What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger: Determinants of Stress Resiliency in Rural People of Saskatchewan, Canada

Purpose: This article discusses a research study that explored how rural people in Saskatchewan, Canada, respond to stressful events and adversity, without outside interventions.

Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with 17 individuals who were living or had lived on a farm in Saskatchewan. The participants' definitions of resiliency, their experiences with resiliency or lack of resiliency, and what they identified as the barriers to and enhancers of resiliency in their lives were discussed.

Findings: Resiliency was defined as a process and interactive model that included "bouncing back" from adversity, coping, and acquiring skills, such as problem solving and learning. Resiliency was dynamic, temporal, and relational and was both proactive and reactive. There were both internal and external barriers to and enhancers of resiliency. Barriers to resiliency included fear, isolation, and depopulation, whereas enhancers included resources, support, and control.

Conclusions: Traditional resiliency models are not sufficient for understanding resiliency. It is clear that social, political, and economic factors play an important role in the resiliency and health of people who live in rural areas. A conceptualization of resiliency must be embedded in a social context and include community factors. Recommendations for enhancing resiliency, such as sustaining rural life, supporting families, and providing services, are also discussed.