■ Thirty-two million Americans haveno health insurance.2

■ More than one million children agesfive to fourteen care for themselvesduring non-school hours.2

Challenge is a fact of life. Making adjustments in each life stage, coping withunexpected setbacks, or handling the daily stresses of life can turn a crisis intoan opportunity for growth. —Ben Silliman, University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension

Challenged

■ Twenty percent of U.S. children livein poverty.1

■ Half a million teenage girls givebirth each year.2

■ More U.S. teenage boys die fromgunshot wounds than from allnatural causes combined.2

■ Half a million young people dropout of school each year.2

At Special Risk

Contents

There is a critical need to use the collectivestrengths of individuals, communities, organiza-tions, and governments to respond to the stressesfaced by today’s children, youth, and families.

1Kids Count Data Book. (1994). Center for the Study ofSocial Policy.

2Beyond Rehetoric: A New American Agenda for Childrenand Families. (1991). The National Commission on Children.

2

2 Today’s Families Are…

3 UnderstandingResiliency

4 Resiliency andthe Individual

5 Resiliency andthe Family

6 Resiliency andthe Community

7 Resiliency andEffective FamilyPrograms

8 Resiliency andPublic Policy

9 Resiliency and theExtension Response

10 National Network forFamily Resiliency

11 Contributors andReferences

Resiliency is the family’s ability to cultivate strengths to positively meet thechallenges of life. —National Network for Family Resiliency, 1993

Survival is one resiliency indicator. Confidence,hard work, cooperation, and forgiveness are alsolong-term predictors of individual, family, andcommunity well-being.

Resilient behavior is especially critical for themost vulnerable children and families. Today’ssocietal challenges require education and serviceprograms that help counteract the impact ofpoverty, illness, substance abuse, and violence.Prevention and early intervention efforts helpbuild coping skills that can reduce the need forexpensive, crisis-level services.

Understanding ResiliencyResiliency is the ability to bounce back fromstress and crisis. It is displayed in individuals asoptimism, resourcefulness, and determination.Individuals, families, and communities demon-strate resiliency when they build caring supportsystems and solve problems creatively. Whileindividuals, families, and communities each haveunique coping capacities, together they form adynamic support system as illustrated in Figure 1.

Because individuals, families, and communitiesshow resiliency in unique ways, there are nouniversal rules for success. Resiliency isn’tsimply the ability to cope with everyday stress.Because stress is inevitable, those who workhardest to escape it may be most vulnerableto its effects.

Individuals, families, and

communities form a dy-namic support system

against the inevitable

stresses of life.

Broader influences: school, media, government, economics,prejudices, attitudes

Relationships: friends, neighbors, teachers, child careproviders, clergy, youth leaders

Community

Family

Individual

Immediate family, kin network

Adapted fromBronfenbrenner, 1979 and Dunst, 1988

3

Figure 1.

4

Resiliency is what happens when one regains functioning after adversity.— Norman Garmezy, 1993

Resiliency and the IndividualFrom an early age, individuals learn resilientbehavior at home and in their communities.Children often provide the most graphicexamples of resiliency. Consider Albert Einstein,Helen Keller, and Thomas Edison, who suc-ceeded despite being labeled unteachable anddoomed to fail.

An extensive study by Emmy E. Werner andRuth S. Smith found similar success in infants

who were underweight and slow to develop.Children in the study who received supportive,stimulating care showed normal development attwo, six, and ten years. Those at risk for schoolfailure thrived when caring adults valued themand supported their educational and extracur-ricular activities.

Overall, the children’s health and success inschool, relationships, and jobs correlated with:■ their disposition, intelligence, communication

skills, and internal locus of control;■ parental warmth and support, and positive

relationships with siblings or other adults;■ and support systems in school, church, or

community clubs that rewarded competenceand provided a value system.

Such findings present important implications forExtension programming, according to KarenBogenschneider, Stephen Small, and DavidRiley. Their research indicates that reducing riskfactors and enhancing protective factors canhelp strengthen youth coping and competence(Figure 2).

One protective factor is found in the cognitive-behavioral approach used by psychologistMartin Seligman. Setting and achieving goals forincreasingly challenging tasks encourages“learned optimism.” This helps individuals builda confidence base that strengthens their personalcontrol and competence, lowers their anxiety,improves their relationships, and increases theirproductivity.

Individual resiliency is a

unique blend of heredity,

learning, and support.

Figure 2. Influences of Resilience

Individuals Problem-solving andintellectual abilitiesSelf-esteem, self-efficacy, responsibility

Family Close relationship withat least one adult

Anti-social behavior and hyperactivity

Alienation or rebelliousness

Poor parental monitoring

Distant, uninvolved, inconsistentparenting

Unclear family rules, expectations,rewards

Peers Peers engaged in risk behaviors A close friend

Community

Level ofImpact Risk Factors Protective Factors

School School transitions

Academic failure

Low commitment to school

Positive schoolexperiences

Work Setting Long work hours Required helpfulness

Belonging to a sup-portive community

Bonding to family,other institutions

Low socio-economic status

Complacent or permissive school,community laws, norms

Low neighborhood attachment,community disorganization, andhigh mobility

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Resiliency and the FamilyStrong families help children learn resilientbehavior, according to researcher Mark Roosa,when they teach problem-solving skills andprovide positive, noncritical support and asense of togetherness. The values and skillslearned at home give individuals the power toshape their lives.

Families that learn how to cope with challengesand meet individual needs are more resilient tostress and crisis. Healthy families solve problemswith cooperation, creative brainstorming, andopenness to others, according to David Reiss.Other researchers, including James Garbarino,emphasize the role of social support and con-nectedness (versus isolation) in family resiliency.

Families develop unique resiliency patterns overtime. Hamilton I. McCubbin worked with otherresearchers to extend Reuben Hill’s ABCX modelof family crisis to focus on the impact of afamily’s long-term efforts to adapt (Figure 3).

A family’s ability to recover from crisis is influ-enced by additional life stressors and by familyperceptions. A family’s goals, values, problem-solving skills, and support networks impact itsadaptation to long-term stress and crisis.

Other researchers note that certain social andpsychological characteristics are present inhealthy families. Nick Stinnett and JohnDeFrain identified commitment, appreciation,time together, communication, faith and values,and coping skills as traits in healthy families.Carl A. Dunst, Carol Trivette, and Angela Deal

found that focusing on strengths significantlyimproves a family’s self-help capacity and theimpact of professional help.

The Circumplex Model of Family Functioningdeveloped by David H. Olson, Candyce S.Russell, and Douglas H. Sprenkle also identifiesthree characteristics central to healthy families.They are: 1) cohesion: facilitates togethernessand individuality; 2) adaptability: balancesflexibility and stability; 3) and clear, open,consistent communication.

Family resiliency includes

“…characteristics, dimen-sions, and properties which

help families to be resis-

tant to disruption in the faceof change and adap-

tive in the face of crisis

situations.”— Hamilton I. McCubbin

and Marilyn A. McCubbin,1988

5

Figure 3. Double ABCX Model of Family Stress McCubbin, 1983

perceptionof stressor

pile up

existing & newresources

perceptions

bonadaptation

adaptation

maladaptation

coping

existingresources

stressor

timepre-crisis post-crisiscrisis

crisis

b

c

a aA

bB

cC xX

Resiliency and the CommunityLike individuals and families, communities havestrengths and vulnerabilities that influence lifeand foster resiliency. Neighborhoods, schools,churches, businesses, and government organiza-tions are all part of this multifaceted influence.

Economic vitality is one factor necessary forcommunity survival. A sagging economyincreases risks and diminishes long-termopportunities for families. Other factors, such asthose identified for rural communities byresearchers DeWitt John, Sandra S. Batie, andKim Norris, may increase resiliency (Figure 4).

Support and resource networks buffer stressand promote self-reliance. These networksinclude natural helpers like family and friends,as well as family-friendly professionals. Re-searchers John P. Kretzmann and John L.McKnight defined personal, cultural, andmaterial resources as building blocks formaximizing community resiliency.

Atelia I. Melaville, Martin J. Blank, and GelarehAsayesh found that education and humanservice providers strengthen family resiliencywhen they provide programming that iscomprehensive, preventative, family centered,

integrated, flexible, diversity sensitive, andoutcome oriented. Working together tomaximize assets in a community may be moreimportant than the number of assets available.

A Search Institute study by Dale A. Blyth andEugene C. Roehlkepartain found that supportivecommunity resources, including peers andcaring adults, significantly reduce risks forchildren. The study also found that combiningopportunities for volunteerism, leadership,mentoring, and personal growth with preven-tion programs correlated with lower risks for245 Midwestern youths.

Peter L. Benson recommended four strategies forcommunity change based on this study. They are:■ creating a collaborative action plan for youth;■ promoting responsive parenting;■ providing caring, stimulating schools and

youth groups;■ and fostering innovative, personalized

programs for multiple-risk children.

Working together to maxi-

mize assets in a commu-

nity may be more impor-tant than the number of

assets available.

The Native AmericanFamily Empowerment

Project is designed to

help Native Americans onMontana reservations

improve family relations

and parenting skills. Itincludes using the tradi-

tional “talking circle” as

a forum for story telling,humor, and ceremony to

discuss family issues. It

is the collaborativeproject of several tribal

agencies, the Montana

Council for Families, andthe Montana State Uni-

versity Cooperative Ex-

tension Service.

Figure 4.Strategies for Rural Economic Growth■ Recruitment and entrepreneurship■ Manufacturing and services■ Progressive firms■ Sustained local economic development activities■ Pro-growth attitude■ Financing for building and infrastructure■ Support from outside the community■ Leadership

6

empowers individuals and families to becomepart of the decision-making process.

Culturally RelevantPrograms that respect individual and culturaldifferences build strengths in the clients theyserve. Addressing barriers and accommodatingdifferent learning styles helps build a broadresource base for problem solving.

CollaborativePrograms need to involve multiple agencies,organizations, and citizens to be effective.Coordination with existing services helpsintegrate programs into communities.

RespectfulInteractions between programs and clients thatfocus on equality and respect solidify relation-ships and provide opportunities for one-on-oneinteraction. Voluntary programs that areaccessible and easy to use encourage parti-cipation. Using mentors to share their experi-ences helps clients address their own goals.

IntergenerationalPrograms that value resiliency use an encourage-ment model that takes an intergenerationalapproach to build on family strengths. Programsthat provide parent education can help familiesacquire basic skills and promote informalsupport among peers.

AccountablePrograms need regular assessment to makeservices more responsive to families and tojustify financial investment.

Resiliency and Effective Family ProgramsHow can families be encouraged to cultivatetheir strengths to positively meet life’s chal-lenges? Just as there are no universal rules fordeveloping resiliency, no prescriptions guaran-tee the success of programs that address theneeds of at-risk children, youth, and families.Research does highlight, however, somecommon elements in effective programs.

Community BasedCommunity-based programs need to recognizethat children are part of a family and community.Programs that encourage neighborhood andschool involvement help communities respondto the needs of individuals and families.

ComprehensivePrograms that provide continuous intenseinteraction with competent, caring adults andpeers are more effective than programs designedsolely for crisis situations. Effective programsfocus on services that address the educational,health, social, and emotional needs of individu-als, parents, and children.

EmpoweringPrograms that provide nurturing connectionswith others help individuals and families learnabout community resources and link them tothe world of work. Successful programs involveclients in shaping their own interventions.

ComplexPrograms must focus on causes; addressingimmediate symptoms is not enough. Earlyintervention and crisis prevention should beemphasized. Addressing barriers to change

In Wayne County, N.C.,

a youth-at-risk program

targets middle schoolchildren involved in the

juvenile court system.

The after-school pro-gram, “CareerSmarts,”

teaches job skills and ad-

dresses the issue ofyouth violence. Juvenile

court involvement has

been reduced for 85 per-cent of the participants.

In St. Louis, Mo., 150 chil-dren increased their aca-

demic performance and

self-confidence by par-ticipating in an Afro-cen-

tric curriculum, Nguzo

Saba. The curriculum fo-cuses on principles such

as unity, self-determina-

tion, creativity, and faithto help young African-

American children find

their reference groupwithin society.

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Resiliency and Public PolicyPolicy decisions—local, state, or federal—maydramatically affect the lives of families. Yet, policyproposals often focus on individuals such as un-wed parents, youth offenders, or school dropouts,and fail to consider them as part of families.

According to Shirley Zimmerman, family policyis a “certain perspective for thinking, under-standing, and acting regarding families.” Fromthe family resiliency perspective, all families havestrengths. Empowerment becomes the chiefcornerstone of policies that enhance resiliency.

The essential first step in developing family-friendly policies is to ask the right questions.G.L. Stevens suggests some questions as guides:What values have influenced the development ofthe policy? Does the proposal benefit one groupof families at the expense of others? What will bethe short- and long-term impact on families andcommunities? Does the policy enhance or deterfamily stability?

T. Ooms and S. Preister outlined six guidingprinciples for evaluating policy impact on fami-lies. Each principle reflects an implied value.

1. Family Support and ResponsibilitiesPolicies should support and supplement familyfunctioning and provide substitute services asa last resort.Underlying Value: Families fill some functions best;substitutes are a last resort.

2. Family Membership and StabilityPolicies should encourage and reinforce familycommitment and stability, especially whenchildren are involved.Underlying Value: Removal of family members isjustified only as protection from serious harm.

3. Family Involvement and InterdependencePolicies must recognize the interdependence offamily relationships, the strength of family tiesand obligations, and the resources families haveto help their members.Underlying Value: Solutions to individual problemsshouldn’t harm other family members.

4. Family Partnership and EmpowermentPolicies must encourage family members tocollaborate as partners with professionals inservice delivery.Underlying Value: Policies usually are morerelevant to family needs when families are involvedin their development.

5. Family DiversityPolicies must acknowledge and value thediversity of family life and recognize thedifferent ways families may be impacted.Underlying Value: All families need support andshouldn’t be disadvantaged because of structure,cultural values, life stage, or circumstance.

6. Family VulnerabilityFamilies with the greatest economic andsocial need should have first priority in govern-ment policies.Underlying Value: All families deserve support.Policies should give special consideration to thosewith the greatest social and economic limitations,and to those most likely to break down.

Empowering families to think critically aboutthe public policy issues that impact them andencouraging dialogue between families andpolicy makers are major steps in buildingresilient individuals, families, and communities.

Developing public policies that strengthen family resiliency requires a shiftfrom strategies based on the “disease” model to strategies that support the“wellness” model. —Herbert Lingren, University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension

Evaluative criteria can help

individuals:

1. review current orproposed policies,

2. examine operating

procedures for agencies

and organizations,

3. or help them prepare

questions or testimony

on family policy

impact.

8

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the most risk-susceptible youth. The Youth At-Risk Initiative committed resources to preven-tion and intervention programs that addresseight critical educational needs: self-esteem,careers and employment skills, fitness andhealth, reading and technological literacy,parental support, child care, problem-solving/decision-making skills, and futuring.

A second initiative, “Plight of Young Children,”committed Extension resources to collaborativecommunity outreach to meet the needs oflimited resource families with young children.Comprehensive education to improve skills innutrition, resource management, and parentingthrough community-based organizations is acritical component of this work.

CSREES envisions American communitieswhere children and youth lead positive, secure,and happy lives while developing the skills,knowledge, and competencies necessary to leadfulfilling, contributing adult lives. To movetoward this vision, CSREES has blendedresources and strategies to strengthen families inthe context of their communities.

The Children, Youth, and Families At-RiskInitiative marshals the resources of the Cooper-ative State Research, Education, and ExtensionService to collaborate with other organizations.They work together to develop and delivereducational programs that help at-risk familiesand youth lead positive, productive, contribut-ing lives.

Resiliency and the Extension ResponseThe CSREES helps peopleimprove their lives through

an educational process that

uses scientific knowledgefocused on issues and

needs.

The Cooperative State Research, Education, andExtension Service (CSREES) has relied from itsbeginning on the empowerment model ofeducation for families. CSREES is communitybased and problem focused. As a public-funded,informal system linking education and research,it combines resources from the U.S. Departmentof Agriculture, 74 land grant universities, andmore than 3,000 county-level offices. Extensioneducators are guided by the CSREES mission:“Helping people improve their lives through aneducational process that uses scientific knowl-edge focused on issues and needs.”

CSREES brings communities together and buildsnetworks with public and private organizationsto deliver educational programs that focus oncritical needs and issues. It is highly accessible tothe public because of its outreach base in bothrural and urban areas.

The belief that the family is the most effectiveand efficient unit for building a competentsociety is the foundation for CSREES familiesprograms. Education empowers individualsand families to apply practices that result inincreased capacity and enhanced well-being.The Family Development and ResourceManagement component of CSREES helpsfamilies develop the skills needed to nurture,support, and guide members; grow in economicsecurity; and contribute to and be supported bycaring communities.

CSREES youth development programs demon-strate continuing success, reaching approxi-mately 5.6 million youth yearly. Increasingevidence that youth are at risk from poverty,lack of family support, and negative peerpressure led CSREES to focus on programs for

10

For more information onusing or contributing to the

NNFR, contact:

Barb FrokeProject Director

110 Gwynn Hall

University of MissouriColumbia, MO 65211

(314) 882-7828

FAX (314) 884-4807INTERNET:

frokeb@ext.missouri.edu

National Network for Family ResiliencyTo support collaboration among universitiesand community-based programs, the Coopera-tive State Research, Education, and ExtensionService (CSREES), USDA, created four nationalnetworks to marshal faculty and programresources to directly respond to the economic,social, and human stresses faced by children,youth, and families.

These networks, which constitute the Coopera-tive Extension System Children, Youth andFamily (CYF) Network, are linked and accessedthrough CYFERNET, an Internet-basedinformation system. CSREES currently fundsthe National Networks for Child Care, Collabo-ration, Family Resiliency, and Science andTechnology.

National Network for Family Resiliency userscan access information and resources thatinclude current research, training opportunities,educational programs, and publications. Theresources available reflect the diverse back-grounds of network members: youth develop-ment, family and consumer sciences, communitydevelopment, and communications technology.

The network is continually evolving to meet userneeds. When complete, the network will include:■ a calendar of events, trainings, and programs;■ a resource list of organizations and specialists;■ a speaker’s bureau;■ related databases;■ information on best practices in curriculum

and programs;■ research and theory information;■ recent publications;■ electronic journals;■ and discussion groups.

How to Access the National Networkfor Family ResiliencyYou must have computer access to the Internet.There are three basic ways to access CYFERNETon the Internet.

■ WORLD WIDE WEB software access:http://www.glue.umd.edu/~fraz

■ GOPHER software access:If you have GOPHER software, check to seeif CYFERNET is listed on one of your menusand select it.

If you have GOPHER software butCYFERNET is not listed as a menu choice,select “Other Gophers” and make thefollowing choices on subsequent menus:

■ North America■ USA

■ General■ CYFERNET

■ National Network for Family Resiliency

A shortcut that works on some systems is tostart your GOPHER software by typing thefollowing on a single line:gopher gopher-cyfernet.mes.umn.edu4242

If you have GOPHER software that allowsyou to enter a URL directly, you can type thefollowing to reach CYFERNET:gopher://gopher-cyfernet.mes.umn.edu:4242/

■ TELNET software access:Type the following on a single line:telnet gopher-cyfernet.mes.umn.eduAt the login prompt, type: cyfernet

Stevens, G.L. (1992). How toImpact Public Policy for Families.North Central Region (NCR443). Lincoln, NE: CooperativeExtension, Institute ofAgriculture and NaturalResources, University ofNebraska-Lincoln.

Zimmerman, Shirley. (1992).Family Policies and Family Well-Being: The Role of Political Culture.Newbury Park, CA: SagePublications.

Resiliency and theExtension ResponseReferences:Aging in America: A Time of Crisis,A Time for Decisions and Solutions.(March 1993). Aging in AmericaTask Force Report, CooperativeExtension Service, pp. 7.

CES Initiative Fact Sheet: Plight ofYoung Children. (November1993). CIT/Ext. Service, USDA.

CES Initiative Fact Sheet: Youth AtRisk. (November 1993). CIT/Ext.Service, USDA.

Our Families...Our Future: AStrategic Plan for FamilyDevelopment and ResourceManagement. (November 1992).USDA, Cooperative ExtensionService, pp. 2.

Working Philosophy: Children,Youth and Families At Risk.(February 1994). ExtensionNational Initiatives.

Youth, The American Agenda.(May 1989). A Report of theNational Initiative Task Force onYouth At-Risk.

National Network forFamily ResiliencyContributors:Shirley Hutchings. ExtensionEducator, 4-H/Children, Youth,& Families, CooperativeExtension Service, University ofRhode Island.

Trudy Dunham. ResearchFellow, Center for 4-H YouthDevelopment, CooperativeExtension Service, University ofMinnesota.

Additional references can beaccessed on the NationalNetwork for Family Resiliency.See the previous section fornetwork access instructions.

Contributors and ReferencesToday’s Families Are...Contributors:Frazier, Billie. HumanDevelopment Specialist,Cooperative Extension Service,University of Maryland.

Hamilton, Wendy. 4-H YouthDevelopment Specialist,Cooperative Extension Service,New Mexico State University.

Miles, Sue. Program Leader,Individual, Family andCommunity Well-Being,Cooperative Extension Service,Cornell University.

Miller, Merl E. Leadership andVolunteerism Specialist,Cooperative Extension Service,University of Maryland.

Silliman, Ben. Family LifeSpecialist, Cooperative ExtensionService, University of Wyoming.

Turner, Josephine. ExtensionFamily Economist, CooperativeExtension Service, AuburnUniversity.

Understanding ResiliencyContributor:Silliman, Ben. Family LifeSpecialist, Cooperative ExtensionService, University of Wyoming.

Reference:Bronfenbrenner, Urie. (1979).The Ecology of HumanDevelopment. Cambridge, MA:Harvard University Press.

Dunst, Carl A., Trivette, Carol, &Deal, Angela. (1988). Enablingand Empowering Families.Brookline, MA: Brookline Books.

Resiliency and the IndividualContributor:Silliman, Ben. Family LifeSpecialist, Cooperative ExtensionService, University of Wyoming.

References:Bogenschneider, Karen, Small,Stephen, & Riley, David. (1993).An ecological risk-focused approachfor addressing youth at-risk. ChevyChase, MD: National 4-H Center.

Garmezy, Norman. (1993).Children in poverty: Resiliencedespite risk. Psychiatry, 56,127-136.

Seligman, Martin E.P. (1990).Learned Optimism. New York,NY: Pocket Books.

Werner, Emmy E. & Smith, RuthS. (1992). Overcoming the Odds.Ithaca, NY: Cornell UniversityPress.

Resiliency and the FamilyContributor:Silliman, Ben. Family LifeSpecialist, Cooperative ExtensionService, University of Wyoming.

References:Dunst, Carl A., Trivette, Carol, &Deal, Angela. (1988). Enablingand Empowering Families.Brookline, MA: Brookline Books.

Garbarino, James. (1992).Children and Families in the SocialEnvironment. Second Edition. NewYork, NY: Aldine de Gruyter.

Hill, Reuben. (1949). FamiliesUnder Stress. New York, NY:Harper & Row.

McCubbin, Hamilton I. &Marilyn A. McCubbin. (1988).Typologies of resilient families:Emerging roles of social classand ethnicity. Family Relations,37, (3), 247-254.

McCubbin, Hamilton I., McCub-bin, Marilyn A., Thompson,Anne I., and Thompson,Elizabeth A. (1995). Resiliency inethnic families: A conceptualmodel for predicting familyadjustment and adaptation. InH.I. McCubbin, M.A. McCubbin,A.I. Thompson and J.E. Fromer,Resiliency in ethnic minority fami-lies: Native and immigrant families(pp. 3-48). Madison, WI: Centerfor Excellence in Family Studies.

McCubbin, Hamilton I. &Patterson, Joan. (1983). Familytransitions: Adaptation to stress.In H.I. McCubbin & C.R. Figley(Eds.). Stress and the Family. Vol.I: Coping with NormativeTransitions (pp.5-25). New York,NY: Brunner/Mazel.

Olson, David H., Candyce S.Russell, & Douglas H. Sprenkle.(1989). Circumplex Model:Systematic Assessment andTreatment of Families. New York,NY: Haworth Press.

Reiss, David. (1980). FamilySystems in America. New York, NY:Holt, Reinhart, and Winston.

Roosa, Mark. (1993). Youth atrisk: The family as a contributorto child resiliency and as a focusfor intervention. In V.L. Loyer-Carlson & F.K. Willits (Eds.),Youth-At-Risk: The Research andPractice Interface (pp.39-48).University Park, PA: The North-east Center for Rural Development.

Stinnett, Nick & DeFrain, John.(1985). Secrets of Strong Families.Boston, MA: Little, Brown, & Co.

Resiliency and the CommunityContributor:Silliman, Ben. Family Life Spe-cialist, Cooperative ExtensionService, University of Wyoming.

References:Benson, Peter L. (1993). TheTroubled Journey: A Portrait of6th-12th Grade Youth. Minne-apolis, MN: The Search Institute.

Blyth, Dale A. & Roehlkepartain,Eugene C. (1993). Healthy Com-munities, Healthy Youth. Minne-apolis, MN: The Search Institute.

John, DeWitt; Batie, Sandra S.; &Norris, Kim. (1988). A BrighterFuture for Rural America?Strategies for Communities andStates. Washington, DC: NationalGovernor’s Association.

Kretzmann, John P. andMcKnight, John L. (1993).Building communities from theinside out: A path toward findingand mobilizing a community’sassets. Evanston, IL:Northwestern University.

Melaville, Atelia I.; Blank, MartinJ.; & Asayesh, Gelareh. (1993).Together We Can: A Guide forCrafting a Profamily System ofEducation and Human Services.Washington, DC: U.S.Department of Education, Officeof Educational Research/U.S.Department of Health andHuman Services.

Resiliency andEffective Family ProgramsContributors:Daly, Ron. Professor Emeritus,Ag Extension Service, Universityof Tennessee.

Stout, JaneAnn. Associate Deanand Director to Families,Cooperative Extension Service,Iowa State University.

References:Beyond Rhetoric. (1991). FinalReport of the NationalCommission on Children.

Children, Youth and Families AtRisk Report. (Fall 1994).Cooperative Extension System.

Children, Youth and Families AtRisk, Working Philosophy. (1994).ESUSDA.

Dryfoos, J.G. (1990). AdolescentsAt-Risk: Prevalence andPrevention. New York, NY:Oxford University Press.

Children’s Defense Fund. (1992).Helping Children by StrengtheningFamilies: A Look at Family SupportPrograms. Chicago, Ill.: FamilyResource Coalition, 1994.

News and Issues. (Summer 1994).National Center for Poverty.

Resiliency and Public PolicyContributors:Bogenschneider, Karen. FamilyPolicy Specialist, CooperativeExtension Service, University ofWisconsin-Madison.

Lingren, Herbert G. Family LifeSpecialist, Cooperative ExtensionService, University of Nebraska.

McLean, Ann L. Family LivingSpecialist, Cooperative ExtensionService, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Warning, Jeanne. AssistantDirector to Families, CooperativeExtension Service, Iowa StateUniversity.

References:Ooms, T., and Preister, S. (Eds.).(1988). A Strategy forStrengthening Families: UsingFamily Criteria in Policymakingand Program Evaluation. Aconsensus report of the FamilyCriteria Task Force. Washington,D.C.: Family Impact Seminar.

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EDC-53

Publication Coordinator, Colleen Jolly, Extension Specialist,Department of Human Developmentand Family Studies, Iowa State University.

Project Director, Family Resiliency Nature and Definition,JaneAnn Stout, Associate Dean and Director to Families, IowaState University Extension.

Editor, Jolene McCoy.

Graphic Designer, Rini Twait.

Prepared by Iowa State University Extension, Ames,Iowa.

ReviewersCarol Ford Arkin, Ph.D. Department of Family Relations andHuman Development, Ohio State University.

Billie Frazier, Ph.D. Extension Home Economics Department,University of Maryland.

Merl E. Miller, Ph.D. Extension Home Economics Depart-ment, University of Maryland.

Lynn Blinn Pike, Ph.D. Department of Human Devlopmentand Family Studies, University of Missouri-Columbia.

Marianne Reynolds, Graduate Assistant, Extension HomeEconomics Department; graduate student, Human Develop-ment Department, University of Maryland.

Photo AcknowledgmentCover background photo: Extension and AgriculturalCommunications, University of Missouri-Columbia.

PhotosIowa State University, Extension CommunicationSystems

Beth Ostercamp, Ames, Iowa

Extension and Agricultural Communications,University of Missouri-Columbia.

Project FINE (Focus on Integrating Newcomers inEducation), 4-H Youth Development, Winona CountyExtension, Winona, MN.