Habits as Building Blocks for the Resilience of Vulnerable Populations: Two Positive Deviance Case Studies From the U.S.–Mexico Border Region

Abstract

In this article, we describe habits that lead to resilience. We summarize empirical findings of two projects implemented with people living in the U.S.–Mexico border region that illustrate how when facing adversity, some individuals devise simple, uncommon strategies that through practice become habits and help them adapt positively. The studies discussed used a positive deviance inquiry framework. Positive deviance focuses on finding statistical outliers—those who are successful in the face of intractable problems without the use of special resources. As an inquiry framework, positive deviance enables identification of replicable behaviors that become habits and offer an avenue for behavioral change and the cocreation of sustainable interventions. The positive deviance approach has many potential applications in public health and is a useful framework for health promotion practitioners and researchers working in diverse settings.