Working with families in which a parent has depression: A resilience perspective

The association between parental depression and child maladjustment is well documented in the literature. Less is known about the strengths and potential protective mechanisms that help promote resilience for this population. This literature review addressing resilience in families was conducted to help inform policy and practice for families living with parental depression. Five protective factors-goodness of fit, self-esteem and self-efficacy, social support, family functioning, and opportunities for change-and four practice principles-discovery of resources and abilities, explanation of risk and protective factors, development of collaborative family relationships, and social support-emerged from this review. Implications for policy and practice in light of these principles are provided.