Measuring resilience with the brief Resilience Scale: Factor Structure, Reliability and Validity of the Dutch Version of the BRS (BRSnl)

Introduction. Because of the evolving use of the positive psychology construct resilience in different professional fields, a questionnaire had to be validated that measures resilience. The aim of the current study was to develop a questionnaire that measures the capacity of humans to bounce back from adversity in a reliable and valid way. Method. Data of 104 participants and seven questionnaires were used. The participants completed a digital questionnaire. The data were analyzed with factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analysis. Results. Factor analysis showed the most evidence for a one-factor solution for the BRSnl. Cronbach’s alpha was .73. Vigor, recreation, impact of work on physical complaints and mental distress were moderately correlated with resilience. Work engagement, need for recovery, health and physical complaints were found to be weakly correlated with resilience. Most hypotheses could be confirmed. Multiple regression analysis showed that the used model explained about 26% of the variance in resilience. Discussion and conclusion. Results suggest that the BRSnl is a valid and reliable measurement instrument. A rephrasing of the first item is recommended. Additional research is essential to discover all facets which have influence on resilience.