The difference between the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and the Brief Resilience Scale when assessing resilience:...

Area of Science:

• Psychological assessment
• Resilience research
• Mental health studies

Background:

• The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) are commonly used to measure resilience.
• While both assess recovery from stress, they capture different facets of resilience.
• CD-RISC emphasizes resources for adaptation, whereas BRS directly measures the ability to bounce back.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empirically examine the differences between the CD-RISC and BRS.
• To clarify the distinct contributions of each scale to understanding resilience.
• To guide researchers in selecting appropriate resilience measurement tools.

Main Methods:

• Utilized pooled and subsamples of undergraduate students (N=448, N=202, N=246) from Taiwan.
• Employed Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to assess the relationship between CD-RISC and BRS.
• Conducted regression analyses to evaluate the predictive power of both scales on depression and life satisfaction.

Main Results:

• CFA results consistently demonstrated that CD-RISC and BRS are highly correlated yet distinct constructs.
• Regression analyses revealed unique predictive effects for both CD-RISC and BRS concerning depression and life satisfaction.
• Findings indicate that these scales capture different dimensions of resilience.

Conclusions:

• The CD-RISC and BRS measure different aspects of resilience.
• Researchers should carefully consider the specific focus of each scale when designing studies.
• Choosing the appropriate resilience scale enhances the validity and specificity of research findings.