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“Masten presents an impressive array of the knowledge that she has gained through her years in the field in a clear and concise manner….Broadly accessible and applicable for researchers, professionals, and students alike.”

—Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (on the first edition)


“Sheer joy….All scholars wishing to better acquaint themselves with the resilience in development literature would do well to pick up Masten’s book and read it….Applicable for scientists, practitioners, family members, teachers, early interventionists, policymakers, and countless others who genuinely strive for equity and equanimity among all—especially the vulnerable.”

—Infant Mental Health Journal (on the first edition)


“Masten's book deserves reading because of its extraordinary synthesis of selected theories and research….Masten has pulled together the wide range of approaches to the concept and its empirical grounding to this date.”

—PsycCRITIQUES (on the first edition)


“Ann Masten writes in an accessible narrative style while drawing on her vast personal and professional experience as a professor and international resilience expert….An illuminating and useful text for students, researchers, and anyone interested in this field.”

—Therapy Today (on the first edition)


“Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals.”

—Choice Reviews (on the first edition)


“As the science of resilience moves toward a more systemic, culturally relevant understanding of human thriving, the timely second edition of this groundbreaking text introduces readers to the latest innovations in positive human development. With her vast experience on a global scale, and the gift of excellent storytelling, Masten will continue to influence the field of psychology now and far into the future. This book is a 'must read' for everyone who wants to better understand the complexity of the many factors present in the lives of children who do better than expected. The second edition will contribute greatly to discussions of trauma and vulnerability in a world confronting crises like climate change, pandemics, and the breakdown of social relationships and trusted institutions.”

—Michael Ungar, PhD, Canada Research Chair in Child, Family and Community Resilience, Dalhousie University


“There are concepts in psychology—resilience, among them—that underscore its special status among the sciences. Masten’s work on resilience extends the boundaries and precision of psychological science and communicates the humanity emanating from this concept. Her work demonstrates how scientific rigor can enlighten our quest to understand the pliability of humans and the sustainability of humanity.”

—Elena L. Grigorenko, PhD, Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of Houston


“Masten is an internationally known, pioneering expert on resilience in human development. The second edition of this book, written in an accessible style, updates the evidence about resilience and its implications for policy and practice. The book includes international perspectives, as well as compelling individual life histories of resilience drawn from non-Western cultures and countries. Ordinary Magic is a 'must read' for a broad audience interested in improving the lives of children at risk due to exposure to trauma, war, displacement, natural disasters, and other adversities.”

—Frosso Motti-Stefanidi, PhD, Professor Emerita of Psychology, University of Athens, Greece; President-Elect, International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development


“Much of the progress in understanding resilience over the past few decades can be attributed to the visionary influence of Ann Masten’s theoretical, empirical, and intervention work. The second edition of this classic book integrates ideas from multiple areas of inquiry, including molecular genetics and epigenetics, general systems theory, ecological theory, systems thinking in biology, immunology, stress neurobiology, and developmental psychopathology. Ann Masten shows that resilience factors and processes vary by context, domain, and level of analysis, and that efficacious interventions can generate positive effects over time, domains, and generations. This iconic book teaches us that in order to comprehend fully how individuals achieve resilience in the face of adversity, we need to investigate resilience in its full complexity.”

—Dante Cicchetti, PhD, Institute of Child Development (Emeritus), University of Minnesota

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Table of Contents

I. Introduction and Conceptual Overview

1. Introduction

2. Models and Methods of Research on Resilience

II. Studies of Individual Resilience

3. Resilience in a Community Sample: The Project Competence Longitudinal Study

4. Overcoming Disadvantage and Economic Crisis: Children Experiencing Homelessness

5. Mass Trauma and Extreme Adversities: Resilience in War, Terrorism, and Disaster

III. Adaptive Systems in Resilience

6. The Short List and Implicated Adaptive Systems

7. The Neurobiology of Resilience

8. Resilience in the Context of Families and Family Resilience

9. Resilience in the Context of Schools

10. Resilience in the Context of Culture and Community

IV. Moving Forward: Implications for Action and Future Research

11. A Resilience Framework for Action

12. Conclusions: Takeaways, Controversies, and New Horizons

Glossary

Abbreviations

References

Index

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About the Author

Ann S. Masten, PhD, is Regents Professor of Child Development and Distinguished McKnight University Professor in the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota. An internationally known expert on resilience in human development, she has over 300 publications in scholarly journals and books. Dr. Masten is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a past president of the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), and a past president of Division 7 (Developmental Psychology) of the American Psychological Association (APA). She is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and the APA. Dr. Masten is a recipient of the Grawemeyer Award in Psychology, the Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Child Development Award from SRCD, the Distinguished Career Contributions to Science Award from the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (APA Division 53), and the Mentor Award and the Urie Bronfenbrenner Award for Lifetime Contribution to Developmental Psychology in the Service of Science and Society from APA Division 7. Other honors include the Smith College Medal and an honorary doctorate from Erasmus University of Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

• Author's website
• All titles by Ann S. Masten

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Audience

Researchers, students, and practitioners in developmental, child clinical, counseling, and educational psychology; human development and family science; social work; nursing; psychiatry; and education.

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Course Use

Serves as a text or supplement in graduate-level courses such as Child Psychopathology, Abnormal Child Psychology, Risk and Resilience, Clinical Practice with Children and Families, and Resilience in Families.

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Previous editions published by Guilford:

First Edition, © 2014
ISBN: 9781462523719

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New to this edition:

• Advances in neurobiology, more international (including non-Western) findings and examples, new discussions of cultural identity development, up-to-date intervention research, and more.
• Heightened focus on the interactions of multiple systems—including families, schools, culture, and communities—in supporting children's resilience.
• Increased attention to the impact of structural inequality, poverty, and intergenerational trauma.
• Coverage of rapidly emerging threats—the risks posed to children by multisystem, cascading disasters, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.