Resilient Coping and the Psychometric Properties of the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) Among Healthy Young Men at Military Call-up

Abstract

A self-report four-item Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) measures tendencies to cope with stress in a highly adaptive manner. We investigated the level of resilient coping and the psychometric properties of the BRCS among young men participating military call-up. The study sample consisted of a one-year military call-up sample (N = 2184) in the Northern Finland. Most of the participants were at the age of 17–18 years. They completed a study questionnaire including the BRCS and other psychosocial scales during the military call-up. The construct validity of the BRCS was assessed with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Convergent and discriminant validity were assessed by relating resilient coping with self-reports of dispositional optimism (LOT-R), sense of coherence (SOC-13), perceived stress (PSS-10), general anxiety (GAD-7), and depression (R-BDI). The mean BRCS total score of the participants indicated good resilient coping and was related to specific sociodemographic factors, such as education, relationship status and family structure. The internal consistency of the BRCS was good. EFA and CFA showed that one-factor solution fitted to the data best. BRCS correlated positively with dispositional optimism and sense of coherence, and negatively with perceived stress, general anxiety, and depression. BRCS appears to be psychometrically adequate tool in assessing healthy young men’s resilient coping before commencing their compulsory conscript service. The evaluation of resilient coping prior to military service is important to military forces.