What is trauma and what is resilience in the face of trauma?
In looking at the question of resilience in the face of trauma it prompts the exploration of what we mean by both resilience and trauma. In keeping with the definition of Briere and Scott, who build on the definition provided in the DSM-IV-TR, a traumatic event is seen to be one where there is actual or threatened death or serious injury, or other threat to ones own or anothers psychical integrity or psychological integrity. (Briere & Scott, 2006, p.3-4). Trauma can be human in origin e.g. rape, assault, war, or natural, e.g. flood, fire, earthquake or accidental e.g. a plane, car or train accident. These events can impact on individuals, families or entire communities without regard to culture or economic well being even though it is often the poorest that suffer the most. As for resilience Sandler et al state that bereaved children who achieve high levels of competence and low levels of problems are considered to be resilient (Sandler , Wolchik, Ayers, Tein, Coxe & Chow, 2008, p. 532
