The fundamental question asked in this investigation is whether measures of resilience capacity, identified from recent theoretical advances and empirical study, will predict physical and emotional functioning beyond that provided from well-established risk factors for disease and psychological ill-health for community residents from a wide range of backgrounds. A community sample of men and women aged 40 to 65 (total N = 800) will be drawn from 40 census neighborhoods that vary in average income, age, and ethnic composition. Using multi-level methods, participants and their neighborhoods will be evaluated on global indices of risk and resilience. Deeper probing of the underlying bio-behavioral mechanisms of risk and resilience will be conducted through laboratory testing and electronic diary assessments with a sub-sample (N = 200) drawn from the larger pool of participants. Current functioning and precursors of future health status of the mid-aged adults will be taken as outcomes. For those mid-aged adults with children, the outcome measures will also be assessed in one their children approaching adult life (aged 16 to 24 years;N = 160) to probe the transmission of resilience across generations.