Psychometric evaluation of the traditional Chinese version of Resilience Scale-14 in assessing the resilience level of Hong Kong adolescents

Abstract

Background: Mental health problems in adolescents reflect a global problem that is becoming more prevalent in Hong Kong. The rising incidence of emotional disturbance, adjustment and eating problems, depression and suicidal tendencies have become major public health concerns. It is of paramount importance for health care professionals to develop and evaluate appropriate interventions that can enhance the resilience of adolescents and foster the development of their coping mechanisms and positive mental well-being. Before any interventions can be planned or evaluated, a reliable and valid instrument that accurately measures resilience in adolescents must be developed. Unfortunately, assessment tools with effective psychometric properties for adolescents in the Hong Kong Chinese context are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Resilience Scale-14. Methods: The instrument was first translated from English into traditional Chinese. A crosssectional study with a within-subjects design was then conducted. Four hundred Form 1 students (Grade 7, 12 to 13 years of age) from six secondary schools across three major districts in Hong Kong were randomly selected and invited to participate in the proposed study. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test the construct’s validity. Participants were asked to respond to the Chinese version of the Resilience Scale-14, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children, and Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale. The internal consistency, content validity and construct validity and test-retest reliability of the Chinese version of the Resilience Scale-14 were assessed. Results: The newly-translated scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency, good content validity and appropriate convergent and discriminant validity. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses added further evidence of the construct validity of the scale. Discussion and Conclusions: Results suggest that the newly-translated scale can be used as a self-report assessment tool in assessing the resilience level of Hong Kong Chinese adolescents.