Development and Validation of the Five-by-Five Resilience Scale

Abstract

This article introduces a new measure of resilience and five related protective factors. The Five-by-Five Resilience Scale (5×5RS) is developed on the basis of theoretical and empirical considerations. Two samples (N = 475 and N = 613) are used to assess the factor structure, reliability, convergent validity, and criterion-related validity of the 5×5RS. Confirmatory factor analysis supports a bifactor model. The 5×5RS demonstrates adequate internal consistency as evidenced by Cronbach’s alpha and empirical reliability estimates. The 5×5RS correlates positively with the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), a commonly used measure of resilience. The 5×5RS exhibits similar criterion-related validity to the CD-RISC as evidenced by positive correlations with satisfaction with life, meaning in life, and secure attachment style as well as negative correlations with rumination and anxious or avoidant attachment styles. 5×5RS scores are positively correlated with healthy behaviors such as exercise and negatively correlated with sleep difficulty and symptomology of anxiety and depression. The 5×5RS incrementally explains variance in some criteria above and beyond the CD-RISC. Item responses are modeled using the graded response model. Information estimates demonstrate the ability of the 5×5RS to assess individuals within at least one standard deviation of the mean on relevant latent traits.