Psychometric Evaluation of the Brief Resilience Scale and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Among Older Sexual Minority Women in the US

Objective: This study sought to examine the factor structure, internal consistency, and measurement invariance of the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) among older sexual minority women with disabilities. Method: Participants (n = 208) consisted of sexual minority women aged 55 and older with disabilities recruited online. Results: CFA results showed a one-factor structure fit BRS data, RMSEA = .050 (90% CI [.00, .107]), SRMR = .015, CFI = .990, TLI = .975, with good internal consistency (alpha = 0.863, omega = .864). For the MSPSS, CFA showed a three-factor structure fit the data, RMSEA = .080 (90% CI [.064, .096]), SRMR = .037, CFI = .959, TLI = .947, with excellent internal consistency (alpha = 0.937, omega = .937). Full scalar invariance was achieved for both BRS and MSPSS when comparing single and partnered individuals. Additionally, full scalar invariance was also achieved for MSPSS when comparing individuals with a single and multiple health conditions. For BRS, partial scalar invariance was established across health conditions. Conclusions: The original factor structures of the BRS and MSPSS fit with good internal consistency, providing preliminary evidence of construct validity and reliability of scores on both scales in this population.