2012

Trait resilience reflects an individual's ability to adapt well to stressful situations (Ahern, Kiehl, Sole, & Byers, 2006; Wagnild & Young, 1993). Although many factors such as easygoing disposition, self-efficacy, and self-confidence have been considered to be related to the development of resilience (Papalia, Olds, & Feldman, 2009), the nature of trait resilience has not been fully explored. Kumpfer’s (1999) resilience theory implied that this trait can be a combination of two factors. One of the researchers of this study tested Kumpfer’s implication and successfully extracted two factors from trait resilience: a solution-related factor (e.g., forming a plan to solve a problem) and a non-solutionrelated factor (e.g., looking for the meaning for engaging in such a problem-solving process; Li, 2006). Based on the findings, the researchers further explored two issues in the present study: (1) the relationship between the two factors across three time points and (2) the extent to which each of the two factors predicts graduate students’ tendency to actively cope with stress (i.e., active coping) across the three time points. Results of the study can provide information for counselors to help graduate students enhance trait resilience in order to adapt to stress.