Exploring ecologies of resilience in Filipino frontliners’ experiences of stress and strength

This study responds to two conceptual and empirical gaps in resilience literature. Firstly, dominant resilience literature has viewed resilience as an individual psychological capacity or internal resource. Secondly, there is a dearth of qualitative studies that particularly examine the lived experiences and meanings of resilience for frontline workers (FLWs) from the Global South, especially in the Philippines. As a contribution, this study explores Filipino FLWs experience and meaning-making of resilience as a product of dynamic interactions of the individual with broader collective, social, and organizational systems. More specifically, this study explores different ecologies that shape FLWs’ resilience: their individual ways of coping, relationships with peers and colleagues, workplace systems, family and community support, cultural values, and spirituality. Through reflexive thematic analysis following a collaborative qualitative data analysis framework, we identified themes regarding the FLWs’ experience of being a frontline worker, their narratives of stress, and the meanings attributed to resilience. Results describe three salient narratives of stress: stress as a normal part of everyday life, as being “for the weak,” and as a forbidden cognitive mindset that should not be entertained. Salient meanings of resilience include collective strength and strength from God. These findings expand the understanding of resilience to include relationality, embodiment, cultural values and spirituality, which provide implications for programs, interventions, and how institutions can be of support.