Resilient children: A longitudinal study of high achieving socially disadvantaged children

Abstract

Current interest in “resilient” children ‐‐ those who are vulnerable to psycho‐pathology yet achieve competence ‐‐ prompted a study of such children using data from the 1970 British birth cohort. The conceptual framework used to define a sample of “resilient” children within the cohort is described, and results from analyses designed to identify contextual, parenting and experiential factors which substantially increased the chance of resilience in vulnerable children are presented. Vulnerability was defined in terms of the family's socio‐economic status when the child was 5, and a Competency Index, based on cognitive#sh educational attainment and behavioural adjustment at 10 years, determined which of the vulnerable group were “resilient”. The main finding was that having positive, supportive and interested parents was a major factor which enabled socially vulnerable children to achieve competence. Maternal depression ‐‐ a condition to which low SES mothers were at high risk ‐‐ substantially reduced the chance of resilience.