89

The conceptual approach of resilience is part of a perspective of understanding and supporting people facing situations of risk or traumatic events. This approach has transformed clinical practices by offering an alternative to the psychopathological model that initially focuses on vulnerability, allowing it to take into account the resources and skills of people and their environment. It has applications in many clinical fields, such as psychology, psychiatry, education, social work, and health. The concept of resilience, which has now been studied for more than forty years, is being met with growing interest, as is evident by the large amount of research and publications that refer to it on the international stage. Over the decades, its theoretical contours have evolved and have become more specified. Resilience is now considered a complex process resulting from a balance between risk factors and protective factors. This article puts into perspective the major advances that have been made since its emergence within contemporary research, along with its applications.