What is defined as the ability of a family to adapt to and recover from stress?

The concept defined as the ability of a family to adapt to and recover from stress is resilience. In family therapy and systems theory, resilience refers to the capacity of a family to withstand challenges, bounce back from adversity, and maintain functioning despite difficulties. This ability includes effective communication, problem-solving skills, and emotional support among family members, allowing them to navigate through crises effectively.

Resilience can manifest in various forms, such as the development of coping strategies, reinforcing family bonds during tough times, and fostering a positive outlook on challenges. Emphasizing resilience in therapy helps families build their strengths and capacities to face future hurdles, enhancing overall family dynamics.

Other options such as health, strength, and flexibility may be relevant in different contexts, but they do not specifically encapsulate the comprehensive definition of how a family engages with and overcomes stress. Health refers to overall well-being, strength can imply internal capabilities or resources but does not specifically address coping with stress, and flexibility pertains more to adaptability but lacks the broader scope of recovery and resilience inherent in the definition.