When adversity adds to our strengths, the Psychosocial Model of Hormesis
Work from our lab tackles the question of how resilience can emerge from exposure to some limited levels of stressors. In the field of developmental science, resilience describes the ability of children and adolescents to pursue positive growth despite facing challenges and stress from difficult situations. Past studies have highlighted protective factors and environmental settings that reduce the negative effects of these challenges and support resilience. A fascinating aspect of resilience is that it can also lead to the development of strengths as a response to early hardships. However, there is limited theoretical guidance on how early challenges might lead to benefits that enhance resilience. This process, where specific environmental stresses lead to increased strength, is known in toxicology as hormesis. Our work suggests that incorporating the hormesis model could significantly advance our understanding of resilience in developmental and psychological sciences. It offers a closer look at the hormesis model as a valuable approach to exploring how adversity can either strengthen or hinder resilience, considering the timing of development and the context of the challenges faced.
Scientific Papers on the Psychosocial Model of Hormesis in Reference to Human Development and Resilience:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10892680221142020
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028393222002135
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016517812200244X