Resilience Assessment
Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale
Measure how well you cope with stress, adapt to change, and bounce back from adversity.
The Science of Resilience
From the Research
"Resilience embodies the personal qualities that enable one to thrive in the face of adversity."
— Connor, K. M., & Davidson, J. R. T. (2003). Development of a new resilience scale: The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Depression and Anxiety, 18(2), 76-82.
What this tells us
- Resilience is about personal qualities, not circumstances
- The goal is thriving, not just surviving
- These qualities can be measured and developed
Psychometric Properties
"The full scale demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.89) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.87)."
— Connor & Davidson (2003). Depression and Anxiety.
How CD-RISC Relates to Other Measures
Data from Connor & Davidson (2003). Positive correlations show related traits; negative correlation with stress shows resilient people report less perceived stress.
The original research identified five key factors that contribute to resilience:
Personal Competence
High standards, tenacity, and a sense of personal capability
Trust in Instincts
Tolerance of negative emotions and ability to act on intuition
Acceptance of Change
Flexibility and ability to adapt to new situations
Control
Sense of personal agency and influence over outcomes
Spiritual Influence
Belief in purpose, meaning, or something greater than oneself
How We Built This Assessment
The original CD-RISC is a copyrighted instrument. To make resilience measurement accessible, we created a research-inspired adaptation that covers the same psychological domains.
Reviewed Connor & Davidson (2003), Campbell-Sills & Stein (2007), and cross-cultural validation studies
Ensured all five resilience factors are represented in our 25 items
Wrote new item text that captures the same concepts without copying protected content
Used identical 0-4 Likert scale and 0-100 total score range
Important: This is not the official CD-RISC. It's an educational adaptation inspired by resilience research. For clinical or research purposes, obtain the licensed version from cd-risc.com.
Resilience Across Populations
Research shows that resilience scores vary by life circumstances. This data comes from Connor & Davidson's original 2003 study.
Source: Connor & Davidson (2003). Mean scores from validation study groups. Lower scores among clinical populations reflect the impact of stress and trauma on resilience.
About This Assessment
This tool is designed for personal insight and educational purposes. Here's what you should know:
This assessment adapts the structure and methodology from Connor & Davidson's 2003 resilience research. Our 25 items map to the five-factor resilience model but use original phrasing. Scoring bands are informed by normative data from the original validation study.
This is a self-reflection tool, not a clinical assessment. A low score does not diagnose any condition. If you're experiencing significant distress or mental health concerns, please consult a qualified healthcare provider.
The official CD-RISC is a copyrighted instrument requiring a license for use. This assessment is not the official CD-RISC and is not affiliated with or endorsed by its authors. For research or clinical use, obtain the licensed version at cd-risc.com.