BRS: Brief Resilience Scale
6-item measure of psychological resilience — the ability to bounce back from stress. Score 1–5 (mean of all items after reverse-scoring items 2, 4, 6). Smith et al. (2008).
BRS Score Interpreter
Scores of 3.00–4.30 reflect typical or moderate resilience. Most community samples fall within this range.
6 items, each rated 1–5 (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree); items 2, 4, and 6 are reverse-scored before averaging. Final score is the mean of all 6 items, ranging from 1.00 to 5.00. Higher scores indicate greater resilience.
| Mean score | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 4.31+ | High resilienceScores of 4.31–5.00 reflect strong ability to recover from stress and adversity. This range is consistent with what the BRS development literature describes as high resilience. |
| 3–3.3099999999999996 | Normal resilienceScores of 3.00–4.30 reflect typical or moderate resilience. Most community samples fall within this range. |
| 1–2 | Low resilienceScores of 1.00–2.99 reflect limited ability to bounce back from stress. This range warrants clinical attention, particularly in combination with elevated depression or anxiety symptoms. |
Smith BW et al. 2008. Resilience bands per a commonly used clinical convention. Educational reference only — not a diagnostic tool.
The BRS is a 6-item validated measure of psychological resilience, the ability to bounce back from stress and adversity. Scores 1–5 across three resilience levels. Free for clinical and research use.
What is the Brief Resilience Scale?
The Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) was developed by Smith and colleagues (2008) to assess psychological resilience as a distinct construct, the ability to recover from stress, rather than resistance to stress or positive coping. It is the only measure designed specifically to assess this "bouncing back" dimension of resilience.
The BRS consists of 6 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree, 5 = Strongly Agree). Three items are positively worded (1, 3, 5) and three are negatively worded (2, 4, 6). The negatively worded items are reverse-scored before computing the mean. The final score is the average of all 6 items and ranges from 1.00 to 5.00.
The BRS has been validated in clinical and community samples and is free for use in clinical practice and research. It shows strong associations with stress, depression, anxiety, and physical health outcomes, making it a useful complement to depression and anxiety screening in mental health and primary care settings.
Rate each statement on how much you agree or disagree, based on how you generally feel.
For educational reference only. Does not constitute a clinical assessment.
Resilience Score Bands
From Smith et al. (2008). Score is the mean of all 6 items (after reversing items 2, 4, 6).
Track Resilience in HiBoop
Pair BRS with PHQ-9 and GAD-7 for a complete picture of patient wellbeing and treatment response.
References
- 1.Smith BW, Dalen J, Wiggins K, Tooley E, Christopher P, Bernard J. The brief resilience scale: assessing the ability to bounce back. Int J Behav Med. 2008;15(3):194-200.View source
- 2.Rodríguez-Rey R, Alonso-Tapia J, Hernansaiz-Garrido H. Reliability and validity of the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) Spanish Version. Psychol Assess. 2016;28(5):e101-e110.View source
- 3.Konaszewski K, Niesiobędzka M, Surzykiewicz J. Validation of the Polish version of the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). PLoS One. 2020;15(8):e0237038.View source
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the Brief Resilience Scale scored?
Each of the 6 BRS items is rated on a 5-point scale from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree). Items 2, 4, and 6 are negatively worded and must be reverse-scored (i.e., 1 becomes 5, 2 becomes 4, etc.) before calculating the mean. The final BRS score is the average of all 6 items and ranges from 1.00 to 5.00.
What is considered a high or low BRS score?
By a commonly used clinical convention, scores of 1.00–2.99 indicate low resilience, 3.00–4.30 indicate normal or moderate resilience, and 4.31–5.00 indicate high resilience. These ranges are not diagnostic cutoffs but provide a practical reference for interpreting scores in clinical and research settings.
Is the BRS self-report or clinician-administered?
The BRS is a self-report measure. Respondents rate each item based on how they generally feel, making it suitable for independent completion in clinical, primary care, or research settings. No clinician scoring or interview is required.
Can the BRS diagnose a mental health condition?
No. The BRS measures psychological resilience — specifically the ability to bounce back from stress — and is not designed to diagnose any mental health condition. It is best used as a complement to standardized depression, anxiety, or trauma screeners to provide a fuller picture of a person's coping capacity.
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