• Project status: Active
Children running in the grass

Development of a measure of child resilience for children aged five to 12 years

This study aims to develop a better understanding of how children grow up to be strong and resilient.

There is much evidence to show that trauma and stress impact children’s health and wellbeing, which can have enduring consequences throughout their lives. It is also clear that some children do very well despite having these challenges.

We developed the Child Resilience Questionnaire as a measure of child resilience. There are three versions of the questionnaire: a version for parents/caregivers, a version for children, and a version for teachers and other school support staff.

This study aims to develop a better understanding of how children grow up to be strong and resilient.

There is much evidence to show that trauma and stress impact children’s health and wellbeing, which can have enduring consequences throughout...

This study aims to develop a better understanding of how children grow up to be strong and resilient.

There is much evidence to show that trauma and stress impact children’s health and wellbeing, which can have enduring consequences throughout their lives. It is also clear that some children do very well despite having these challenges.

We developed the Child Resilience Questionnaire as a measure of child resilience. There are three versions of the questionnaire: a version for parents/caregivers, a version for children, and a version for teachers and other school support staff.

Overview

Why we are doing this study?

Children are not born resilient. Resilience is the process by which children use their internal and external resources to navigate challenges or difficult things that happen to them. Strengths and adversity can exist within the child, in their relationships and social worlds.

Child Resilience Questionnaire

We have developed the Child Resilience Questionnaire. This is a measure that highlights a child’s strengths and vulnerabilities at a personal, family, school, peer and community level. We can celebrate their strengths and use them to improve and build up areas of vulnerability so that children can grow and achieve their potential across their lives.

We co-designed the measure with Aboriginal and refugee background communities and recruited families from diverse backgrounds to the study so that the Child Resilience Questionnaire is relevant and inclusive of all children in our communities.

We are now examining Child Resilience Questionnaire data from over 1,000 parents, children and schools to explore child resilience and mental health in different contexts and experiences, including Aboriginal families, refugee background families and children exposed to family violence.

More information

Visit the Childhood Resilience Study – Stronger Futures CRE

Research team

Dr Deirdre Gartland

Dr Deirdre Gartland

Senior Research Fellow, Intergenerational Health

View Deirdre's profile
Associate Professor Elisha Riggs

Associate Professor Elisha Riggs

Senior Research Fellow, Intergenerational Health

View Elisha's profile
Professor Stephanie Brown

Professor Stephanie Brown

Director, Stronger Futures CRE

Group leader, Intergenerational Health

View Stephanie's profile

Contact us

Intergenerational Health Research Group
Murdoch Children's Research Institute
The Royal Children's Hospital
50 Flemington Road
Parkville VIC 3052
Australia

Dr Deirdre Gartland
Team Leader/Senior Research Fellow
Intergenerational Health

Phone: +61 3 8341 6200
Email: 

child in hospital

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