A MODEL OF STRESS RESILIENCE AND LEARNED HELPLESSNESS

Abstract

This paper proposes a comprehensive model of stress resilience based on previous research and literature reviews. The model details stress resilience being influenced and interdependent on 6 psycho-socio-economic factors, which can either work as protective or toxic on the individual. These 6 factors are: the physical factor, the emotional, the cognitive, the socio-economic, the spiritual or existential factor and the environmental factor. When these 6 factors are believed to be protective and act positively by the person subjected to stress, the mechanisms of resilience are established and maintained, while when these factors are negatively impacting the individual, the onset of learned helplessness is established. The postulate of this paper’s author is that whatever factor or factors a person believes in predominantly, will act on increasing resilience more than the others. The proposed model is named the “Spinning Wheel” resilience model because it represents a dynamic construct where each one of the 6 factors can change its place and is interdependent on each other, as well as on establishing the mechanisms of resilience or learned helplessness in a particular individual.