The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale as a Positive Psychology Measure for People With Spinal Cord Injuries

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the measurement structure of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) as a positive psychology measure for people with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) using confirmatory factor analysis. The participants consisted of 274 Canadians with SCI living in the community. The result indicated that the 5-factor intercorrelated model fits the data reasonably well (χ² = 635.20; p value < .001; χ²/df = 2.40; CFI = .90; RMSEA = 0.07). These 5 factors (personal competence, high standards, and tenacity; trust in one’s instincts, tolerance of negative affect, and strengthening effects of stress; positive acceptance of change and secure relationships; control; and spiritual influence) correlated positively with disability acceptance and happiness, and inversely related to depression. The reliability of the 5 subscales was good ranging from .65 to .92. In conclusion, the results of this study confirmed that the 5-factor structure of the CD-RISC observed in the general population can be replicated in a sample of Canadians with SCI. This resilience scale can be used as a positive psychology measure in rehabilitation counseling research and practice.