Developing an Original Theoretical Model of Resilience in Early Childhood Under Conditions of Poverty and Adversity in Nigeria

Early childhood resilience theory has been developed predominantly in Western contexts and inadequately accounts for the specific adversity profiles, protective resources, and cultural resilience mechanisms available to children in Nigerian poverty and conflict settings, and developing an original theory fills this gap in both global resilience theory and Nigerian developmental science. This study developed an original Resilience in Early Childhood Theory for Nigerian Poverty and Adversity Contexts, drawing on resilience theory, community-based participatory methods, and longitudinal developmental data. A constructive theory-building methodology was employed. Systematic review of 74 resilience and adversity in early childhood publications from 2018 to 2024 confirmed that existing frameworks (Masten, Cicchetti) were empirically derived from Western samples and inadequately theorised communal resilience resources, spiritual and religious coping as developmental support, extended family buffering, and the developmental significance of community ceremonies and rituals in adversity recovery. Empirical grounding used longitudinal developmental assessment data from 360 children in three adversity contexts (IDP displacement in Borno, urban poverty in Lagos, and flood-affected communities in Anambra) collected at 6-month intervals over 2 years. Four Nigeria-specific resilience mechanisms were theorised: communal care networks, spiritual-religious developmental support, elder knowledge transmission as protective factor, and cultural identity strength as resilience resource. The original framework integrates these with established universal resilience factors. Expert review by 22 resilience and ECD specialists confirmed the theoretical originality. Recommendations include community-based resilience-informed ECD programming and national ECD resilience policy provisions.

Keywords: resilience theory, early childhood, poverty and adversity, Nigeria, original framework