66 chapter 3 ABSTRACT Transilience, the perceived capacity to persist, adapt flexibly, and positively transform in the face of an adversity, is a promising construct for understanding human adaptation to climate change risks. However, the question remains wither transilience is also relevant for adaptation to other adversities. In this paper we investigate the role of transilience in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which posed a more urgent and acute threat to individuals compared to climate change. We conducted two studies in Italy and The Netherlands to examine whether people perceived transilience in the face of COVID-19 across different time points and countries, in which the severity of the pandemic and the government measures varied. Furthermore, we studied the relationship between transilience and adaptive responses, including individual and collective adaptation behaviours, cognitive coping, well-being, and positive personal change. The results suggest that people perceived transilience in the face of COVID19, and that higher transilience promoted adaptive responses and mental health in the face of COVID-19 in the Netherlands, but not in Italy, where freedom to act was severely restricted. Moreover, longitudinal analyses indicate that transilience may be causally related to adaptive behaviours and well-being. These findings suggest that transilience may be a robust predictor of adaptive responses and well-being in the context of different adversities, although transilience may be less predictive in restrictive contexts. We discuss future research directions and theoretical implications. Chapter 3 is based on: Lozano Nasi, V., Jans, L., Steg, L. Individual Transilience in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic. [Manuscript currently under review]
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