Table 1 Nine resilience competencies.

1. Copes Effectively with Past Traumas:

Moves on relatively quickly from traumatic events; attempts to find meaning in negative life experiences; seeks assistance as needed to help him- or herself cope with traumas; when possible, forgives him- or herself or those who have hurt him or her as a means of moving on.

Corresponding scored items:

7. I try not to think too much about bad things that have happened to me.

43. I try to forgive myself if I make a mistake.

46. When something bad happens, I sometimes use drugs or alcohol to make me feel better. (reverse scored)

50. I often turn to friends or relatives to help me deal with bad experiences.

53. I get back to my routines fairly quickly after something bad happens.

54. I’m willing to see a therapist if something bad has happened to me.

56. I find it easy to forgive people if they have hurt me in some way.

57. I always try to find meaning in the bad things that have happened to me.

References:

^{23,100,101,102,103,123,124,125,126,127}

2. Develops Mental and Physical Toughness:

Affirms his or her strength and willingness to persevere; commits to setting aside fear and weakness; commits to completing what he or she starts; remains calm when criticized; takes criticisms as suggestions to improve him- or herself; maintains good physical and mental health through diet, exercise, rest, and other means.

Corresponding scored items:

15. I’m aware of and take pride in my strengths.

18. I always eat healthy foods.

22. I never let my fears hold me back.

32. I often get upset or angry when I’m criticized. (reverse scored)

36. I always make sure I get a good night’s sleep.

42. I always finish what I start.

44. I exercise regularly.

67. When the going gets tough, I frequently just give up. (reverse scored)

References:

^{11,46,104,105,106,107,128,129}

3. Maintains Advantageous Relationships:

Builds and maintains friendships, intimate relationships, and professional relationships; respects the views of others; listens well and asks others to share their opinions; apologizes when wrong and accepts the apologies of others; praises others and expresses affection when appropriate.

Corresponding scored items:

8. I often ask for feedback from other people.

21. I have trouble apologizing to people I have hurt. (reverse scored)

27. I always try to respect other people’s views, even when I don’t agree with them.

45. I have trouble expressing affection or love for other people. (reverse scored)

59. I have at least one person I can always trust and rely on.

61. I work hard to maintain my friendships.

65. I always try to make time for friendly interactions with other people.

78. I praise and encourage other people far more often than I criticize them.

References:

^{46,106,108,109,130}

4. Manages Emotions Constructively:

Can identify his or her positive and negative emotions; regulates his or her impulses and nurtures his or her positive emotions and attitudes; expresses his or her emotions when appropriate; pays attention to the emotions of others.

Corresponding scored items:

2. I know how to identify my emotions accurately, both positive and negative ones.

4. I often bottle up my emotions. (reverse scored)

9. I’m good at judging how other people are feeling.

16. I often think about good things that happened to me to make me feel happy.

39. I sometimes make myself smile when I feel sad.

62. I have trouble controlling my negative emotions, like sadness, fear, or anger. (reverse scored)

63. I sometimes get emotional when I shouldn’t. (reverse scored)

76. I’m good at keeping myself calm in difficult situations.

References:

^{111,110,131,132}

5. Manages Stress Effectively:

Practices breathing techniques, visualization techniques, and other relaxation techniques; plans ahead, prioritizes, and takes breaks to make sure that stress doesn’t overwhelm him or her; uses humor to reduce stress.

Corresponding scored items:

10. I practice yoga, meditation, or other relaxation techniques to help me relax.

47. I often try to use humor to reduce tension.

49. I have trouble prioritizing. (reverse scored)

55. I regularly take breaks to help me relax.

58. When I start to panic, I know how to calm myself down.

69. I frequently visualize soothing scenes to help me relax.

71. I generally plan ahead as a way of reducing the chaos in my life.

73. I generally try to avoid or ignore hostile people.

References:

^{11,113,130,133,134,135,136}

6. Manages Thoughts Constructively:

Frames and reframes his or her thinking in the most optimistic way possible; identifies his or her faulty beliefs and adopts accurate ones; identifies and expresses gratitude for positive things in his or her life; stays in the moment and avoids overthinking about the past or the future.

Corresponding scored items:

3. I’m good at staying in the moment, rather than worrying about the past or future.

6. I regularly examine and try to correct my irrational beliefs.

11. When something bad happens to me, I try to think about it in a neutral or positive way.

13. I always have high hopes for the future.

19. My negative thoughts often overwhelm me. (reverse scored)

24. I generally have realistic expectations about what’s going to happen.

75. I often take the time to think about things I’m grateful for.

77. I generally look at the positive side of things.

References:

^{46,108,114,115,116,124,129,137}

7. Practices Assertiveness:

Stands up for his or her needs and views without offending or hurting others; avoids passiveness and aggressiveness in most situations; maintains good posture, eye contact, tone, and volume when talking to others.

Corresponding scored items:

5. When I don’t understand what someone is saying, I always ask him or her to clarify.

17. I always try to speak loudly enough so people can hear me easily.

23. I know how to voice my opinions without hurting others.

26. I maintain good eye contact when speaking with people.

35. When I need to ask someone for a favor, I always ask for it clearly and directly.

40. I always speak up when something is bothering me.

66. I have no trouble saying no to people.

81. When I’m blamed for something I didn’t do, I always speak up and defend myself.

References:

^{117,118,119,120,127}

8. Seeks to Grow and Improve:

Identifies his or her strengths and weaknesses; uses strengths to his or her advantage; seeks continual self-improvement after both positive and negative experiences; seeks to perform to the best of his or her ability; sets ambitious but realistic goals and works hard to achieve those goals.

Corresponding scored items:

1. I’m good at identifying my strengths and weaknesses.

20. I see challenges as opportunities to improve myself.

30. I regularly explore ways to improve myself.

34. I use both positive and negative life experiences to grow and improve myself.

37. I regularly review the goals I’ve set for myself.

38. I regularly set ambitious but realistic goals for myself.

48. I always seek to perform at a high level.

72. I generally work hard to achieve my goals.

References:

^{11,40,42,100,138}

9. Solves Problems Effectively:

Employs multiple methods for solving problems; tries new approaches when one approach doesn’t work; refrains from denying or avoiding his or her problems; stays calm and clearheaded when faced with problems.

Corresponding scored items:

14. I’m always looking for the best possible solution to every problem I face.

29. I have trouble thinking clearly when I’m faced with problems. (reverse scored)

33. I often find myself repeating the same mistakes. (reverse scored)

51. When I can’t solve a problem, I often ask other people to help me.

68. I often find creative new ways to solve my problems.

70. I often wish my problems would just go away. (reverse scored)

79. When I can’t solve a problem one way, I try another.

80. I often avoid dealing with the problems I face in my life. (reverse scored)

References:

^{46,121,122,139}