Assessment of psychological resilience in a large cohort of the general population: Validation and norm values of the RS-5

PLoS One. 2024 Oct 11;19(10):e0309197. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309197. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Background: Psychological resilience is known as a protective factor against mental health disorders for which valid measures are indispensable. The present work aims to evaluate the Resilience Scale-5 (RS-5) psychometrically, and provide norm values.

Methods: Data from the Gutenberg Health Study (GHS), encompassing 7,496 participants aged 25 to 86, spanning the years 2017 to 2022, was used. Selectivity, item difficulty, internal consistency, construct and factor validity, as well as factorial invariance were tested. Additionally, correlations and associations with depression, anxiety, and sociodemographic factors were determined. Furthermore, norm values were provided.

Results: The RS-5 displayed robust psychometric properties. Participants reported an average resilience score of 28.94 (SD = 5.53, median = 30, IQR = 6, range = 5-35), with those aged ≥75 exhibiting the highest resilience levels (M = 30.21, SD = 5.75, median = 32, IQR = 7). The RS-5 displayed a very good model fit, affirming measurement invariance across sex and age decades. Construct validity found support through anticipated intercorrelations with related psychological constructs. Significant correlations (p < .001) linked higher resilience with female gender, advanced age, higher education, elevated household income, and diminished psychological distress.

Conclusion: The RS-5 emerged as a reliable and economic instrument for assessing psychological resilience in individuals aged 25 to 86. The study unraveled distinct sociodemographic characteristics significantly tied to resilience levels within this cohort. In contributing recent norm values tailored to the German population, this research enhances the practical applicability of the RS-5 across diverse contexts and enriches our comprehension of the demographic nuances associated with psychological resilience.

Publication types

  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anxiety / epidemiology
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Depression / epidemiology
  • Depression / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Psychometrics* / methods
  • Reference Values
  • Resilience, Psychological*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the government of Rhineland-Palatinate (‘Stiftung Rheinland Pfalz für Innovation’, contract No. AZ 961-386261/733), the research program ‘Wissen schafft Zukunft’ and ‘Schwerpunkt Vaskuläre Prävention’ of the Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, and its contract with Boehringer Ingelheim and Philips Medical Systems including an unrestricted grant for the Gutenberg Health Study as well as through the grants from the Initiative Health Economy Rhineland-Palatinate by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economics, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany (AZ.623-1) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany (BMBF 01EO1003 and BMBF 01EO1503). Philipp S. Wild is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF 01EO1503). P.S.W. and T.M. are PIs and O.H. is a Young Scientist of the DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany. There are no patents, products in development, or marketed products to declare. This does not alter the authors’ adherence to all of the journal policies on sharing data and materials. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.