Pathways to Resilience III: Beyond Nature vs. Nurture

Abstract #319
Validation of the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA) With a French-Ppeaking Canadian Sample
Presenter: Nathalie Parent Co - Presenters: Odin Hjemdal, Martine Hebert  
Abstract:
Resilience can take a variety of meanings but it’s mostly associated with the ability to maintain normal functioning despite adversity (Rutter, 2000). In the past decade, great efforts were made to define the construct but few measurement scales of resilience were developed (Naglieri & LeBuffe, 2005). In a methodological review of available instruments, Windle, Bennett and Noyes (2011) concluded that the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA; Hjemdal, Friborg, Martinussen, & Rosenvinge, 2001) is one of the most relevant. The main objective of this study is to validate the use of the RSA with a French-speaking Canadian population. Moderator effects of resilience on symptomatology are also investigated. 750 French-speaking students at University Laval (Quebec, Canada) completed the RSA and measures of related variables such as early trauma experiences, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psychological well-being. Participants also completed the Conner-Davidson Resilience scale (Conner & Davidson, 2003). Confirmatory factorial analyses and reliability analyses were conducted. Alpha coefficients of the subscales range from 0.70 to 0.90. Significant correlations are observed with measures of construct-related variables. Hierarchical regression analyses show that some dimensions of the RSA have a main effect on PTSD symptoms, while others have a buffering effect depending on early trauma experiences. This study supports the cross-cultural validity of the RSA. The relevance of dimensions-level analyses of resilience effects on symptomatology is also highlighted.