Resilience in the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: A Dynamic Multilevel Systemic Resilience Model

Rui Li; Siyao Jia; Nancy Xiaonan Yu; Jinghan Hu; Zhihong Ren

doi:10.1111/jftr.70017

Resilience in the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: A Dynamic Multilevel Systemic Resilience Model

Rui Li, Siyao Jia, Nancy Xiaonan Yu, Jinghan Hu^*, Zhihong Ren^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to individuals, families, and communities worldwide. Resilience-as a dynamic, adaptive process through which individuals, families, and communities navigate adversity, recover, and sustain healthy functioning-has received widespread attention. To address the conceptual gap between a multisystemic view of resilience and the distinct conceptualization of resilience across individual, family, and community levels, we have proposed the following integrative model: the dynamic multilevel systemic resilience model (DMSRM). We begin by reviewing extant resilience literature on definitions; measurement tools; influential factors; theoretical mechanisms; and positive impacts at the individual, family, and community levels, ultimately highlighting a multisystemic view of resilience. We then analyze how COVID-19-related policies across cultures, especially Chinese policies, influenced resilience and introduced strategies to enhance resilience. This review aims to provide researchers and policymakers with a comprehensive and multisystemic understanding of resilience to better promote resilience in the context of future crises.

© 2025 National Council for Family Relations.

Original language	English
Number of pages	18
Journal	Journal of Family Theory and Review
Online published	15 Oct 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.70017
Publication status	Online published - 15 Oct 2025

Funding

This work was supported by the Major Program of the National Social Science Foundation of China, 22&ZD187.

Research Keywords

community resilience
COVID-19
family resilience
individual resilience
multisystemic resilience

Publisher's Copyright Statement

COPYRIGHT TERMS OF DEPOSITED POSTPRINT FILE: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Li, R., Jia, S., Yu, N. X., Hu, J., & Ren, Z. (2025). Resilience in the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: A Dynamic Multilevel Systemic Resilience Model. Journal of Family Theory and Review. Advance online publication., which has been published in final form https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.70017.
This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.

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title = "Resilience in the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: A Dynamic Multilevel Systemic Resilience Model",

abstract = "The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to individuals, families, and communities worldwide. Resilience-as a dynamic, adaptive process through which individuals, families, and communities navigate adversity, recover, and sustain healthy functioning-has received widespread attention. To address the conceptual gap between a multisystemic view of resilience and the distinct conceptualization of resilience across individual, family, and community levels, we have proposed the following integrative model: the dynamic multilevel systemic resilience model (DMSRM). We begin by reviewing extant resilience literature on definitions; measurement tools; influential factors; theoretical mechanisms; and positive impacts at the individual, family, and community levels, ultimately highlighting a multisystemic view of resilience. We then analyze how COVID-19-related policies across cultures, especially Chinese policies, influenced resilience and introduced strategies to enhance resilience. This review aims to provide researchers and policymakers with a comprehensive and multisystemic understanding of resilience to better promote resilience in the context of future crises.{\textcopyright} 2025 National Council for Family Relations.",

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author = "Rui Li and Siyao Jia and Yu, {Nancy Xiaonan} and Jinghan Hu and Zhihong Ren",

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AU - Li, Rui

AU - Jia, Siyao

AU - Yu, Nancy Xiaonan

AU - Hu, Jinghan

AU - Ren, Zhihong

PY - 2025/10/15

Y1 - 2025/10/15

N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to individuals, families, and communities worldwide. Resilience-as a dynamic, adaptive process through which individuals, families, and communities navigate adversity, recover, and sustain healthy functioning-has received widespread attention. To address the conceptual gap between a multisystemic view of resilience and the distinct conceptualization of resilience across individual, family, and community levels, we have proposed the following integrative model: the dynamic multilevel systemic resilience model (DMSRM). We begin by reviewing extant resilience literature on definitions; measurement tools; influential factors; theoretical mechanisms; and positive impacts at the individual, family, and community levels, ultimately highlighting a multisystemic view of resilience. We then analyze how COVID-19-related policies across cultures, especially Chinese policies, influenced resilience and introduced strategies to enhance resilience. This review aims to provide researchers and policymakers with a comprehensive and multisystemic understanding of resilience to better promote resilience in the context of future crises.© 2025 National Council for Family Relations.

AB - The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to individuals, families, and communities worldwide. Resilience-as a dynamic, adaptive process through which individuals, families, and communities navigate adversity, recover, and sustain healthy functioning-has received widespread attention. To address the conceptual gap between a multisystemic view of resilience and the distinct conceptualization of resilience across individual, family, and community levels, we have proposed the following integrative model: the dynamic multilevel systemic resilience model (DMSRM). We begin by reviewing extant resilience literature on definitions; measurement tools; influential factors; theoretical mechanisms; and positive impacts at the individual, family, and community levels, ultimately highlighting a multisystemic view of resilience. We then analyze how COVID-19-related policies across cultures, especially Chinese policies, influenced resilience and introduced strategies to enhance resilience. This review aims to provide researchers and policymakers with a comprehensive and multisystemic understanding of resilience to better promote resilience in the context of future crises.© 2025 National Council for Family Relations.

KW - community resilience

KW - COVID-19

KW - family resilience

KW - individual resilience

KW - multisystemic resilience

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M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

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ER -

Resilience in the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: A Dynamic Multilevel Systemic Resilience Model

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Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

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