Pathways to Resilience IV: Global South Perspectives

Methodological Lessons in Resilience

Abstract #13
Title: The Student Resilience Survey: Psychometric validation and associations with mental health
Presenter: Jessica Deighton (the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, UK)
Co-Authors: Tanya Lereya, Neil Humphrey 
Introduction: Policies, designed to promote resilience, and research, to understand the determinants of resilience, require valid measures. The Student Resilience Survey (SRS) covers a range of external supports and internal characteristics. The aim was to examine the validity of the SRS and investigate the relationship between SRS, mental and physical health.
Methods: 7,663 children (11-15 years) from 12 local areas across England completed the SRS and questionnaires regarding mental and physical health. Psychometric properties of the 10 subscales (family, school and community connection, participation in home and school life, participation in community life, peer support, self-esteem, empathy, problem solving, goals and aspirations) were investigated by confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach’s α, McDonald’s ω and differential item functioning (DIF) based on gender, school level, special education needs (SEN), having English as additional language, (EAL), and eligibility to free school meals (FSM). The association between the SRS, mental and physical health outcomes were examined.
Findings: The results showed good construct validity and acceptable reliability. DIF analysis indicated differences according to gender, school level, SEN and EAL. Results showed negative associations between SRS subscales, mental and physical health. The findings suggest that the SRS can serve as a valuable tool in resilience and mental health research.
 
Abstract #296
Title: Validation of “ALEX”, a low cost resilience assessor and coach for children and adolescents
Presenter: Julienne McGeough (Liverpool Hope University, UK)
Co-Authors: Forbes Hamilton, Joshua Brisson, Tom Gallagher-Mitchell
Introduction: Schools have a duty to assess pupils’ wellbeing (SHANAARI and WSCC); to make an impact any assessment should be meaningful, allowing pupils the opportunity to improve their well-being. Integrating the CYRM-28 and an intervention provided by Ungar, APPA Scotland has developed an app enabling pupils to assess and improve their resilience.
Methods: CYRM-28 has been previously validated (Liebenberg, Ungar & Van de Vijver, 2012) and therefore the initial focus of the research is to validate the use of the app to assess resilience. The research presented will report the first two stages of a longer project. The initial study will begin in the UK, shortly followed by research in the US and will compare the CYRM-28 on a mobile phone app versus paper. The data from the app will be analysed for reliability and content and criterion validity (Exploratory and Confirmatory). A longitudinal intervention based research project using between subject groups design. Time A will be the assessment at initial stage and followed 4 months later with time B. A cohort that has worked through the intervention will be compared to those who received no intervention.
Findings: To be updated as the research will be completed by February 2017