Abstract
BackgroundThe concept of resilience has captured the imagination of researchers and policy makers over the past two decades. However, despite the ever growing body of resilience research, there is a paucity of relevant, comprehensive measurement tools. In this article, the development of a theoretically based, comprehensive multi-dimensional measure of resilience in adolescents is described.MethodsExtensive literature review and focus groups with young people living with chronic illness informed the conceptual development of scales and items. Two sequential rounds of factor and scale analyses were undertaken to revise the conceptually developed scales using data collected from young people living with a chronic illness and a general population sample.ResultsThe revised Adolescent Resilience Questionnaire comprises 93 items and 12 scales measuring resilience factors in the domains of self, family, peer, school and community. All scales have acceptable alpha coefficients. Revised scales closely reflect conceptually developed scales.ConclusionsIt is proposed that, with further psychometric testing, this new measure of resilience will provide researchers and clinicians with a comprehensive and developmentally appropriate instrument to measure a young person's capacity to achieve positive outcomes despite life stressors.
Highlights
The concept of resilience has captured the imagination of researchers and policy makers over the past two decades
This paper reports on the development of a new measure of adolescent resilience that: 1) encompasses the full range of individual factors associated with resilient outcomes; 2) includes assessment of resilience factors in the wider social environment; 3) is developmentally appropriate for adolescents; and 4) builds on a clearly defined theoretical framework or model of resilience
The ARQ can assist in identifying adolescents who have personal characteristics associated with resilience and who are positively engaged with their family, peers, school and community environments
Summary
The concept of resilience has captured the imagination of researchers and policy makers over the past two decades. Despite the ever growing body of resilience research, there is a paucity of relevant, comprehensive measurement tools. Resilience has been variously defined as positive developmental outcomes in the face of adversity or stress [1,2]; being relatively resistant to psychosocial risk experiences [3], successful adaptation or the development of competence despite high-risk status or chronic stress [4] and the capacity of dynamic systems to withstand or recover from significant disturbances [5]. Current research predominantly views resilience as the process by which individuals draw on personal characteristics and resources in their environment to enable them to successfully negotiate adversity [1,7,8,9,10]. The process of resilience can be seen as arising from interactions which are central to normal developmental processes that commonly occur and may even be seen as ‘ordinary’ [1]
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