Self-Assessment
Ego Resilience Scale (ER89)
How well do you adapt to change and recover from difficulty? This 14-item scale, developed by Block and Kremen in 1996, measures your general capacity for flexible and resourceful adaptation to stress.
Your Resilience Profile
Based on your responses to the ER89
Score Ranges
From the Research
"Ego-resiliency refers to the dynamic capacity of an individual to modify a characteristic level of ego-control, in either direction, as a function of the demand characteristics of the environmental context."
Block, J., & Kremen, A. M. (1996). IQ and ego-resiliency: Conceptual and empirical connections and separateness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70(2), 349–361.
Understanding Ego Resilience
Ego resilience is not simply about "bouncing back." Block and Kremen (1996) described it as the ability to flexibly adjust your level of self-control depending on the situation. People high in ego-resiliency can be disciplined when needed but spontaneous when appropriate.
Research by Fredrickson and colleagues (2003) found that resilient people experience positive emotions even during stressful periods, and that these positive emotions help explain their ability to recover. In their study of responses to the September 11 attacks, more resilient individuals were better able to find meaning and maintain psychological stability.
Cohn and colleagues (2009) demonstrated that ego-resiliency predicted greater life satisfaction, and that this relationship was partly explained by the experience of positive emotions. Resilient individuals did not simply avoid negative feelings. They were able to maintain a broader emotional range.
The ER89 was developed by Jack Block and Adam Kremen at the University of California, Berkeley. It was designed to provide a brief, reliable measure of the ego-resiliency construct that Block had studied for decades through longitudinal research.
The scale was validated against observer ratings from trained psychologists who had independently assessed the same participants. Items were selected based on their ability to discriminate between individuals rated high and low in ego-resiliency by multiple independent observers.
Subsequent research by Letzring, Block, and Funder (2005) confirmed the scale's validity across multiple samples. The ER89 correlated positively with agreeableness, openness, and conscientiousness, and negatively with neuroticism, supporting its theoretical basis.
Factor analyses by Farkas and Orosz (2015) identified four distinct but related facets within the ER89:
Openness and Curiosity
Enjoying new experiences, seeking variety, and approaching unfamiliar situations with interest rather than avoidance.
Items 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12
Emotional Recovery
The speed and ease with which you return to baseline after being startled, upset, or angered.
Items 2, 14
Social Adaptability
Generosity, sociability, and the ability to make favorable impressions and connect with others.
Items 1, 4, 9
Self-Assurance
Energy, confidence in your own capabilities, and thoughtful decision-making under pressure.
Items 6, 10, 13
These facets are not independent traits. They overlap and reinforce each other. Someone high in openness, for example, tends to also develop stronger emotional recovery skills through repeated exposure to new situations.
How This Compares to Other Resilience Scales
Several validated scales measure resilience from different angles. Here is how the ER89 compares.
| Scale | Focus | Items | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| ER89 (this test) | Flexible adaptation to changing circumstances | 14 | Understanding your general adaptive capacity |
| Connor-Davidson (CD-RISC) | Coping with adversity and stress | 25 | Clinical and post-trauma contexts |
| Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) | Ability to bounce back from stress | 6 | Quick screening for recovery ability |
| Wagnild and Young Resilience Scale | Personal competence and acceptance of self | 25 | Comprehensive resilience profiling |
Common Questions
Ego resilience is your ability to flexibly adapt your behavior and emotional responses based on what a situation requires. It is not about being tough or suppressing feelings. It is about being resourceful: knowing when to push forward and when to step back, when to be disciplined and when to be spontaneous. Block (1996) described it as the capacity to modify your typical level of self-control in either direction depending on context.
Research suggests that ego resilience can develop over time. Fredrickson and colleagues (2003) found that cultivating positive emotions builds resilience resources. Practices like seeking new experiences, maintaining social connections, and developing emotional awareness can strengthen your adaptive capacity. Resilience is not a fixed trait. It responds to life experience and intentional effort.
Most resilience scales measure how well you cope after adversity. The ER89 measures something broader: your general flexibility and resourcefulness across all situations, not just stressful ones. It captures your everyday adaptability, curiosity, and social fluency, as well as your ability to recover from setbacks. Think of it as measuring your psychological agility rather than just your ability to endure difficulty.