The Brief Resilience Scale: Assessing the ability to bounce back

Authors

Bruce W. Smith, University of New Mexico
Erin M. Tooley, Roger Williams UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2008

Comments

Published in: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 15, no. 3, 2008.

Abstract

Background: While resilience has been defined as resistance to illness, adaptation, and thriving, the ability to bounce back or recover from stress is closest to its original meaning. Previous resilience measures assess resources that may promote resilience rather than recovery, resistance, adaptation, or thriving.

Purpose: To test a new brief resilience scale.

Method: The brief resilience scale (BRS) was created to assess the ability to bounce back or recover from stress. Its psychometric characteristics were examined in four samples, including two student samples and samples with cardiac and chronic pain patients.

Conclusion: The BRS is a reliable means of assessing resilience as the ability to bounce back or recover from stress and may provide unique and important information about people coping with health-related stressors.

Recommended Citation

Smith, B.W., Jeanne Dalen, Kathryn Wiggins, Erin Tooley, Paulette Christopher and Jennifer Bernard. 2008. "The Brief Resilience Scale: Assessing the ability to bounce back." International Journal of Behavioral Medicine 15 (3): 194-200.