Refining the construct of resilience and identifying brain structural markers of resilience in children and adolescents

Adversity and childhood maltreatment is increasingly being recognised as a major cause of psychopathology (Teicher & Samson, 2016). However, many children and adolescents do not develop psychopathology and some thrive despite exposure to negative life events or even frank maltreatment. This has led to the concept of resilience, which is best conceptualised as a developmen¬tally dynamic and multi-dimensional process (Cicchetti & Blender, 2006).

Within the framework of mental health and well-being, psychological resilience is often defined as an individual’s attainment of positive adaptation and competent functioning in the context of significant environmental or familial adversity, e.g., having experienced chronic stress, trauma or abuse. Nevertheless, the way in which resilience is defined and operationalized differs between studies and it is possible that multiple forms and neural mechanisms of resilience exist.

This studentship would involve applying computational and advanced statistical methods to archive clinical and environmental data collected from 1800 children and adolescents, in an effort to generate new, empirically-based definitions or classes of resilience. In particular, we are interested in understanding where the boundaries of resilience lie in the continuum between mental health and psychopathology, and between adversity and privileged living conditions.

The new construct(s) of resilience emerging from these analyses would then be applied to structural neuroimaging data collected from the same individuals to identify structural biomarkers of resilience in children and young people. This work may also inform the development of psychological interventions aiming to enhance resilience in young people.

We are seeking a student with a degree in psychology, neuroscience, or a related discipline, with a predicted or actual grade at 1st/2:1 level or equivalent, and ideally a master’s degree in neuroscience or neuroimaging.

A demonstrable interest in developmental psychopathology and neuroscience is essential, and training in programming or advanced statistical techniques would be helpful, although full training will be given.

This studentship will involve lab visits to the University of Rome as part of an on-going collaboration, as well as travel to additional European institutions involved in the study.