Ross Resilience Scale: A measure of a protective factor against stress and potential violence

Resilience is a general concept that is often utilized to explain the ability to maintain one's functioning following an adverse experience. Although research exists that purports to explain the underlying components of resilience, definitions of resilience are frequently ambiguous and diverse. The components of resiliency are often claimed to include personality factors, coping skills, or external behaviors. Moreover, scales that claim to measure resilience are equally deficient due to vague or absent theoretical explanations of resiliency and poor generalizability. After extensively reviewing and evaluating the literature on resilience, the current research theorized that resilience is an internal quality that is comprised of a high level of self-esteem, a stable self-concept, and self-efficacy. In addition, it was determined that resiliency could not fully be measured until an individual experienced an adverse event. The Ross Resilience Scale (RRS) was devised based on this new theory and measures one's potential to exhibit resiliency should this individual encounter a stressful experience. The present study sought to evaluate the reliability and validity of the RRS. The results of the study illustrated the RRS was a reliable instrument that was internally stable as measured by Cronbach's alpha. In addition, convergent validity was shown with significant correlations between the RRS and other assessments that measure self-esteem, self-concept, self-efficacy, and perceived stress. Lastly, significant correlations were found between the RRS and grade point average and self-reported tendencies to procrastinate. The current study demonstrated that the RRS was a reliable and valid instrument that assessed one's potential to be resilient. Implications of the scale include utilization in military and academic settings as well as in reducing instances of individuals engaging in violent behaviors.