A person’s ability to be resilient in the face of adverse experiences such as the COVID-19 pandemic depends on multiple factors including genetics, personal history, and the situational context, according to a June 18, 2020 New York Times article. Experts quoted in the article suggest that early relationships, particularly with caregivers, play a much greater role in building lifelong resiliency than genetics.
Karestan Koenen, professor of psychiatric epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, noted that while genes influence temperament and personality traits such as risk-taking or being an introvert or extrovert, it’s not true that some people are born more resilient than others. She said that “almost any trait can be a positive or negative, depending on the situation.”
The article listed characteristics common in highly resilient people, including a positive realistic outlook, belief in something greater than themselves, and a social support system.
Read the New York Times article: What Makes Some People More Resilient Than Others
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