Psychometric evaluation of the Dutch Resilience Scale RS-nl on 3265 healthy participants: a confirmation of the association between age and resilience found with the Swedish version

The aim of this study was to complete a thorough psychometric evaluation of the 'RS-nl', a Dutch adaptation of the Wagnild and Young Resilience Scale. All of the 25 items of the original RS were retained, but a 4-point rather than a 7-point response was used and one item was reworded by removal of the negation. Psychometric analyses on 3265 healthy participants revealed a significant positive association between age and the total resilience score, confirming the findings with the Swedish version by Lundman et al. To a lesser extent, associations between education and the subscale 'Personal Competence' and between gender and the subscale 'Acceptance of Self and Life' was found. There was, however, no strong evidence for a five factor structure reflecting the five characteristics described by Wagnild and Young, mainly because of high secondary loadings. Therefore, in accordance with the 25-item RS, a two factor model (creating the subscales 'Personal Competence' and 'Acceptance of Self and Life') was maintained. The RS-nl seems to be a valid and useful screening instrument to detect persons at risk, who could benefit from closer and prolonged psychological help.