FORMATION OF RESILIENCE OF STUDENTS THROUGH POSITIVE THINKING

Abstract

In Russian and English-language literature, much is said about the need to build schoolers' resilience, but there are practically no works summarizing empirical data on the effectiveness of programs involving techniques of positive psychology. This study utilized the descriptive, summative literature review methodology proposed by Arksey & O’Malley. The purpose of this descriptive literature review was to synthesize the results of empirical research on the topic to answer the research question: are interventions with positive thinking practices for children and adolescents effective in increasing their resilience? After the search and analysis of relevant sources, 9 comparative studies were included in the review according to several criteria. Eventually, 5 of 9 interventions significantly improved the subjects' resilience, while 2 were ineffective, and the other 2 reduced depressive symptoms but not anxiety (and none of them did). However, in 7 studies, positive results were obtained one way or another suggesting that programs with positive thinking practices may contribute to increasing resilience in children and adolescents. The paper discusses possible reasons for the obtained results and analyzes the mechanisms of increasing emotional resilience based on certain studies. The practical-theoretical contribution of this paper is that it informs educational psychologists about the comparative effectiveness of various approaches for improving student resilience.