Internal locus of control
Internal locus of control is related to resilience. People with an internal locus of control believe they have influence over their own fate. They believe they have some control over what happens to them. The opposite is an external locus of control. These people believe that powerful or unknown others influence their fate. An internal locus of control can be fostered by having people, even children, participate in activities where they have control over the outcome. It helps if these activities are meaningful and related to the person's life. For instance, infants can be allowed to feed themselves and toddlers to dress themselves. It also helps if they are successful at these tasks. After the task is complete it is helpful to demonstrate just how they completed it on their own and relied on their own skills and abilities to achieve the outcome.
These five characteristics are related to resilience in children. Suggestions for fostering resilience have been given. Hopefully, they are helpful to you as you work with children in impoverished and stressful situations.