Validity Study of the R-PLA, a Resilience Scale for People Living with HIV

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Women living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) face unique challenges impacting their resilience.
• Assessing resilience is crucial for developing targeted support interventions.
• Existing resilience measures may require validation within specific populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To psychometrically assess a resilience scale using data from women living with HIV.
• To evaluate the validity and reliability of the resilience scale through Rasch modeling.
• To determine the suitability of the scale for measuring resilience in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Utilized baseline data from a longitudinal HIV disclosure study.
• Sample comprised 124 women aged 18-63.
• Applied the Rasch model to examine psychometric properties, including item and person fit, reliability, and measurement invariance.

Main Results:

• The resilience instrument met Rasch model application assumptions.
• Demonstrated good item and person fit and reliability.
• Most items exhibited measurement invariance across age and racial groups.

Conclusions:

• The resilience scale is psychometrically sound for use with women living with HIV.
• The findings support the use of this instrument for research and clinical applications.
• This validated scale can aid in understanding and enhancing resilience among women navigating HIV.