Peer-reviewed article
Resilience in Adolescent Girls in Child Welfare: Reliability and Validity of the RS-14
Wendy Auslander, Shih-Ying Cheng, Tonya E. Edmond ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5This study looked at how well a 14-item resilience questionnaire (the RS-14) works with adolescent girls involved in the child welfare system. It included 249 girls aged 12 to 19, who were interviewed about resilience, post-traumatic stress, depression and social problem-solving. The girls reported moderate resilience on average. The scale showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and it showed convergent and discriminant validity. A single-factor structure fit poorly, while a two-factor structure was supported, and the authors conclude the tool is appropriate for child welfare populations.
Key points
- 249 adolescent girls aged 12–19 involved in the child welfare system took part.
- Resilience levels were in the moderate range.
- The RS-14 showed good internal consistency and test–retest reliability.
- Convergent and discriminant validity were established.
- A single-factor model fit weakly, and exploratory analysis supported a two-factor solution.
Limitations
The abstract does not name the country or setting, so it is unclear where the findings apply. It covers only girls, so it cannot tell us whether the scale works the same way for boys or for youth outside child welfare.
Abstract
Abstract Adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse and neglect, have been shown to have longstanding negative consequences on a child’s development and outcomes. Studies have noted that there is variation in how youth in child welfare respond to adversity, yet few studies have examined the psychometrics of measures of resilience in this population. In particular, the 14-item Resilience Scale (RS-14) is a widely used instrument yet has not been evaluated for use with adolescents in child welfare populations. The purpose of the study was to describe the levels of resilience reported by adolescent girls involved in the child welfare system and to evaluate the reliability, validity, and factor structure of this scale in this population. Participants were 249 adolescent girls, ages 12–19, who were involved in the child welfare system. Interviews assessed resilience, symptoms of post-traumatic stress, depression, social problem-solving, and demographic variables. Results indicated that levels of resilience among the participants were in the moderate range. The RS-14 demonstrated evidence of good internal consistency and test–retest reliability. Convergent and discriminant validity were established. Confirmatory factor analysis testing a single-factor solution resulted in a weak model fit. A follow-up exploratory factor analysis supported a two-factor solution. Findings suggest this instrument is an appropriate tool for use in child welfare populations.