Schools as a Resilience Training Ground

Because schools reach nearly all adolescents, they are in a powerful position to build resilience at scale. Classrooms, extracurricular activities, and daily interactions all offer opportunities to teach coping skills and positive mindsets.

But how should schools do this most effectively? That’s where research can help.

What the Study Found

Métais and colleagues (2025) conducted a scoping review of 34 school-based resilience programs for adolescents implemented between 2010 and 2020.

These included:

• Stand-alone programs – structured lessons specifically about resilience skills

• Whole-school approaches – embedding resilience strategies into the overall culture, teaching practices, and policies

The research varied widely in:

• Program length – from a few weeks to an entire school year

• Lesson format – short workshops, full class periods, or ongoing discussions

• Facilitators – teachers, school counselors, or outside specialists

Despite these differences, clear themes emerged about what makes these programs most successful.

Six Ingredients of Effective School-Based Resilience

1. Dual Focus

   Address both reducing “ill-being” (e.g., anxiety, low mood) and boosting “well-being” (e.g., optimism, self-worth).

2. Ethos and Embedding

   Resilience isn’t a one-off lesson—it works best when woven into the school’s overall culture and daily routines.

3. Nurturing Environment

   A supportive, inclusive atmosphere where students feel connected and safe to take risks.

4. Systems Approach

   Everyone is involved: students, teachers, school staff, and even families.

5. Teacher Resilience

   Teachers model resilience themselves and receive training to sustain it under their own professional pressures.

6. Real-Time Resilience

   Strategies are applied in the moment—during group work, after a test score, or when conflict arises—not just discussed in theory.

Why Parents Should Care

Strong resilience skills help protect mental health, improve academic persistence, and prepare teens for adulthood.Universal school-based programs ensure that all students—not just those already identified as struggling—develop these protective skills.

As a parent, you can:

• Encourage your teen to share resilience strategies they learn at school

• Model healthy coping yourself

• Partner with your school to support a positive, inclusive learning climate

Our Commitment

At Baumgarten Child Psychology and More, we track emerging research like this because we believe resilience is a foundation for both learning and well-being.We use these insights to guide our work with schools, provide resources for parents, and design interventions that fit the realities of teens’ daily lives.

Resilience isn’t just about “bouncing back.” It’s about moving forward—stronger, wiser, and more confident in handling life’s ups and downs.

Don’t believe me, read the article for yourselfMétais, C., Waters, L., Martin-Krumm, C., Tarquinio, C., & Burel, N. (2025). A scoping review of universal school-based resilience programs for adolescents. School Psychology, 40(5), 566–583. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000659