Resilience

Trauma Transmission and Resilience
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Abstract
In what is termed as ‘holding the secret of our ancestors’, scholars have always debated on the likelihood that trauma is carried across generations. Stressful life events, trauma, and other normal life stressors may pose a potential threat to brain functioning and structure. Victims of trauma may develop psychiatric disorders or even posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, some other victims of trauma survive the stress in what is referred to as resilience; that is, the ability to adapt successfully after experiencing stress or adversity. In the social work practice, social workers have the responsibility to assist trauma patients to recover from loss by initiating clinical procedures and psychological interventions to manage the consequences of stress. This essay presents an in-depth analysis of resilience regarding psychologist Bandura’s experiment to support the social learning theory. Also, I will highlight cognitive and behavioral coping strategies that victims of trauma can embrace to develop resilience; with a focus on youthful (adolescents) populations.
Keywords: Resilience, PTSD, trauma, stressors, coping strategies
Part 1
In the video, the social learning theory of aggressiveness is exemplified in the Bobo Doll experiment. Psychologist Bandura is known to have pioneered the social or behavioral learning theory which can be summarized in the properties of attention, memory, and motivation.

As such, Bandura suggests that human beings can learn from each other by observation, imitation, and replication of the behaviors learned. From that point of view, it can be argued that traumatic transmission occurs along the principles of the social learning theory. Scholars in social work further indicate that events that have been traumatically overwhelming, unthinkable, and unbearable are likely to be passed on to the next generation as a consequence of ‘chaotic urgency’ (Anson & Muth, 2009). Therefore, the idea of behavioral transmission and urgency are pivotal in passing on trauma from one generation to the other. This explains the reason why a parent who has been a victim of rape, or home violence will be skeptical about parties or any love relationships for her kids. Such paranoid behavior will be passed on to the next generation either knowingly or unknowingly.
In the Bobo Doll experiment, it was witnessed that children exposed to violent activities were seen to replicate the same violent actions. From a micro point of view, such kids should be assisted through the use of behavioral strategies. For example, recommending the kids to keep off from violent scenes and regular advisory sessions against violence may help. From a mezzo point of view, encouraging peaceful group games in school and friends at home will help the children forget the violent behaviors. Macro solutions borrow from the factors identifies in the micro-level of analysis; as such, banning violent video games and ensuring adherence to parental guidance prohibition in movies should be implemented by children officers and policymakers to help minimize the effects of ‘socially-learned’ violent behaviors. Children exposed to violence can receive social services such as educational programs for children at risk of violence, alternative living arrangements, and protective guardianship.
Part 2
Resilience is the ability to adapt successfully after or in the event of stress and adversity. Resilience theory defines the strengths that people or groups employ to assist them in concurring adversity (Menakem, 2017). Dennis, a close friend, has been a motivation for me about his strength in handling the unbearable loss that hit her. At 14, Dennis was so much into partying and a flamboyant nightlife. Dennis used to join his four friends every Friday night for a night out in a distant neighborhood. After using all kinds of drugs and alcohol, Dennis and his friends could resort to a night-long road tour while high. One night (December 15th, 2010), Dennis was involved in an accident that cost him two of his friends and fractured his left arm permanently. Dennis, raised by a single mum, notes to me that his family has been unlucky with a consistent loss. Moreover, her mum always warned him not drive at night whatsoever since a similar night accident had claimed the life of his father when he was only two. Further, Dennis lives with regret and constant provocation from Penny’s (her close friend who died in the accident) parents. Also, Dennis had a feeling of regret that his mistake to take Penny out on a fateful night against her parent’s wish cost her life.
To assist him to recover from the trauma, her mother sought a court restraining order that ensured Penny’s parents ceased to be in any contact with Dennis. Dennis joined a trauma recovery class and embraced positivity in all his actions. Furthermore, living with her mum; who is a victim of trauma, has enabled him to learn from how she handles feelings of regret.
Dennis’ case is a perfect example of a case of resilience. In his book, Kirst-Ashman proposes that for an individual to successfully adopt resilience; it is vital to identify a protective factor which interacts with the risk factor (Kirst-Ashman, 2014). In Dennis case, having her mum was a protective factor that motivated his recovery amidst pressure from Penny’s parents. Furthermore, Dennis’ case indicates the importance of the social learning theory in trauma. Dennis was able to learn effectively from her mother on how to come to terms with the loss as well as handle trauma. From what Dennis watches to his interactions, Dennis maintains positivity and shuns any negative thoughts that remind him of his mistakes that led to the accident.
Finally, its critical to not that resilience is multidimensional; to mean that, some survivors of trauma might exhibit factors indicating that they are simultaneously surviving and suffering (Kirst-Ashman, 2014)). Like in Dennis’ case, the fact that he is struggling to recover from trauma does not imply that he is not resilience. Or rather, Kirst argues that resilience is a process that entails a combination of protective factors and not merely void of struggles (Kirst-Ashman, 2014). Therefore, resilience is a process which requires the survivor to utilize his/her resilient capacities to have a successful posttraumatic growth.
References
Anson, C. Schwegler,R. & Muth. M. Schwartz, (2009). Longman Pocketwriter Companion. CA: Pearson Publications, Inc., ISBN: 2900205591427
Kirst-Ashman, Karen, K.,(2014). 4th Ed. Human Behavior in the Macro Social Environment, Belmont, CA: Cengage Publications ISBN-13-978-1-285-07549-5
Menakem, Resmaa, (2017). My Grandmother’s Hands https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1942094477/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1515554065&sr=8-1&keywords=my+grandmothers+hands