Assessing Resiliency in Children and Young Adults: Constructs, Research, and Clinical Application

Resiliency, broadly defined as the ability or capacity to bounce back from adverse experiences or circumstances, is associated with positive life outcomes and has been a longstanding construct of interest among both clinician–practitioners and researchers. Although resiliency has historically been assessed as a trait linked to extraordinary attributes of few individuals, it has more recently been identified as a characteristic of normal development. This chapter outlines resiliency research and applications with a focus on Prince-Embury’s three-factor model of personal resiliency, comprising two protective factors (Mastery and Sense of Relatedness) and a vulnerability factor (Emotional Reactivity). This chapter begins with an introduction to the resiliency construct and its conceptualization over the years, followed by a description of the development and psychometric properties, including reliability and validity, of the Resiliency Scales for Children and Adolescents and the Resiliency Scale for Young Adults. To conclude, we outline cross-cultural studies of resiliency, including its assessment across nations.