Description

The Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) is a 4-item questionnaire designed to capture tendencies to cope with stress in a highly adaptive manner. The scale focuses on the tendency to effectively use coping strategies in flexible, committed ways to actively solve problems despite stressful circumstances. Each item has 5 response options, ranging from “does not describe me at all” to “describes me very well.” The higher the total sum score, the higher the respondent’s level of resilient coping.

AI/AN Communities where the measure has been used

Southwest tribal communities; upper Midwest.

Demographics of AI/AN participants where the scale has been used

Women ages 14+ with young children

Notes on adaptations or modifications

  1. Minor language changes to some items added for clarity

Modality and administration

  • Self-report; Participants can use a tablet, or pen and paper to respond to items in the scale

Scoring

This measure has a 5-point response scale, ranging from 1 (“does not describe me at all”) to 5 (“describes me very well”). Total sum scores range from 4 to 20. Scores of 4-13 indicate low resilient coping, 14-16 indicate medium resilient coping and 17-20 indicate high resilient coping.

Psychometric evidence

(Sinclair & Wallston, 2004)

Cronbach’s alpha reliability for 4-item BRCS was computed for each time it was administered to Sample 1

First baseline: .64

Second baseline: .76

End of Program: .69

3-month follow up: .71

Once to Sample 2: .68

Alpha for combined (pooled sample): .69

Citation(s)

  • Sinclair, V. G., & Wallston, K. A. (2004). The Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Brief Resilient Coping Scale. Assessment, 11(1), 94–101. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191103258144
  • Kocalevent, R.-D., Zenger, M., Hinz, A., Klapp, B., & Brähler, E. (2017). Resilient Coping in the General Population: Standardization of the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS). Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12955-017-0822-6