Resiliency in lebanese adolescents

Abstract

This study investigated resiliency using the Resiliency Scale of Children and Adolescents (RSCA; Prince-Embury, 2007) grounded in three factors (i.e., Sense of mastery, Sense of relatedness, and Emotional reactivity) in a sample of 599 Lebanese adolescents. The aim of the study was to examine the relationships between resiliency factors, the Big Five personality traits and Hope. We also explored gender differences in the key study variables. As a secondary aim, we compared differences in resiliency scores of the present Lebanese sample and a comparative US sample of adolescents (taken from Prince-Embury & Steer, 2010). Emotional stability correlated negatively with Emotional reactivity, and positively with Sense of mastery. Openness to experience also correlated positively with Sense of mastery and Sense of relatedness. Global hope correlated positively with Sense of mastery and Sense of relatedness. Females scored higher on Emotional reactivity (marginally) and Sense of relatedness than males did. Lastly, Lebanese adolescents scored higher on Sense of mastery and Sense of relatedness, and lower on Emotional reactivity than US adolescents. Finally, the relevance of the findings on resiliency in adolescents and the role of psychologist and education professionals are discussed, along with implications and recommendations for future research.