Understanding Resilience in Psychosis: An Emerging Field.

The resilience paradigm offers a complementary perspective to risk-focused models of psychosis by asking how favorable outcomes can be maintained or regained despite substantial vulnerability, adversity, or illness-related burden. Schizophrenia resilience research encompasses both processes that buffer antecedent risk and reduce the likelihood that vulnerability leads to psychotic illness, and those that support adaptation and recovery after illness onset. Drawing on clinical, psychological, social, and biological research, we consider the relationship between resilience and recovery, resilience-promoting processes, structural and societal influences, and genetic and neurobiological factors. A resilience perspective can extend current approaches by placing greater emphasis on mechanisms and conditions that support adaptation to adversity across the course of illness.