The capacity for effective problem solving is critical for resiliency. The capacity to deal effectively with adversity depends on a person having access to a range of flexible strategies for addressing conflict, seeking help, and dealing with unforeseen setbacks.

The problem solving process

Problem solving can be broken down into a four-step process which can be applied to almost any type of problem, from the social to the scientific:

  1. Identify the problem
  2. Generate solutions
  3. Evaluate the possible solutions, decide on the best course of action, and put it into action
  4. Evaluate the outcome. If the problem is not solved, repeat from step 2.
Identify the problem

This step may sound obvious, but sometimes identifying the problem can be more difficult than it appears. Once the problem is clearly identified, this often goes more than half-way to solving it. Identifying the problem means clearly working out what one's goal is, and what is currently preventing one from achieving this outcome.

Generate solutions

The key at this stage of the process is not to be overly critical or evaluative of the solutions generated, but to simply think of as many different ways of solving or addressing the problem as possible. This is like a 'brain-storm'. You get more creative solutions if you feel free to table anything.

Evaluate solutions and choose the best one to act on

Having generated a list of possible approaches to dealing with the problem, it is now necessary to evaluate each of the options and decide which is the preferred approach, taking into consideration everything that might be relevant to the decision. One's knowledge is rarely perfect, so this is a matter of a 'best guess' in most cases.

Evaluate the outcome

Having tried a solution, it is important to evaluate the success of the solution. If it hasn't worked, return to step 2, and revisit the possible solutions. Continue this process until the problem is resolved.

Teaching the problem-solving process to children

Children who are old enough to think abstractly (from around 12) can be taught the problem solving process directly, using real-life examples and 'live applications' to illustrate the process. Younger children will learn best by having the process demonstrated repeatedly by adults to help them solve their day-to-day social and other problems.

For example, let us say two five-year-old children are having a conflict in the playground. The teacher can begin the problem-solving process by getting each child to clearly explain the problem (step one). Having found out that the problem centres on who will play Batman and who will play Robin in a game, the teacher can ask the children to think of some solutions to the problem (step 2). If they are unable to come up with any ideas, the teacher can offer some ideas, such as swapping roles at some point in the game, playing a different game where they both can agree on the roles to be played, etc. Once a solution has been agreed on by both children, the solution can be tried (step 3). Later the teacher can ask the children how the solution worked, or, if he or she notices that the children are fighting again, can assist them again by helping them think of some new alternatives.

In demonstrating problem-solving, adults should encourage children to generate their own solutions rather than imposing their own 'best solution', however obvious it may appear to the adult. This allows children to practice thinking creatively about solutions to their problems rather than relying on adults to be there to sort everything out.

Encouraging autonomy

One theme that has emerged consistently in much resiliency research which is closely tied to the theme of self-efficacy and locus of control is the importance of assisting children to develop a healthy age-appropriate level of autonomy. One study, for example, found that children from dysfunctional family backgrounds were more resilient if they showed a degree of emotional distance from their families. This "adaptive distancing" apparently helped them to establish a healthy identity outside of the chaotic emotional dynamics of their home life (Benard, 1991).

A degree of autonomy is essential for the development of good problem-solving skills. If children do not have a sense of their own independence, they will continually fall back on adults around them to solve their problems, with the result that they will not develop their own problem solving resources and experiences.

Autonomy is also closely related to the sense of personal responsibility. The awareness of responsibility comes from being conscious that one is an independent agent whose actions have consequences. People who lack autonomy and feel that they are dependent on authority figures to solve problems for them and tell them what to do are not only likely to feel helpless when confronted by highly challenging circumstances, but they are also likely to be more prone to irresponsible actions, and to being manipulated or bullied by others.

Adults can promote children's autonomy by:

Coping skills

Coping skills are the skills a person has to deal successfully with the stressors in their life. A stress can be defined as any situation in which the demands made on a person stretch their capacity to meet them. Stressors include everything from minor, everyday hassles and frustrations, to major life events such as serious illness, bereavement or trauma. Important coping skills include:

Of course, coping skills develop slowly with age. Young children's coping skills are limited - usually they will be restricted to asking parents or teachers for help, and using play to deal with anxiety and creatively process emotions. However, by adolescence, they should have a sufficiently well-developed repertoire of coping skills to manage many everyday issues independently and effectively.

Coping styles

A coping style is a person's general approach to dealing with problems. Coping styles typically develop during childhood and are based on the role modelling provided by parents and other significant adults in the child's life. One way of classifying coping styles is to divide people into those who tend to use emotion-focussed strategies, and those who tend to use problem-focussed strategies.

Emotion focussed strategies are coping strategies that attempt to regulate or change how one feels rather than trying to address the external problem itself. For example:

Problem-focussed strategies include:

Coping styles can also be good or bad. For example, whereas the above examples are all appropriate responses, at least under some circumstances, the following are typically not so helpful:

Adults can help children to develop good coping habits by:

References

Benard, B. (1991). Fostering Resiliency in Kids: Protective Factors in the Family, School and Community. San Francisco: Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development. ED 335 781. Available at: www.cce.umn.edu/pdfs/NRRC/Fostering_Resilience_012804.pdf

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 © 2005 Mental Health Foundation of Australia

         Revised: 15/02/07.
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