Adversity (AQ)
It’s unavoidable that your child is going to enter a volatile, unpredictable world. They will face challenges that will stretch them to their limits. They may fall short of their expectations, or even fail. That’s why the Adversity Quotient (AQ) is so important.
The adversity quotient is a measure of how effectively your child can cope with change and bounce back from their failures. This is a really important life skill that will serve them well beyond their classroom years.
We at ONE Intervention pride ourselves on teaching children how to navigate such challenges effectively. It’s not about avoiding challenges, but rather facing them head-on with a growth mindset.
This can be achieved through strengthening your child’s adversity quotient.
What Are The Key Components Of Adversity Quotient?
Resilience
Resilience is the cornerstone of adversity quotient. This is a measure of how effectively your child can bounce back from their setbacks.
True resilience isn’t about avoiding such setbacks. Rather, we encourage your child to acknowledge their failure, learn from it, and maintain a positive growth mindset. This encourages their holistic development and effectively prepares them for future challenges.
Coping Skills
Coping skills are methods through which your child can manage stressful situations and difficult challenges. These encourage your child to express their emotions in a healthy manner.
For example, some common coping skills taught to the children at ONE are art, journaling and confiding in a trusted adult. All of these allow your child to build their own pillars of support so that they can increase their adversity quotient.
Control
Having a sense of control over their life empowers your child. This is because it promotes their personal agency to do what they want, which contributes to their emotional well-being.
However, a high adversity quotient score doesn’t mean complete autonomy. Instead, we guide your child to understand that they can adapt their behaviour and perspective to their circumstance. This allows them to stay resilient and overcome difficulties.
Why is AQ Important?
Improved Emotional Regulation
A high adversity quotient enables your child to better manage their emotions during a crisis. This is important since it empowers them to stay calm and make clear headed, logical decisions that lead to the best possible outcome.
Improved Problem-Solving Skills
With a high adversity quotient, your child can adopt a growth mindset. This means that they are able to view challenges as opportunities to grow and face them with a positive attitude. Therefore, they are able to more effectively find solutions and overcome obstacles.
Increased Confidence
A child with high AQ is able to face challenges head-on. This increases their self-esteem, because they know that they are capable of emerging stronger from difficult situations. Therefore, successfully navigating through challenges builds their confidence.
Increased Adaptability
The hallmark of a child with a high adversity quotient is that they are extremely adaptable. They are able to cope with unexpected changes, and even thrive in uncertain situations. This is a life skill that serves them well in a volatile and unpredictable world.