The Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Brief Resilient Coping Scale

TLDR

The study introduces the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) as a tool to assess adaptive coping with stress. The BRCS is a four‑item measure designed to capture resilient coping tendencies. In two rheumatoid arthritis samples, the BRCS showed strong internal consistency, test‑retest reliability, convergent validity with coping resources and well‑being, buffered depressive symptoms against stressors, and sensitivity to change following cognitive‑behavioral intervention, indicating its usefulness for identifying individuals who may benefit from resilience‑enhancing programs.

Abstract

This article introduces the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS), a 4-item measure designed to capture tendencies to cope with stress in a highly adaptive manner. Two samples of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (ns = 90 and 140) provide evidence for the reliability and validity of the BRCS. The BRCS has adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Convergent validity of the scale is demonstrated by predictable correlations with measures of personal coping resources (e.g., optimism, helplessness, self-efficacy), pain coping behaviors, and psychological well-being. Resilient coping, as assessed by the BRCS, also buff-ers the effects of high levels of arthritis-related and non-arthritis-related stressors on depressive symptoms. The sensitivity of the BRCS to changes associated with a cognitive-behavioral intervention is also demonstrated. The BCRS may be useful for identifying individuals in need of interventions designed to enhance resilient coping skills.