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Resilience and Vulnerability to Trauma 357neurochemical events downregulate 5HT(1A) receptors, creating a lower thresholdfor tolerating stress and anxiety (Charney, 2004) and therefore an increasedprobability of developing stress-related psychopathology. Spiritual or religiousexperiences may enhance the functioning of the serotonin system, fosteringresilience and helping to protect against the development of stress-relatedpsychopathology.Altruism is another important component of a moral compass that acts as a stressbuffer. The capacity for finding meaning in contributing to community or society,the drive toward providing for others, pursuing meaningful work-related goals,or embracing a survivor mission are elements of a moral framework that oftencharacterizes resilient individuals (Southwick et al., 2005). Some individuals areable to find meaning in tragedy by embracing a survivor mission as an outgrowthof personal trauma. Among numerous examples of this phenomenon are rapesurvivors who go public with their experience in the service of raising socialawareness through events such as Take Back the Night, and mothers who foundedMothers Against Drunk Driving after their children were injured or killed in drunkdriving accidents. Research on altruistic behavior of citizens during WWII elucidatesthe concept of “required helpfulness” (Rachman, 1979). Individuals whocared for others after bombing attacks suffered fewer trauma-related mood andanxiety symptoms than would be expected; individuals who were symptomaticpreattack and performed personally satisfying acts experienced a meaningful decreasein psychological distress (Rachman, 1979). Thus, it is likely that individualswho decide and act based on a strong moral compass guided by religion,spirituality, and/or altruism are more likely to exhibit resilience in the face of stressand trauma.Active CopingA large body of literature exists on the myriad ways people cope with adversityand on how coping style impacts mental and physical well-being. Active coping,for the purposes of this discussion, means employing healthy strategies for themanagement of stress and the regulation of negative emotions that may arise inthe aftermath of adverse events. Some examples of active coping are seeking socialsupport, employing skills for effective self-soothing, adopting a fighting spirit,reframing stressors in a more positive light, facing fears, and exercising.Active Coping StyleActive coping has been repeatedly associated with hardiness and psychologicalresilience in various populations (Moos & Schaefer, 1993) including: undergraduatestudents (Maddi, 1999a, 1999b; Valentiner et al., 1994), at-risk children(Werner & Smith, 1992), traumatized and depressed adults (Fondacaro &Moos, 1989), and patients with medical illnesses (Holahan et al., 1995). In contrast,passive coping, such as maladaptive management of negative affect or