Ability to make sense of experiences and put them into context

The ability to make sense of experiences and put them into context has also been found to support resilient adaptation (Ungar, 2011; Aronowitz, 2005). A young person who is able to do so is more likely to believe that dealing with distressing circumstances in a constructive way is possible and worthwhile. Being able to reframe adversities so that the beneficial as well as the damaging effects are recognised (Daniel & Wassell, 2002) can require considerable capacity for thinking and reflection (Masten & O’Dougherty Wright, 2009). It can involve developing the cognitive skills to restructure or modify internal working models or schemas about oneself and the outside world. In turn, this can enable young people to free themselves from the structures or contexts that perpetuate negative identities and problem behaviours.