5.1. Individual-level intervention
This review highlights a range of individual-level resources thought to be important in
adolescent resilience. Individual-level resources discussed in the literature include constitutional
factors (e.g. positive temperament, robust neurobiology), intelligence (e.g. academic achievement,
planning and decision making), sociability (e.g. responsiveness to others, positive attachment),
communications skills (e.g. language and reading skills), and personality traits (e.g. self-esteem/
self-efficacy, tolerance of negative affect, enduring values, flexibility, sense of humour) (see
Table 1). The range of individual-level factors suggested is extensive, but not necessarily
exhaustive. Intervention at the level of the individual might take a preventative focus, aiming to
develop personal coping skills and resources before specific encounters with real life adversity.
More commonly, however, coping skills and resources are built in response to crisis, often within
the context of one-on-one treatment.