Skip to main content
Log in

Resilient children, psychological wellness, and primary prevention

  • Published:
American Journal of Community Psychology

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  • Albee, G. W. (1982). Preventing psychopathology and promoting human potential.American Psychologist, 37, 1043–1050.

    Google Scholar 

  • Albee, G. W. (1986). Lessons from observations on the primary prevention of psychopathology.American Psychologist, 41, 891–898.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anthony, E. J., & Koupernik, C. (Eds.). (1974).The child in his family: Children at psychiatric risk. New York: Wiley-Interscience.

    Google Scholar 

  • APA Task Panel on Promotion and Prevention. (1988). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

  • Bandura, A. (1977). Self efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change.Psychological Review, 84, 191–215.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bedell, J., Giordana, B., Amour, J., Tavormina, J., & Boll, T. (1977). Life stress and the psychological and medical adjustment of chronically ill children.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 21, 237–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Block, J. H., & Block, J. (1980). The role of ego-control and ego-resilience in the organization of behavior. In W. A. Collins (Ed.),Development of cognition, affect, and social relations. The Minnesota symposia on child psychology (Vol. 13, pp. 39–101). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Block, J. H., Block, J., & Gjerde, P. F. (1986). The personality of children prior to divorce: A prospective study.Child Development, 57, 827–840.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979).The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Broussard, E. R. (1976). Neonatal prediction and outcome at 10/11 years.Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 7, 85–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, G. W., & Harris, T. (1978).Social origins of depression: A study of psychiatric disorder in women. London: Tavistock.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, L. P., & Cowen, E. L. (1988). Children's judgments of event upsettingness and personal experiencing of stressful events.American Journal of Community Psychology, 16, 123–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caplan, G. (1964).Principles of preventive psychology. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowen, E. L. (1977). Baby-steps toward primary prevention.American Journal of Community Psychology, 5, 1–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowen, E. L. (1980). The wooing of primary prevention.American Journal of Community Psychology, 8, 258–284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowen, E. L. (1982). The special number: A compleat roadmap.American Journal of Community Psychology, 10, 239–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowen, E. L. (1983). Primary prevention in mental health: Past, present and future. In R. D. Felner, L. Jason, J. Moritsugu, & S. S. Farber (Eds.),Preventive psychology: Theory, research and practice in community interventions (pp. 11–25). New York: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowen, E. L. (1985). Person centered approaches to primary prevention in mental health: Situation focused and competence enhancement.American Journal of Community Psychology, 13, 87–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowen, E. L. (1986). Primary prevention in mental health: A decade of retrospect and a decade of prospect. In M. Kessler & S. E. Goldston (Eds.),Decade of progress in primary prevention (pp. 3–45). Hanover, NH: University Press of New England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowen, E. L., Lotyczewski, B. S., & Weissberg, R. P. (1984). Risk and resource indicators and their relationship to young children's school adjustment:American Journal of Community Psychology, 12, 353–367.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowen, E. L., Weissberg, R. P., & Guare, J. (1984). Differentiating attributes of children referred to a school mental health program.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 12, 397–409.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drotar, D., Crawford, P., & Ganofsky, M. A. (1984). Prevention with chronically ill children. In M. C. Roberts & L. Peterson (Eds.),Prevention of problems in childhood: Psychological research and application (pp. 232–265). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Durlak, J. A. (1983). Social problem-solving as a primary prevention strategy. In R. D. Felner, L. A. Jason, J. N. Moritsugu, & S. S. Farber (Eds.),Preventive psychology: Theory, research and practice (pp. 31–48). New York: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Emery, R. E. (1982). Interpersonal conflict and the children of discord and divorce.Psychological Bulletin, 92, 310–330.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felner, R. D. (1984). Vulnerability in childhood: A preventive framework for understanding children's efforts to cope with life stresses and transitions. In M. C. Roberts & L. Peterson (Eds.),Prevention of problems in childhood: Psychological research and applications (pp. 133–169). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felner, R. D., Farber, S. S., & Primavera, J. (1980). Children of divorce, stressful life events, and transitions: A framework for preventive efforts. In R. H. Price, R. F. Ketterer, B. C. Bader, & J. Monahan (Eds.),Prevention in mental health: Research, policy and practice (pp. 81–108). Beverly Hills: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felner, R. D., Farber, S. S., & Primavera, J. (1983). Transition and stressful events: A model for primary prevention. In R. D. Felner, L. A. Jason, J. N. Moritsugu, & S. S. Farber (Eds.),Preventive psychology: Theory, research and practice (pp. 199–215). New York: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felner, R. D., Ginter, M. A., Boike, M. F., & Cowen, E. L. (1981). Parental death or divorce and the school adjustment of young children.American Journal of Community Psychology, 9, 181–191.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felner, R. D., Jason, L. A., Moritsugu, J. N., & Farber, S. S. (1983).Preventive psychology: Theory, research and practice. New York: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felner, R. D., Primavera, J., & Cauce, A. M. (1981). The impact of social transitions: A focus for preventive efforts.American Journal of Community Psychology, 9, 449–459.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felner, R. D., Stolberg, A. L., & Cowen, E. L. (1975). Crisis events and school mental health referral patterns of young children.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 43, 305–310.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garmezy, N. (1975). The experimental study of children vulnerable to psychopathology. In A. Davis (Ed.),Child personality and psychopathology: Current topics (Vol. 2, pp. 171–217). New York: Wiley-Interscience.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garmezy, N. (1981). Children under stress: Perspectives on antecendents and correlates of vulnerability and resistance to psychopathology. In A. I. Robin, J. Aronoff, A. M. Barclay, & R. A. Zucker (Eds.),Further exploration in personality (pp. 196–269). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garmezy, N. (1982). Foreword. In E. Werner & R. S. Smith (Eds.),Vulnerable but invincible: A study of resilient children (xiii-xix). New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garmezy, N. (1983). Stressors of childhood. In N. Garmezy & M. Rutter (Eds.),Stress, coping, and development in children (pp. 43–84). New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garmezy, N. (1984). Risk and protective factors in children vulnerable to major mental disorders. In L. Greenspoon (Ed.),Psychiatry 1983 (Vol. 3, pp. 91–104, 159–161). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garmezy, N. (1985). Stress resistant children: The search for protective factors. In J. E. Stevenson (Ed.),Recent research in developmental psychopathology. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Book Supplement No. 4 (pp. 213–233). Oxford: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garmezy, N., & Devine, V. (1985). Project Competence: The Minnesota studies of children vulnerable to psychopathology. In N. Watt, E. J. Anthony, L. C. Wynne, & J. E. Rolf (Eds.),Children at risk for schizophrenia (pp. 289–332). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garmezy, N., Masten, A., Nordstrom, L., & Ferrarese, M. (1979). The nature of competence in normal and deviant children. In M. W. Kent & J. E. Rolf (Eds.),The primary prevention of psychopathology: Vol. 3. Social competence in children (pp. 23–43). Hanover, NH: University Press of New England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garmezy, N., Masten, A. S., & Tellegen, A. (1984). Studies of stress-resistant children: A building block for developmental psychopathology.Child Development, 55, 97–111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garmezy, N., & Neuchterlein, K. (1972). Invulnerable children: The fact and fiction of competence and disadvantage.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 42, 328–329.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garmezy, N., & Rutter, M. (1983).Stress, coping, and development in children. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garmezy, N., & Tellegen, A. (1984). Studies of stress-resistant children: Methods, variables and preliminary findings. In F. Morrison, C. Ford, & D. Keating (Eds.),Advances in applied developmental psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 1–52). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gersten, J., Langner, T. S., Eisenberg, J. G., & Simcha-Fagan, O. (1977). An evaluation of the etiologic role of stressful life-change events in psychological disorder.Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 18, 228–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, S. H. (1984). Children of disturbed parents: A research based model for intervention. In B. Cohler & J. Musick (Eds.),Intervention with psychiatrically disabled parents and their young children (pp. 33–51). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenspan, S. I. (1982). Developmental morbidity in infants in multi-risk-factor families.Public Health Reports, 97, 16–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guidubaldi, J., Cleminshaw, A. K., Perry, J. D., & Mcloughlin, C. S. (1983). The impact of parental divorce on children: Report of the nationwide NASP study.School Psychology Review, 12, 300–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hetherington, E. M. (1979). Divorce: A child's perspective.American Psychologist, 34, 851–858.

    Google Scholar 

  • Honig, A. S. (1986a, May). Stress and coping in children (Part 1):Young Children, pp. 50–63.

  • Honig, A. S. (1986b, July). Stress and coping in children (Part 2): Interpersonal family relationships.Young Children, pp. 47–59.

  • Johnson, J. H. (1981). Life events as stressors in childhood and adolescence. In B. Lahey & A. Kazdin (Eds.),Advances in clinical child psychology (Vol. 5, pp. 219–253). New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J. H. (1986).Life events as stressors in childhood and adolescence. Beverly Hills: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalter, N. (1977). Children of divorce in an outpatient psychiatric population.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 47, 40–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, M., & Albee, G. W. (1975). Primary prevention.Annual Review of Psychology, 26, 557–591.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kobasa, S. C. (1979). Personality and resistance to illness.American Journal of Community Psychology, 7, 413–424.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kobasa, S. C., Maddi, S. R., & Kahn, S. (1982). Hardiness and health: A prospective study.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42, 168–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kornberg, M. S., & Caplan, G. (1980). Risk factors and preventive intervention in child therapy: A review.Journal of Prevention, 1, 71–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhn, T. S. (1970).The structure of scientific revolutions (2nd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurdek, L. A. (1981). An integrative perspective on children's divorce adjustment.American Psychologist, 36, 856–866.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R. S. (1981). The stress and coping paradigm. In C. Eisdorger, D. Cohen, A. Kleinman, & P. Maxim (Eds.),Models for clinical psychological pathology (pp. 177–214). New York: Spectrum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lotyczewski, B. S., Cohen, E. L., & Weissberg, R. P. (1986). Adjustment correlates of physical and health problems in young children.Journal of Special Education, 20, 241–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Masten, A. S., & Garmezy, N. (1985). Risk, vulnerability and protective factors in developmental psychology. In B. B. Lahey & A. E. Kazdin (Eds.),Advances in child clinical psychology (Vol. 8, pp. 1–52). New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCord, W., McCord, J., & Zola, I. (1959).Origins of crime: A new evaluation of the Cambridge-Sommerville Youth Study. New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Monroe, S. M. (1982). Life events assessment: Current practices, emerging trends.Clinical Psychology Review, 2, 435–454.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, L. B., & Moriarty, A. E. (1976).Vulnerability, coping and growth: From infancy to adolescence. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osterweis, M., Solomon, F., & Green, M. (Eds.). (1984).Bereavement: Reactions, consequences and care. Wshington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pedro-Carroll, J. L., & Cowen, E. L. (1985). The Children of Divorce Intervention Program: An investigation of the efficacy of a school-based prevention program.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53, 603–611.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, L. C., & Brownlee-Duffeck, M. (1984). Prevention of anxiety and pain due to medical and dental procedures. In M. C. Roberts & L. Peterson (Eds.),Prevention of problems in childhood: Psychological research and applications (pp. 263–308). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prevention Task Panel Report. (1978).Task Panel reports submitted to the President's Commission on Mental Health (Vol. 4, pp. 1822–1863). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. (Stock No. 040-000-00393-2).

    Google Scholar 

  • Rappaport, J. (1977).Community psychology: Values, research, and action. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rappaport, J. (1981). In praise of paradox: A social policy of empowerment over prevention.American Journal of Community Psychology, 9, 1–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rappaport, J. (1987). Terms of empowerment/exemplars of prevention: Toward a theory for community psychology.American Journal of Community Psychology, 15, 121–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rappaport, J., Swift, C., & Hess, R. (Eds.). (1984).Prevention in human services: Vol. 3, Studies in empowerment: Steps toward understanding and action (pp. 1–230). New York: Haworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, M. C., & Peterson, L. (Eds.). (1984).Prevention of problems in childhood: Psychological research and applications. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robins, L., & Ratcliff, K. (1979). Risk factors in the continuation of child antisocial behaviors into adulthood.International Journal of Mental Health, 7, 96–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1979). Protective factors in children's responses to stress and disadvantage. In M. W. Kent, & J. E. Rolf (Eds.),Primary prevention of psychopathology: Vol. 3. Social competence in children (pp. 49–74). Hanover, NH: University Press of New England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1983). Stress, coping and development: Some issues and some questions. In N. Garmezy & M. Rutter (Eds.),Stress, coping and development in children (pp. 1–41). New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M., Cox, A., Tupling, C., Berger, M., & Yule, W. (1975). Attainment and adjustment in two geographical areas: I. The prevalence of psychiatric disorder.British Journal of Psychiatry, 126, 493–509.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M., Yule, B., Quinton, D., Rowlands, O., Yule, W., & Berger, M. (1975). Attainment and adjustment in two geographical areas: III. Some factors accounting for area differences.British Journal of Psychiatry, 126, 520–533.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarason, S. B. (1971).The culture of the school and the problem of change. Boston: Allyn Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shure, M. B., & Spivack, G. (1978).Problem-solving techniques in childrearing. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spivack, G., & Shure, M. B. (1974).Social adjustment of young children: A cognitive approach to solving real-life problems. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sterling, S., Cowen, E. L., Weissberg, R. P., Lotyczewski, B. S., & Boike, M. (1985). Recent stressful life events and young children's school adjustment.American Journal of Community Psychology, 13, 31–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaux, A., & Ruggiero, M. (1983). Stressful life change and delinquent behavior.American Journal of Community Psychology, 11, 169–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallerstein, J. S. (1983). Children of divorce: Stress and developmental tasks. In N. Garmezy & M. Rutter (Eds.),Stress, coping and development in children (pp. 265–302). New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallerstein, J. S., & Kelly, J. B. (1979). Children and divorce: A review.Social Work, 24, 468–475.

    Google Scholar 

  • Werner, E. E., & Smith, R. S. (1977).Kauai's children come of age. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Werner, E. E., & Smith, R. S. (1982).Vulnerable but invincible: A study of resilient children. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, B. L., Kahan, B. T., & Attanuci, J. S. (1979).The origins of human competence: Final report of the Harvard Preschool Project. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

The authors express appreciation to the W. T. Grant Foundation for its support for work in this area.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cowen, E.L., Work, W.C. Resilient children, psychological wellness, and primary prevention. Am J Commun Psychol 16, 591–607 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00922773

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00922773

Keywords

Navigation