MENTAL HEALTH AND RESILIENCE: The Protective Nature of Maternal Relations in Trauma-Exposed Individuals.

Abstract

The prevalence of mental illnesses globally has meant that reduced the amount of resources available to care for the mentally struggling. This paper seeks to identify the stressors most associated with long-term mental health problems and the groups most vulnerable to them so that the limited resources can be used where they are needed the most. Using the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), this paper investigates how life stressors, especially exposure to trauma, affects the mental health of these vulnerable groups and to what extent the quality of maternal relationships can be used as a preventative measure against them. Results reveal that good maternal relationship, especially when prolonged, are effective at promoting resilience in the face of trauma and other life stressors.