ABSTRACT
A central issue is how to provide both prevention and treatment interventions designed to bolster resilience and build on existing and potential strengths in diverse, victimized, and high-risk groups of children, youth, families, and communities. Children and youth frequently experience different types of victimization on multiple occasions, rather than being exposed to singular experiences. There is an overlap of different types of victimization experiences, such as living in high-risk crime-saturated poverty areas, witnessing violence at home, or experiencing neglect and abuse. Resilience is not a trait that a child is born with or automatically keeps once it is achieved. Resilience is a complex interactive process that entails characteristics of the child, the family, extra-familial relationships, and school and community factors. Protective factors differ across gender, race, and culture. For instance, girls tend to bolster their resilience by building strong, caring relationships, while boys are more likely to build resilience by learning active problem-solving.
