Theoretical Framework for Providing Care to Trafficked Minors
By Shenoa Rose Jamieson, CPNP, SANE-A, SANE-P
Salutogenic Theory is a framework that can guide our understanding of strengths and wellness. This model was introduced by medical sociologist Aaron Antonovsky in his 1979 book Health, Stress and Coping. It is an approach to wellness emphasizing supporting health instead of responding to disease (pathogenesis). Two key components of this theory are a Sense of Coherence and General Resistance Resources.
General Resistance Resources are the biological, material and psychosocial factors that make it easier for people to perceive life as understandable, structured and consistent. They are the properties of a person, a collective or a situation that facilitate successful coping with the inherent stressors of human existence. They are material and non-material qualities, including:
- Physical and genetic (strong physic, strong immune system, genetic strength);
- Material resources (money, accommodation, food);
- Cognitive and emotional (knowledge, intelligence, adaptive strategies for coping, emotional intelligence);
- Ego identity (positive perception of self);
- Valuative and attitudinal (rationality, flexibility foresight);
- Interpersonal-relational (attachment, social support from friends and family);
- Sociocultural aspects (culture, shared values in society).
Sense of Coherence is the ability to manage the resources one has to cope with the innumerable stressors of life. A strong sense of coherence helps a person mobilize resources to cope with stressors successfully and process through traumatic experiences. Everyone has sociocultural and historic context that starts in infancy and directly influences that individual’s sense of coherence. Culture shapes the person’s life situation, gives rise to stressors and resources, contributes to life experiences related to predictability, balance, and meaning, and shapes the individual’s perception of health and well-being. Cultural and historic context is the foundation for which a person experiences psychological stressors and resistance resources.
There are three components of a Sense of Coherence: Comprehensibility, Manageability, and Meaningfulness.
- Comprehensibility is the cognitive aspect; the world as understandable. It is finding the stimuli deriving from one’s internal and external environments to be structured, predictable and explicable. “It makes sense to me.” The world as understandable, meaningful, orderly and consistent on one end of the range and chaotic, random, and unpredictable at the other end.
- Manageability is the behavioral aspect; the world as manageable. The resources are available to meet the demands posed by the stimuli. “I have what it takes to do this.” Manageability also has to do with our ability to cope and solve problems and be willing to invest our time and energy to solve those problems – in other words, to manage those problems and see them as a challenge rather than a burden. Moving from trauma to transformation.
- Meaningfulness is the motivational aspect; a world with meaning and purpose. Seeing the demands of life as challenges, worthy of investment and engagement. The degree to which “It is worth it.” Meaningfulness is the extent to which we feel that our lives have emotional value.