Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica reviews the literature on psychological and biological findings on resilience, finding that secure attachment, the experience of positive emotions and having a purpose in life are three building blocks.
Rutten, P., Hammels, C., Geschwind, N., et al; Resilience in mental health: linking psychological and neurobiological perspectives. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, online March 14, 2013