Abstract:
Emerging adults facing chronic socioeconomic stress, especially depression, lack comprehensive research on resilience factors.
This study analyzed digital diary entries (n = 338) from 57 individuals aged 18–24 in a South African township from July 2021 to
April 2022. Participants highlighted relational, community, and cultural supports regardless of risk levels. Both high and low-risk
groups faced challenges like financial instability, limited education, health threats, and lawlessness. However, institutional
resource scarcity disproportionately affected higher-risk individuals, worsening issues like infrastructure deficits and violence
exposure. Family and peer support emerged as crucial, especially for higher-risk participants. Individuals living in higher risk
emphasized collective action and stranger support during infrastructure failures. These findings suggest that greater risk
exposure may reinforce reliance on traditional, community-focused coping mechanisms, indicating the importance of studying
differential resilience factors among young adults.
