Measuring Psychological Resilience in Aging: Findings from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health)

Citation

Taylor, Miles G; Bruefach, Tyler; & Carr, Dawn Celeste (2024). Measuring Psychological Resilience in Aging: Findings from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). Innovation in Aging.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the measurement properties of two emerging psychological resilience (PR) measures constructed for use in large national data sources and to test their reliability across social axes including race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status. Using 2006/2008 data, the Simplified Resilience Score (SRS) and the Add Health Resilience Scale (AHRS) were tested using overall and multi-group measurement models in a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. Both PR measures perform well as reliable, one factor latent constructs capturing adaptive capacity at various life stages. Both measures showed measurement consistency across social axes, with specific differences in item measurement across some racial/ethnic groups. The results indicate these measures represent high quality, consistent measures of PR in nationally representative aging and health data. The availability of reliable, valid measures of PR enables consistent evaluation of resilience in health and aging processes.

URL

https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igae013

Keyword(s)

Coping

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

Innovation in Aging

Author(s)

Taylor, Miles G
Bruefach, Tyler
Carr, Dawn Celeste

Year Published

2024

Edition

February 13, 2024

ISSN/ISBN

2399-5300

DOI

10.1093/geroni/igae013

Reference ID

10307