The Resiliency Quiz

Do you have the conditions in your life that research shows help people to be resilient? People
bounce back from tragedy, trauma, risks, and stress by having the following conditions in their
lives. The more times you answer yes (below), the greater the chances you can bounce back from
your life's problems "with more power and more smarts." And doing that is one of the surest
ways to increase your self-esteem. Answer yes or no to the following. Then celebrate your "yes"
answers and decide how you can change your "no " answers to "yes. "
1. Caring and Support
______ I have several people in my life who give me
unconditional love, nonjudgmental listening,
and who I know are "there for me."
______ I am involved in a school, work, faith, or other
group where I feel cared for and valued.
______ I treat myself with kindness and compassion,
and take time to nurture myself (including
eating right and getting enough sleep and
exercise).
2. High Expectations for Success
______ I have several people in my life who let me
know they believe in my ability to succeed.
______ I get the message "You can succeed," at my
work or school.
______ I believe in myself most of the time, and
generally give myself positive messages about
my ability to accomplish my goals-even when I
encounter difficulties.
3. Opportunities for Meaningful Participation
______ My voice (opinion) and choice (what I want) is
heard and valued in my close personal
relationships.
______ My opinions and ideas are listened to and
respected at my work or school.
______ I provide service through volunteering to help
others or a cause in my community, faith
organization, or school.
4. Positive Bonds
______ I am involved in one or more positive after-work
or after-school hobbies or activities
______ I participate in one or more groups (such as a
club, faith community, or sportsteam) outside of
work or school.
______ I feel "close to" most people at my work or
school.

5. Clear and Consistent Boundaries

______ Most of my relationships with friends and
family members have clear, healthy boundaries
(which include mutual respect,
personal autonomy, and each person in the
relationship both giving and receiving).
______ I experience clear, consistent expectations and
rules at my work or in my school
______ I set and maintain healthy boundaries for
myself by standing up for myself, not letting
others take advantage of me, and saying "no"
when I need to.
6. Life Skills
______ I have (and use) good listening, honest
communication, and healthy conflict resolution
skills.
______ I have the training and skills I need to do my job
well, or all the skills I need to do well in school.
______ I know how to set a goal and take the steps to
achieve it.
PERSONAL RESILIENCY BUILDERS Individual Qualities that Facilitate Resiliency
Put a + by the top three or four resiliency builders you use most often. Ask yourself how you
have used these in the past or currently use them. Think of how you can best apply these
resiliency builders to current life problems, crisis, or stressors.
[ ] Relationships - Sociability/ability to be a friend/ability to form positive relationships
[ ] Humor - Has a good sense of humor
[ ] Inner Direction - Bases choices/decisions on internal evaluation (internal locus of control)
[ ] Perceptiveness - Insightful understanding of people and situations
[ ] Independence - "Adaptive" distancing from unhealthy people and situations/autonomy
[ ] Positive View of Personal Future - Optimism, expects a positive future
[ ] Flexibility - Can adjust to change; can bend as necessary to positively cope with situations
[ ] Love of Learning - Capacity for and connection to learning
[ ] Self-motivation - Internal initiative and positive motivation from within
[ ] Competence - Is "good at something"/personal competence

[ ] Self-Worth - Feelings of self-worth and self-confidence

[ ] Spirituality - Personal faith in something greater
[ ] Perseverance - Keeps on despite difficulty; doesn't give up
[ ] Creativity - Expresses self through artistic endeavor
Promoting resiliency
1.)What is your position in the family? Oldest? Youngest? Middle? Oldest boy?
2.) Do you have any memories or recollections about what your mother or father said about
young baby? Or anyone else?
3.) Did anyone ever tell you about you about how well you ate and slept as a baby?
4.) Do members of you family and friend usually seem happy to see you and to spend time with
you?
5.) Do you feel like you are a helpful person to others? Does anyone in your family expect you to
be helpful?
6.) Do you consider yourself a happy and hopeful ( optimistic ) person even when life becomes
difficult?
7.) Tell me about some times when you overcome problems or stresses in your life. How do you
feel about them now?
8.) Do you think of yourself as awake and alert most of the time? Do others see you that way
also?
9.) Do you like to try new life experiences?
10.) Tell me about some plans and goals you have for yourself over the next year. Three years.
Five years?
11.) When you are in a stressfull, pressure-filled situation, do you feel confident that youll work
it out or do you feel depressed and hopeless?
12.) What was the age of your mother when you were born? Your father?
13.) How many children are in your family ? how many years are there between children in your
family?
14.) What do you remember, if anything, about how you were cared for when you were little by
mom and others?

15.) When you were growing up, were there rules and expectations in your home? What were
some?
16.) Did any of your brothers or sisters help raise you?
17.) When you felt upset or in trouble, to whom in your family did you turn for help? Whom
outside your family?
18.) From whom did you learn about the values and belief of your family?
19.) Do you feel it is your responsibility to help others? Help your community?
20.) Do you feel that you understand yourself?
21.) Do like yourself? Today? Yesterday? Last year?
22.) What skills do you rely on to cope when you are under stress?
23.) Tell me about a time when you were helpful to others?
24.) Do you see yourself as a confident person? Even when stressed?
25.) What are your feelings about this interview with me?

Resilience
Factor
Sense of
Control

Problem-

Question
How do you experience bad things
that happen? (Q1a)
How does your family experience
bad things that happen? (Q1b)
How does your community
experience bad things that happen?
What meaning do you attach to bad
experiences?
What do you do to handle that which
you experience? (Q3a)
What does your family say about bad
things that happen? (Q3b)
What does your community say
about bad things that happen? (Q3c)
What does it mean to you to be
healthy? (Q11a)
What does it mean to your family to be
healthy? (Q11b)
What does it mean to your
community to be healthy? (Q11c)
What do you do in order to be
spiritually, physically, emotionally and
intellectually strong? (Q24)
Are you assertive? (Q25a)
How do you show your
assertiveness? (Q25b)
How do you feel about the use of
substances like alcohol and drugs?
(Q38)
Do you have a feeling of control over
your world? (Q27a)
How does this affect your life?
(Q27b)
How much uncertainty do you feel
comfortable living with? (Q30)
Who, in your life, thinks of solutions

Solving

Role Model

SelfAwareness

Perseverance

to problems first? (Q4)

Can you describe your ability to solve
problems? (Q26a)
Are your problem-solving abilities
better or worse than those of other
people? (Q26b)
How do you know this? (Q26c)
Do you have a role model? (Q20a)
Can you describe the qualities that
you admire about him/her? (Q20b)
What role do friends play in your life?
(Q6a)
How do they contribute to your
identity? (Q6b)
What kind of friend are you? (Q7a)
What do you contribute to your
friendships? (Q7b)
If you died today, how would people
describe you at your funeral?(Q34)
What do you think about the different
aspects of your life? (Q35)
How would you describe someone
who grew up faced with difficult
circumstances yet managed to
achieve success despite challenges?
(Q21)
Can you tell me of a time when you
demonstrated determin
Tell me a story about a child who
achieved success despite challenges
that he had to face. (Q40)
Tell me a story of how you were able
to overcome challenges in your
personal life, family life or in your
community. (Q41)
What were the personal characteristics that
helped you to
overcome challenges in your life?
How do you feel when others around
you experience success? (Q29)
Do you feel equal to other people?

Future
Orientation

Support:
Having and
using
supportive
relationships
across
contexts

(Q10a)
Are there people with whom you do
not feel equal? (Q10b)
How do they make you feel? (Q10c)
What do they do to make you feel
this way? (Q10d)
Would you describe yourself as an
optimist or a pessimist? (Q31)
What role does humour play in your
life? (Q 39)
Do you have personal goals and
dreams that you should like to
realize? (Q36a)
What are they? (Q36b)
What is your definition of success?
(Q28)
How accepting is your community
towards teenagers' problem
behaviour(s)? (Q8a)
Provide examples of such behaviours
and how the community
reacted.(Q8b)
What is your opinion of the
reactions? (Q8c)
Do you belong to any community
organizations? (Q9a)
What values do these organizations
stand for? (Q13)
Can you describe how your caregivers/
parents looked after you?
(Q12)
Who believed in and supported you
the most during a difficult time in your
life? (Q43)
What expectations do your
parents/care-givers have of you?
(Q13)
Can you describe the nature of the
relationship that you have with your
parents/care-givers? (Q14)
Do you and your parents/care-givers

participate in any leisure activities

together? (Q15)
Can you tell me more about these?
(Q15b)
How does your family communicate?
( Q16a)
How do you know what they think of
you? (Q16b)
How does your family monitor you in
order to know where you are and
what you are doing? (Q17)
How do you know how to behave in
certain social situations and with
certain people? (Q18a)
How well do you do in social
situations? (Q18b)
Are you popular? (Q18c)
Do others think good things about
you? (Q18d)
Has this changed over time? (Q18e)
How easily do you find it to
communicate with others of all ages?
(Q19)
Do you have any other meaningful
relationships with people at school, at
home or in the community? (Q22)
Can you tell me about a person in
your life who has "been there" for you
during challenging times in your life?
(Q 23a)
Why was this person important to
you? (Q23b)
What did they mean to you? (Q23c)
What are your feelings towards your
school? (Q32a)
Can you tell me about your feelings
of belonging at school? (Q32b)
Can you describe any feelings of
loyalty or pride that you may feel as a
learner of this school? (Q32c)
How dependent are you on those

around you for emotional survival?

(Q37)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

What are the most important things that have happen in your life?
Who are the important people in your life?
What do you like about your life?
Are there things that have happened in your life?
Have you same plans for the future?
What advice would you give to other young people about life?
What are the consequences of the risk factor for children?
What are the etiologies and condition of risk
Are there any children who seem to cope with the risk factor successfully and what are some of

the protective factors?

10. What are strategies could be developed to help support these children based on these protective
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

factors?
How do you describe people who grow up well here despite the many problems they face?
What does it mean to you, to your family and to your community when bad things happen?
What kinds of things are most challenging for you growing up here?
What do you do when you face difficulties in your life?
What does being healthy mean to you and others in your family and community?

Support Functions
1. Are there people you confide in about things that are important?
2. Are there people who reassure you when youre not sure about something?
3. Are there people who make you feel respected?
4. Are there people who you talk to when you are upset, nervous, depressed
5. Are there people whom you turn to for advice about major decision in your
life?
6. Are there people who would loan you money if you needed it?
7. Are there people who would help you to care for your child on a regular
basis?
8. Are there people to whom you turn to for advice about your child?
9. Are there people who tell you how to bring up your child, even though you
may not ask for their advice?
10. Are there people who tell you how someone your age is supposed to act?
Satisfaction with support

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Do you wish you had more people in your network?

Do you wish you had more people on whom you could depend on?
Do you wish you had more people you could talk to or confide in?
Do you wish you had more people who understood you?
Do you wish you had more people you could get advice from?
Do you wish you had more people who could help out with your child?
Do you wish fewer people would tell you how youre supposed to behave?