Translation and population-based validation of the Arabic version of the brief resilience scale

Resilience, defined as the ability to bounce back from stressors, is a psychological factor that may buffer the harmful effects of health-related stress. The Arabic version of the BRS demonstrates strong reliability and validity for assessing resilience among the Arabic-speaking Saudi population. The scale will provide the rehabilitation field in the Arabic-speaking population and other health communities with a tool for research and clinical practice. The scale will also guide the development of strategic plans and psychological protective and rehabilitative intervention protocols for those in health-related stressful circumstances. This study aimed to translate the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) into the Arabic language and to assess the reliability and validity of the translated version of the scale among a sample of the Saudi population. The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the translated BRS were analyzed. Factor analyses were conducted to examine the factor structure of the scale. Convergent validity was measured by correlating BRS scores with those from the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and WHO-5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5). A total of 1072 participants were included in the analysis. The score of the Arabic version showed excellent internal consistency (alpha = 0.98) and good test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.82-0.92, p ≤ 0.0001). The results of factor analyses showed that the two-factor model is a good model fit with [CMIN/DF = 9.105; GFI = 0.97; CFI = 0.99; RMSEA = 0.09]. The BRS scores were negatively correlated with levels of anxiety (r = −0.61), depression (r = −0.6), and stress (r = −0.53) and positively correlated with levels of satisfaction with life (r = 0.44) and mental well-being (r = 0.58). Our findings firmly support the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the BRS to be used in research and clinical settings with the Saudi population.