adolescent resilience

The WHO Adolescent Well-being Framework identifies agency and resilience as a central domain of adolescent well-being, yet its expression from a health promotion perspective remains insufficiently understood. Although previous research has often focused on specific behaviours or isolated factors, less attention has been given to how interconnected personal and relational resources coexist as patterns reflecting the WHO domain of agency and resilience. This study explored such patterns among young Swedish persons aged 15–18 years and examined gender differences across these patterns. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 419 students in Swedish upper secondary schools. Agency and resilience were operationalised through measures of salutogenic health, positive youth development (PYD), playfulness, goal orientation, and physical activity. A person-oriented cluster analysis was used to identify patterns of interconnected resources, and gender differences between patterns. Three distinct resource patterns were identified: a low-resource group (26%), a high-resource group (28%), and an asymmetric-resource group (47%), characterised by relatively favourable intrapersonal resources alongside lower relational PYD resources. Girls were significantly overrepresented in both the low-resource and asymmetric-resource groups. Together, these findings suggest that young persons with seemingly favourable individual resources may nevertheless exhibit underlying vulnerabilities when resources are considered as interconnected patterns rather than isolated characteristics. This perspective contributes to the empirical understanding of the WHO domain of agency and resilience and may inform person-centred, relational approaches to promoting young persons’ well-being.

Pre-adolescence 9-12 years is a critical developmental period characterized by rapid biological, emotional, cognitive, and social changes that influence future mental health and well-being. Indian pre-adolescents increasingly encounter academic pressure, changing family dynamics, peer challenges, and extensive digital exposure, creating potential risks to emotional adjustment. Resilience, defined as the ability to adapt positively to adversity and recover from challenging experiences, is an important protective factor during this formative stage. This article aims to examine the determinants and dimensions of resilience among Indian pre-adolescents and to propose a culturally relevant, integrated framework for promoting resilience across biological, psychological, social, and digital domains. This article highlights key factors that strengthen resilience, including emotional regulation, self-esteem, self-compassion, problem-solving skills, supportive parenting, positive school environments, healthy peer relationships, and community connectedness. Digital resilience is also emphasized, encompassing safe technology use, digital literacy, responsible online behavior, and adaptive coping with cyberbullying, online risks, and excessive screen exposure. Based on existing evidence and contextual insights, the integrated pre-adolescent resilience model (IPARM) is proposed, integrating biological, psychological, social, and digital dimensions. Resilience promotion strategies are discussed at individual, family, school, community, and healthcare levels, with nurses and other health professionals playing an important role in early identification of vulnerable children, mental health promotion, and implementation of resilience-building interventions. Strengthening resilience during pre-adolescence represents a valuable preventive mental health strategy. A holistic and culturally responsive approach can foster emotional competence, psychological well-being, adaptability, and healthy development, enabling Indian children to navigate contemporary challenges and develop into confident and resilient individuals.