The document describes the development of the Response to Stressful Experiences Scale (RSES), a measure of psychological resilience. It discusses what resilience is and why it is important to measure. It outlines the process of developing and testing the RSES, which resulted in a 30-item scale with 6 factors: positive outlook, spirituality, active coping, self-efficacy, meaning-making, and acceptance. The RSES was tested on over 900 military service members across branches and found to have high reliability. Ongoing research aims to further validate the RSES and explore resilience as a treatment outcome and way to build countermeasures for stress.

1. The Response to Stressful Experiences Scale (RSES) A Measure of Psychological Resilience Douglas Christian Johnson, PHD Assistant Professor UCSD – Department of Psychiatry Center of Excellence in Stress and Mental Health

3. Psychological Resilience Resistant Unique Stressor Low Risk Resilient Predisposed High Risk Healthy Pathology

4. Mastery Failure

14. RSES 1 st Battalion 25 th Marine Combat Infantry Unit New England USMC Reserve (N = 275) 34 th Combat Aviation Brigade Minnesota National Guard (N = 627) (N = 902)

19. Positive Outlook & Constructive Appraisal … practice ways to handle it better next time … find something to laugh about … see it as a challenge that will make me better … try to recharge myself before I have to face the next challenge … calm and comfort myself … find opportunity for growth … use people who are great at dealing with stress as role models

20. Spirituality … rely on a value system or set of guiding life principles … lean on my faith in God or a higher power … pray or meditate

21. Active Coping … look for creative solutions to the problem … look at the problem in a number of ways … be cool under fire … face my fears … find a way to do what's necessary to carry on … find a way to get help when I know I need it … not give up trying to solve problems I think I can solve … take action to fix things

22. Self-Efficacy … expect that I can handle it … know I will bounce back

23. Meaning-Making & Learning … draw upon lessons learned from failures and past mistakes … understand that bad things can happen to anyone, not just me … learn important and useful life-lessons … find strength in the meaning, purpose, or mission of my life … find meaning from the experience

24. Acceptance of Limits & Circumstances … take failures in stride … know I have limits … accept those things I cannot change … be good at determining what situations are changeable and what situations are not … put things in perspective and realize I will have times of joy and times of sadness

27. THANK YOU! Semper Fi Semper Paratus