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Well-Being Research in South Africa pp 355–374Cite as

Asset-Based Coping as One Way of Dealing with Vulnerability

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Part of the book series: Cross-Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology ((CAPP,volume 4))

Abstract

In this chapter I conceptualise and propose asset-based coping as one possible way of coping with adversity. Many South Africans face hardship on various levels yet do not have access to external support structures that may assist them in coping with vulnerability. It is against this background that I undertook a school-based intervention study in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, focusing on the manner in which low-resource communities cope with vulnerability and challenges by relying on existing assets and resources immediately available in the community. Findings of the study emphasised the importance of community structures and immediate resources that are available to people who are required to cope with challenges. In addition to community-based support, the implementation of the asset-based approach in identifying and mobilising ways and means of coping with adversity came to the fore. Subsequently, in situating asset-based coping within existing theory of coping, the asset-based approach and community-based responses to challenges, I conceptualised asset-based coping as the ability of an individual or community to deal with one or more life challenges, by identifying and mobilizing existing assets (such as local resources, skills, knowledge, and networks) within the community and among other community members, as well as external resources available to the community.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Emphasizing the importance of community and collectivism.

  2. 2.

    To be called the STAR (Supportive teachers, Assets and Resilience) intervention from 2009 onwards.

  3. 3.

    Project leaders and primary investigators: Liesel Ebersöhn and Ronél Ferreira.

  4. 4.

    As the study progressed, participants expressed the wish for their identities to be displayed in photographs included in any publications or research reports.

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Acknowledgements

1. Prof Liesel Ebersöhn (promoter of my doctoral studies and co-primary investigator in research project), Department of Educational Psychology, University of Pretoria.

2. Postgraduate students: Samiramis Bagherpour, Janna Beukes, Karien de Jager, Georgina Dempster, Melanie Joubert, Tilda Loots, Bathsheba Mbongwe, Malize McCallaghan, Maria Mnguni, Viona Odendaal, Hermien Olivier.

3. Financial support for the study: Educational Training and Development Sector Education Training Authority (ETDP SETA), ABSA Foundation, M&SST Trust.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

    Ronél Ferreira

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  1. Ronél Ferreira
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Correspondence to Ronél Ferreira .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Africa Unit for Transdis. Health, Research, North-West University:, School of Psychosoc. Behav. Scs. and, Potchefstroom Campus, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa

    Marié P. Wissing

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Ferreira, R. (2013). Asset-Based Coping as One Way of Dealing with Vulnerability. In: Wissing, M. (eds) Well-Being Research in South Africa. Cross-Cultural Advancements in Positive Psychology, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6368-5_17

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