Glenn E. Richardson

The Resiliency Model

Abstract The health education and prevention professions are in the midst of a philosophical revolution attempting to build upon negative directioned risk reduction programs, which are driven by the medical model, to competency models. Noted psychologists and psychiatrists have suggested that competency and resiliency characteristics are strengths that are more protective than risk reduction efforts. Many suggested traits have been proposed for the resilient individual. This article reviews those characteristics but more importantly, describes the traits within the resiliency model as a process applicable to health education. This expanded view of prevention includes perspectives on the value of personal disruption and adversity as avenues to promote growth and increased protective factors. The process of psychological reintegration is the ability to learn new skills from the disruptive experience and put lifes perspective back in a way that will increase abilities to negotiate life events. The model als...

Determining the Efficacy of a Resiliency Training Approach in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

PURPOSE The purpose of this randomized clinical study was to test the efficacy of a resiliency training approach for people with diabetes who have previously received standard diabetes self-education. METHODS A single-blinded, randomized design was employed with repeated measures (baseline, 3 months, 6 months) with 67 participants assigned to either treatment as usual (n = 37) or the resiliency classes (n = 30). Outcome variables included physiological measures (glycosylated hemoglobin, waist measurement, eating and exercise habits) and psychosocial measures (self-efficacy, locus of control, social support, and purpose in life). RESULTS Analyses of variance indicated that the intervention group had higher levels of resiliency as reported by knowing positive ways of coping with diabetes-related stress, knowing enough about themselves to make right diabetes choices, having fun in life, eating healthier, and increasing physical activity compared with the control group at 3 months (P < .05). Glycosylated hemoglobin and waist measurement improved but not significantly. CONCLUSIONS Interventions to foster resilience among people with diabetes have the potential to make an important contribution to increasing positive life outcomes. Diabetes educators using the resiliency approach in tandem with standard diabetes education programs can assist their patients to become more self-directed in their diabetes care.

The Role of Control in Depression, Anxiety, and Life Satisfaction among Visually Impaired Older Adults

Abstract Two groups of visually impaired older adults, minimally (n = 40) and severely impaired (n = 40), were compared on depression, anxiety, life satisfaction, and various dimensions of control....

Thriving with diabetes: an introduction to the resiliency approach for diabetes educators.

PURPOSE The purpose of this article is to introduce the resiliency counseling approach for people with type 2 diabetes, which can be used to enhance standard diabetes education programs. Why do some people with type 2 diabetes thrive in the face of adversity and disruption while others remain apathetic or succumb to destructive behaviors? Many researchers focus on the risk factors and barriers to diabetes management rather than explore the resilient qualities that keep people thriving. Optimal diabetes care requires an emotionally healthy patient. METHODS A review of the available literature on resilience and resiliency theory is included. Resiliency is defined as the experience of being disrupted by change, opportunities, adversity, stressors, or challenges and, after some disorder, accessing personal gifts and character strengths to grow stronger through the disruption. RESULTS Research in a diabetes population suggests that resiliency training in addition to standard diabetes education in people with type 2 diabetes improved coping with diabetes-related stress, having fun in life, helping others, and feeling trustworthy. CONCLUSIONS Psychosocial and physiological improvements can help people with diabetes thrive instead of succumb to despair. Interventions to foster resilience among people with type 2 diabetes have the potential to make an important contribution to reducing the risk of complications and increasing positive life outcomes. Diabetes educators using the resiliency approach in tandem with standard diabetes education programs can assist people with type 2 diabetes to become more self-directed in their diabetes care.

The Systematic Development and Efficacy of a Death Education Unit for Ninth-Grade Girls.

Abstract Two experiments examined the effectiveness of a responsively planned death education unit for ninth-grade girls. Outcomes were assessed using cognitive, affective, and behavioral instruments that were administered before, after, and 6 weeks following the unit. In Experiment I, the experimental and control groups attended the same high school and had the same teacher. Results of Experiment I showed improvement on the cognitive scores for both groups, a finding that appeared to result from the control groups informal exposure to the experiences of the experimental group. Experiment II was a replication of the first experiment with the control group located at a different county high school than the experimental group. Results of Experiment II again showed positive gains on cognitive and attitude scores for the experimental group, whereas the control group showed no improvement. For both experiments subjects in the experimental group attempted more behaviors relating to the death education unit tha...

A Sexual Health Workshop for Health Care Professionals

The purpose of the study was to evaluate a three-day workshop in human sexuality for health care professionals using identified and described systematic development and evaluation components. The problem was to determine if the use of a systematic development approach obtains the desired outcomes of an educational experience. The desired outcomes include cognitive gains, attitude shifts toward more openness, and behavioral changes leading to an improvement of the quality ofsexual coun seling and therapy. The main sponsoring agency for the workshop was the Interwest Regional Medical Education Center of the Veterans Administration Hospital system. The 126 participants included physicians, psychologists, social workers, nurses, clergy, and students. The results showed that participants (1) gained significantly on cognitive scores from the pretest to the posttest, (2) shifted toward more open attitudes from pretest to posttest, and (3) incorporated many desired behaviors into their practices 10 to 11 weeks following the workshop.

Worksite health promotion programs in college settings

The purpose of this paper is to describe the multifaceted nature and benefits of worksite health promotion programs (WHPPs), with emphasis on the college setting. An assessment of the peer-reviewed literature was conducted of articles published since 2000. Several search engines were accessed and selected key words were used. Most studies examining WHPPs have focused on return on investment and productivity. Research that targets the softer side-benefits of health promotion programs in the workplace is less available. Although the college setting offers some advantages for implementing health promotion programs. They may also have unique challenges due to their large and diverse employee population. There is little research to show the effectiveness and unique challenges of college-based health promotion programs.

Assessment Methods and Procedures in Corporate Health Programs.

(1986). Assessment Methods and Procedures in Corporate Health Programs. Health Education: Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 22-26.