Prof Linda Theron before the start of her presentation
On 2 September, Prof Linda Theron from North-West University (Faculty of Humanities, Vaal Triangle Campus; Optentia Research focus area) shared her insight into resilience-related research to members of the College of Education. This research focuses on understanding why, and how, South African youth are resilient, despite the great odds so many of them face. The field of research is not new as the first study that gave birth to this area of research, dates back to the 1970’s when research was first done on families where one of the parents was schizophrenic. The researchers expected to find that the children of these parents would be struggling more than their peers to thrive and survive. To their surprise they found a subset of children from these homes who were doing very well. Other studies that were done in Hawaii around that time showed a similar a-typical group of children. The studies on these extra-ordinary children that followed led to the start of resilience related research.
Prof Theron emphasized that in order to study resilience, researchers needed to identify participants who had faced severe hardship without mal-adjusting. Severe hardship could mean many things, including that participants had grown up under conditions set in a context of significant threat; had faced psychosocial hardship such as chronic poverty, or endured trauma such as man-made terror attacks for example the 9-11 attacks on the twin towers, or faced biological risk, such as being born prematurely or with a disability. The conditions must be distinguished as being much more than the normal stress conditions that people are generally exposed to in their lives. Such conditions of adversity typically predict maladjustment or negative development. Resilient people encounter significant stress in their lives, but nevertheless, show unexpected positive development or adaptation.
Dr N Naidu welcoming and introducing Prof Theron
Prof Linda Theron has been doing research in South Africa to understand how South Africans’ resilience processes might differ from those reported in the Western literature and how these processes are shaped by what is indigenous to our context. In 2012, Theron, Theron and Malindi worked with elders from communities in the rural Eastern Free State to understand Basotho young people’s resilience. This research led them to argue that positive adaptation meant that these young people:
- have active support systems
- are value driven
- show acceptance
- make good educational progress
- are dreamers
- have developed a resilient personality
The above differs from Western explanations in that African resilience is more person-, or nuclear family-focused. It was once believed that invincible individuals had a certain temperament, were taught skills and had good genes and yet the reality was that people don’t always grow up to become resilient people, despite these intrinsic strengths. For this reason, resilience researchers’ focus less on what is in the individual and more on how social ecologies in which people are embedded, can support positive adjustment.
Prof Theron listening to a question from the audience
In Theron’s research here in SA a distinct Afri-centric pathway to resilience is emerging which is built on a culture of interdependence with a strong family and community attachment. The SA children grew up in a culture where they are expected to “be an example and to live up to these expectations”. They for instance had grandparents who told stories of times which were worse than those they are going through themselves which prepared them for their own difficult circumstances. It also helped them to cope as others had done before them. Black families also have a norm that if the children become successful; they take care of their families and give back. This also built motivation within the family, because once the first one has graduated, the others had to follow which in itself was motivational. These families also take care of each other and no-one has anything for themselves which instills selflessness, that is, “it’s not about you, it’s about us.” As one of the respondents (whose names have been changed) said: “So we made a vow – if I make it I will not forget you, I will take you with me … my mother instilled that: divided you guys are going to fall, but if you can unite, you can break through this thing” (Aaron).
One of the other respondents said he had been taught that “if I expect people to do good things for me, then I should do good things for them, and in return they will do good things for me”. He also emphasized that “when you are humble, most things come your way, but if you’re rude everything will just overtake you” (Tsepo).
Another factor that comes through is that these individuals were also role models for their younger siblings, as Nomvula said: “I regard them as my motivators because every time I think of them, I think of their future, and I keep going. I don’t want them to suffer. I think it comes with the African culture- whenever the mom is not there- obviously mostly in African cultures as dad’s are not there – the big sister must be there.”
Dr Hermien Olivier did the word of thanks and presented a small token of our appreciation
These resilient youngsters were also raised by strict (grand) parents who expected everyone to help with the chores and if they didn’t, they suffered the consequences. Another characteristic was that they also had a spiritual grounding where they could speak to their divinity and find consolation there. Even though a parent had passed on, their spirit and how they had known them to be, was still a source of inspiration and guidance to those who were still alive.
There is much to be learnt from the African ways and Prof Theron argued for “an Afri-centric mindfulness in the research that we conduct, the theories that we generate and teach, and the professional practice we engage in as educators and educational psychologists.”
Audience waiting before the presentation
Prof Linda Theron surrounded by all who attended her presentation
