How Jacqueline Kennedy Employed Resilience in the Face of Trauma

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When an individual is faced with a traumatic event that is deeply distressing and/or destabilizing, the ways of coping vary significantly from individual to individual. We as humans have proven to be resilient in our ability to cope and adapt to changing and devastating circumstances. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, as eloquently illustrated in the film "Jackie" (2016) by Natalie Portman, can be seen as an example of extraordinary resilience during the immediate days following the death of her husband, President John F. Kennedy.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) outlines various criteria that assist in determining whether a specific event is considered traumatic, and specifically whether it may lead to symptoms that would require a mental health diagnosis and treatment. Among the criteria include directly experiencing the traumatic event, witnessing an event that harms others, and/or learning that the event has happened to a close family member or friend. Additional criteria include experiencing the traumatic event repeatedly or having prolonged exposure to the details of the event.

Directly witnessing her husband’s assassination on November 22, 1963, firmly places Jackie Kennedy's experience in the realm of trauma. In the film, in the days after his death, Jackie is portrayed as grieving, though she does not appear to be overwhelmed by her bereavement. Rather, she harnesses her emotional strength to plan and execute a funeral to ensure the life and works of her husband would be remembered.

Why Are Some People Highly Resilient in the Face of Trauma?

Yet because the results of trauma can take various forms, one may wonder whether Jackie Kennedy's experience led to post-traumatic symptoms. For some individuals, when faced with circumstances that may be experienced as traumatic, they possess an ability that allows for continuous demonstration of positive, progressive behaviors in the face of adversity.

“Resilience is the composite of phenomena, which empowers a person to return to functional status following a damaging…. violent event or events” (Madsen, M. & Able, N., 2010 p 224). Personal characteristics contribute to one’s ability to be resilient, yet do not account for all influences that promote resilience. Rather, “individual resilience occurs when there is an opportunity structure (an environment that facilitates access to resources).” (Ungar, 2013).

As such, resilience is influenced by personal attributes coupled with an environment that possesses “protective factors.” Protective factors can include but are not limited to the ability to problem solve, the use of optimism, prior high self-esteem and self-efficacy, the reliance upon spirituality, the ability to access social support, and the ability to find meaning in the event. When one is able to utilize protective factors from personal attributes in concert with accessing resources from one’s environment, there is an opportunity to respond to stressful, even traumatic times with resilience.

During the time portrayed in the film, Jackie appeared to have been provided with an abundant amount of support from family and government staff who expressed genuine concern for her safety and well-being. Bobby Kennedy, her brother-in-law, confidant, and friend supplied her with comfort and advice. Such a combination of personal characteristics and environmental supports may have successfully shielded her from developing traumatic symptoms and advanced her to actualize a vision of placing her husband to rest in the immediate days that followed.

Employing protective factors independently is, of course, often easier said than done in the face of traumatic events. Further, the benefits of such supports can be short lasting. One may be immediately able to function with support and demonstrate resilience; as time progresses, trauma symptoms may arise as a result of many variables, including less support with time. Thus, relying upon a supportive environment with friends, family, and loved ones who remain actively present can be a critical aspect of taking care when exposed to duress.