Resilience in Adolescents: A Validation Study of a Resilience Scale for Adolescents

The aim of the current research was to identify the experience and expression of resilience among adolescents. The phenomenon of resilience was explored and elicited from 36 adolescents (18 girls and 18 boys) through a semi structured interview that resulted in 94 items. After excluding the repetitions a list of 85 items was converted into a self report measure (Resilience Scale for Adolescents, RSA) and piloted on 48 adolescents for assessing its user friendliness. A sample of 690 with the age range of 12-18 (M 13.96, SD 1.25) adolescents selected through multistage sampling (54% boys, 46% girls) were given RSA, a demographic performed, and adapted version of Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) for concurrent validity. The Principal Component Factor Analysis through Varimax rotation yielded six factors solution, namely Self Regulation, Self Confidence, Robustness, Seeking Support, Sociability and Vulnerability. The RSA was found to have sound psychometric properties and results were also discussed in terms of culture and intervention implications for school counselling services.