88 chapter 3 The study designs used in our research have some limitations that can be addressed in future research. Study 1 was cross-sectional, thus hindering causal inferences about the relationships between transilience and relevant outcomes, and the possibility to test our hypotheses over time. Study 2, while longitudinal, only had two time points, and some outcome measures (e.g., personal positive change, cognitive coping) were measured only at time 2. This prevented the possibility to probe the robustness of the relationships across time for all relevant outcome variables, and to make solid claims about causal relationships. As such, future research could include multiple time points and consistently measure all relevant variables, or use experimental designs. Besides, some measures (i.e., general well-being, cognitive coping, climate change adaptive capacity, climate change adaptation intentions) were assessed with only one item, which may result in measurement error and limit the precision of estimates. To increase the reliability of the measures and the validity of the conclusions, future research could ensure the use of multi-item measures. Practical Implications The findings of our research also have important implications for practice. Given our findings that transilience may make people more likely to engage in adaptive responses and to display higher levels of general well-being in the face of COVID-19, strengthening transilience may be an effective strategy to encourage people to adapt to pandemics, which are likely to occur again in the future (Kretzschmar et al., 2022), and to other adversities. As such, it is important to find ways to boost individuals’ capacity to persist, adapt flexibly and positively transform in the face of adversities. A plausible way to enhance transilience may be emphasising how people have persisted, adapted flexibly, and changed for the better thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., development of new hobbies and interests; find innovative ways of working that are more in alignment with personal needs; more awareness about personal physical and mental health; Ogueji, 2022). This approach is consistent with the idea that both information about one’s previous accomplishments (i.e., mastery experience; Bandura; 1989; 1997) and the observation of others’ performance (i.e., vicarious learning; Bandura, 1997) may increase people’s perceived capacity to achieve specific tasks (i.e., their self-efficacy; Bandura, 1997). Thus, it is plausible that reflecting on one’s own and others’ transilience in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic may foster individuals’ perception of their capacity to persist, adapt flexibly and positively transform in the face of current and future pandemics, and other adversities as well. Additionally, based on our exploratory findings that transilience in one domain may enhance adaptive capacity in another domain, it may be that interventions that aim to promote transilience in general (i.e., in the face of adversities or challenges in general) can enhance adaptation and well-being across different domains, thus be
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