There is a broad range of personal and situational factors that are important in determining vulnerability and resilience to stressors. A full discussion of these is beyond the scope of this paper (see paper by Brondolo, this issue). However, understanding the complex ways in which psychosocial stressors get into the body to affect health will require future research to attend to and understand the large individual variation that exists in response to stressor exposure. There is broad recognition in the stress literature that the effects of the experience of a particular stressor combines with factors such as the presence of prior childhood and adult traumatic experiences, levels of social support, feelings of helplessness and perceived control, a family history of psychiatric disorders, psychological and behavioral coping responses, genetic vulnerability, and a range of other personal factors (Yehuda et al. 2005; Stam 2007; Baum et al. 1993; Carter 2007). These factors can directly mediate the negative effects of stressor exposure or interact with stress to buffer or exacerbate its effects on health. Research in the area of perceived discrimination and health needs to assess the role of these vulnerability and resilience factors.
