MEDIA

Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope

60 min. Tugg Edu. 2016. $75. ISBN unavail.
COPY ISBN
Ten types of experiences are called Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), ranging from separation or divorce, to substance abuse, or an imprisoned member of the family. According to the documentary, experiencing three or more ACEs more than doubles the risk of heart disease, multiplies the occurance of teenage pregnancy, and significantly increases the probability of violence, depression, and suicide among children and their parents. Several researchers came together to develop a large study where the number of ACEs and the health and life experiences of an individual were followed over time. Children with higher ACEs scores were often suffering from "toxic stress," prolonged activation of stress response systems in the absence of protective relationships. But there were also children who showed resilience: a constructive response to stress built with a caring, stable adult presence in a positive, protective relationship. This informational program encourages caring adults to help children understand what has happened to them and to work on changing a toxic stress response into one of resilience. Several best-practice school and social service programs across the nation that support children and their families are mentioned. The video uses informed experts, attractive graphics, and is organized exceptionally well.
VERDICT This powerful video should be viewed by professionals who work with children and families. It would be an excellent discussion starter for in-service training.

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.


RELATED 

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?