THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE NATURE OF RESILIENCE IN CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOLOGY: ESSENCE AND CONTENT

Abstract

The article presents a comprehensive theoretical analysis of various approaches to understand the nature of the phenomenon of resilience in the context of contemporary psychological science. Despite a significant body of theoretical and practical research, the concept of “resilience” remains polysemantic and controversial, which complicates its consistent scientific interpretation. This is largely due to the high degree of terminological synonymy: in the academic literature, resilience is frequently equated with or associated with such categories as “hardiness”, “stress resistance”, “trauma resistance”, “psychological elasticity”, “psychological stability”, and “adaptability” among others. Additionally, the term itself is used in different spellings – such as “resiliency”, “resilientnost”, “resilience” – which further complicates its scientific standardization.The article analyzes key theoretical approaches to defining resilience in both international and Ukrainian scholarly discourse, particularly within the frameworks of cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, systemic, and psychodynamic paradigms. Special attention is paid to the essential characteristics of resilience as an integrative ability of the individual to maintain psychological balance under stress, crisis, and traumatic experiences, as well as to recover and grow in the post-crisis period.Only a detailed and systematic analysis will allow for the formation of a more precise and well-grounded understanding of the essence of resilience and will help to resolve the issues of its conceptualization and application in various scientific and practical contexts.The importance of a systemic reconsideration of the term is emphasized, as it is a prerequisite for its accurate and effective use in psychology. The article aims to deepen the theoretical comprehension of this complex and highly relevant psychological phenomenon, which is of particular importance in the context of growing psycho-emotional stress and global social transformations.