Resilience in the chronic illness experience

This article advances the consideration of resilience as an important concept in the transitional process of learning to adapt to life with chronic illness, by utilising interactional processes inherent in participatory action research (PAR) that may strengthen a person's capacity to live well with long-term illness. Sharing experiences and narratives through reflection may strengthen resilience and hence have timely relevance for weathering the uncertainties facing people who are learning to live with chronic illness. The authors draw on a subset of data from longitudinal research with men and women living with chronic illness. Data were generated using email correspondence in between participants' discussion groups. Analysis of data revealed three themes which further understanding of the transitional process of resilience: constructions of resilience in the illness experience, reconciling and reconstructing, and connecting with others. Participants began to identify personal benefit through reflection on, interpretation and validation of their experiences with illness. It was revealed that resilience was about having a strong sense of self-worth, the ability to learn from experiences and to develop the capacity to be adaptable. Central to living well with illness is the concept of adaptation. The PAR group process may strengthen resilience because the group provides an enabling environment to address confronting life issues.