Resilience Theme of KPFK-FM Los Angeles Broadcast on 9/11 Anniversary
Resilience and how it transforms human experience provided the focal point for a Los Angeles radio show's observance of the sixth anniversary of 9/11. The weekly KPFK-FM show, "Experience Talks: Expanding the Gray Matters," featured an interview with Dr. Roberta Greene, a School of Social Work professor and The Louis and Ann Wolens Centennial Chair in Gerontology and Social Welfare. The hour-long program also included discussions with two other guests, a woman who witnessed the destruction of the World Trade Center and another, a Holocaust survivor whose international travels were halted on 9/11. (See links below to listen to broadcast).
During the "Experience Talks" interview, Dr. Greene, editor of Resiliency-An Integrated Approach to Practice, Policy, and Research (2002), was asked why most of the research on the concept of resilience has been focused on younger people while older adults have been studied less. "There's very little [research] on older adults because I think that is true in general," Greene said. "The research on older adults tends to lag behind when we're looking at new areas of interventions and psychological assessments, but what we do know about older adults is very interesting. We know that they will be more resilient if they're altruistic, if they have other social supports around them and join in volunteer work," she said.
Dr. Greene also discussed her current research as the principal investigator on a new University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work study examining the relationship between survivorship, resiliency, and forgiveness among Holocaust survivors. Last February, she received $468,416 from the John Templeton Foundation to conduct this research that replicates a study originally conducted in Israel. The three-year project involves interviewing Holocaust survivors in Los Angeles and five other U.S. cities: New York, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Austin, and Dallas.
When asked on "Experience Talks" about what can be learned from studying Holocaust survivors and other adults who are well into their 70s and 80s, Dr. Greene replied, "They teach us how at each stage of life they've gone about 'doing the work of living in the world' -- those are their accomplishments."
Dr. Greene believes that the research findings from her study, "Forgiveness, Resiliency and Survivorship among Holocaust Survivors," will increase the ability of mental health practitioners, emergency personnel, relief workers and others to work with people affected by adverse events. "This will leave us better prepared to respond to such traumatic events such as hurricanes Katrina and Rita and those on September 11," Greene said. At the end of the three-year study, Dr. Greene intends to offer training workshops for professionals interested in learning how to help survivors of adverse events through the School of Social Work Office of Professional Development.
Dr. Marilyn Armour, also a faculty member in the School of Social Work, is co-principal investigator for the study as are Dr. Harriet Cohen of Texas Christian University, Dr. Carmen Moreno of Hunter College, and Dr. Connie Corley of California State University, Los Angeles. Dr. Sandra Graham at UT-Austin School of Social Work is grant manager.
For more information about "Forgiveness, Resiliency and Survivorship among Holocaust Survivors" contact: Dr. Roberta Greene, School of Social Work, professor and The Louis and Ann Wolens Centennial Chair in Gerontology and Social Welfare, 512-232-4168.
Download and listen to the September 11, 2007 KPFK-FM broadcast:
- Excerpt only (13 Minutes) (MP3)
- KPFK-FM Website for full broadcast (1 hour)