Systematic comparison of resilience scales using retrospective reports: A practical case study using South African data

Abstract

The availability of different scales measuring similar constructs challenges scientists and practitioners when it comes to choosing the most appropriate instrument to use. As a result, systematic comparison frameworks have been developed to guide such decisions. The Consensus-based Standard for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) is one example of such a framework to examine the quality of psychometric studies. This article aimed, firstly, to explore the psychometric characteristics of resilience measures used in the South African Navy (SAN), in that context. Secondly, it aimed to illustrate the application of the COSMIN guide for comparing psychometric scales and employing data from the aforementioned resilience measures, as a practical case study. The study drew on both published and unpublished data from seven SAN samples, using eight psychometric scales associated with resilience. It assessed structural validity, construct validity, internal reliability and predictive ability. The outcomes were tabulated, and the COSMIN criteria were applied to each data point. All eight scales provided some degree of evidence of validity. However, it was at times difficult to differentiate between the scales when using the COSMIN guidelines. In such cases, more nuanced criteria were necessary to demonstrate more clearly the differences between the psychometric characteristics of the scales and ease in subsequent decision-making.Contribution: This article illustrated the application of COSMIN guidelines to systematically compare the quality of psychometric study outcomes on local South African data. It further offered evidence of validity for a range of resilience-related measures in a South African context.