Validation of the Wagnild and Young’s Resilience Scale in adolescents in residential care

Abstract

Background: Residential care can protect adolescents by developing and maintaining their resilience. Objective: To validate the Resilience Scale (RS), devel-oped by Wagnild and Young (1993) and adapted to the Portuguese population by Felgueiras, Festas, and Vieira (2010), in a sample of adolescents in residential care. Methodology: Methodological study on the validation of the RS, following a previous Portuguese adaptation, in a sample of 384 adolescents in residential care. Results: The 25-item RS had a high internal consisten-cy (α = 0.925). The exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor solution (personal competence and accep-tance of self and life), which is in line with the original proposal. Some differences were found in item allocation. In adolescents, personal competence was positively and significantly correlated with age. Boys were significantly more resilient (total and dimensions) than girls. This difference was taken as discriminant validity. Conclusion: This Portuguese version of the scale has many similarities with the original version but is differ-ent from the previously published Portuguese versions. It allows for the development of research on resilience in adolescents in residential care.