2026 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Recognizing and Building Resilience in Generation Z

Document Type

Student Presentation

Presentation Date

4-24-2026

Faculty Sponsor

Dr. April Masarik

Abstract

Stress and resilience are human universals shared across people regardless of race, religion, politics, or geography (Brown, 1991). In this ongoing qualitative study, we examined how college students, primarily Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012), describe stressors and sources of resilience in their personal narratives.

Resilience is often described as the ability to adapt to and overcome stressors, what Masten (2021) calls “ordinary magic.” This capacity is shaped by development, social relationships, and access to protective resources (Masten, 2012). Protective factors help reduce the harmful effects of stressors and can exist across multiple ecological levels, including family, community, and broader society (Sameroff & Seifer, 1990; Bronfenbrenner, 1994). Coping strategies help individuals regulate emotions and adapt during stressful experiences (Bonanno & Burton, 2013).

This study is part of the Human Universals Project and includes 189 autobiographies from undergraduate students enrolled in upper-division psychology courses. Using Braun and Clarke’s thematic content analysis (2008), we found both universal similarities and individual differences in how participants recognize and build resilience. Ten themes emerged from the narratives that demonstrate resilience in Generation Z and can be used to inform resilience-based resources for this generation.

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