Psychometric properties of the Brief Sailor Resiliency Scale in the South African Army

Abstract

Serving in the military is considered one of the most stressful occupations; therefore, because of the potential mitigation effect resilience has against stressors, it has often been incorporated as a component in predeployment programmes for soldiers. Consequently, assessing, facilitating and sustaining resilience is of particular importance in military environments. The Brief Sailor Resiliency Scale (BSRS) has been utilised within the South African Navy (SAN) environment, where it yielded promising results as a measure of resilience. The aim of this article is to investigate the psychometric properties of the BSRS and the applicability thereof to the South African Army (SA Army). The study utilised a sample of SA Army soldiers (N = 418) that completed the BSRS along with the Brunel Mood Scale (BRUMS), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and the Dispositional Resilience Scale – II (DRS-II). The psychometric properties of the BSRS were examined through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM), together with construct validity and internal reliability. The model yielded acceptable fit, and the construct validity was supported with high internal reliability of the scales. Findings provided confirmatory evidence for the application of the BSRS as a resilience screening tool in the SA Army. The utilisation of the BSRS as a valid screening instrument, together with the aligned interventions, can potentially contribute substantially to the combat readiness of the SA Army.