CD-RISC: How to Score and Interpret the Connor-Davidson Scale

The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale was developed by two researchers, Kathryn M. Connor and Jonathan R.T. Davidson.

Kathryn Connor is a psychiatrist and researcher at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. Her work focuses on stress, anxiety disorders, social anxiety, psychopharmacology, and resilience.

Jonathan Davidson is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Duke University. His research has covered PTSD and a wide range of psychiatric topics.

Connor and Davidson developed the scale while working clinically with patients affected by trauma and PTSD. They created the measure because, at the time, few validated tools existed to quantify resilience and support clinical assessment and treatment planning.

What is the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale? (CD-RISC)

The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) is a standardized self-report questionnaire designed to measure resilience — the capacity to withstand, adapt to, and recover from adversity, stress, or trauma. Resilience reflects how well a person can maintain or regain psychological equilibrium after challenging experiences.

The scale evaluates several dimensions of resilience, including:

• Flexibility and adaptability to change.
• The capacity to cope with and manage difficult circumstances.
• Stress tolerance and emotional regulation.
• The ability to stay focused and clear-minded under pressure.
• Persistence and resistance to discouragement after setbacks.
• Managing painful emotions such as anger, sadness, or fear.

What Versions are There? (2, 10 & 25 Item)

The CD-RISC is available in three authorized versions: CD-RISC-2, CD-RISC-10, and CD-RISC-25. These are the official forms recommended for research and clinical use. Unauthorized versions occasionally circulate, but they are not endorsed by the authors and may violate copyright.

CD-RISC-2

The CD-RISC-2 is a very brief, two-item screening measure derived from the original scale. It is useful for quick assessments or for tracking change over time in settings where brevity is essential. Research has found it demonstrates acceptable test-retest reliability and basic validity in clinical and research contexts (Vaishnavi, Connor & Davidson, 2007).

1. I am able to adapt when changes occur.
2. I tend to bounce back after illness, injury, or other hardships.

These two items were chosen to capture the core idea of resilience: the ability to adapt and recover. For full administration instructions and the official form, contact the CD-RISC copyright holders.

CD-RISC-10

The 10-item CD-RISC (CD-RISC-10) is an abridged, unidimensional version derived from the original 25 items using factor analysis. Scores on the CD-RISC-10 range from 0 to 40.

1. I am able to adapt when changes occur.
2. I can deal with whatever comes my way.
3. I try to see the humorous side of things when I am faced with problems.
4. Having to cope with stress can make me stronger.
5. I tend to bounce back after illness, injury or other hardships.
6. I believe I can achieve my goals, even if there are obstacles.
7. Under pressure, I stay focused and think clearly.
8. I am not easily discouraged by failure.
9. I think of myself as a strong person when dealing with life’s challenges.
10. I am able to handle unpleasant or painful feelings like sadness, fear, and anger.

Response options typically use a 5-point scale from 0 (not true at all) to 4 (true nearly all the time). Research indicates that the 10-item version often performs as well as, or better than, the longer form in many contexts and shows good psychometric properties across diverse samples.

CD-RISC-25

The original CD-RISC-25 contains 25 self-report items intended to capture multiple facets of resilience. Total scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater resilience. The scale has been used widely in clinical, epidemiological, and cross-cultural research and demonstrates solid psychometric characteristics.

1. I am able to adapt when changes occur.
2. I have one close and secure relationship.
3. Sometimes fate or God helps me.
4. I can deal with whatever comes my way.
5. Past successes give me confidence.
6. I try to see the humorous side of things when I am faced with problems.
7. Having to cope with stress can make me stronger.
8. I tend to bounce back after illness, injury or other hardships.
9. I believe most things happen for a reason.
10. I make my best effort, no matter what.
11. I believe I can achieve my goals, even if there are obstacles.
12. Even when hopeless, I do not give up.
13. In times of stress, I know where to find help.
14. Under pressure, I stay focused and think clearly.
15. I prefer to take the lead in problem-solving.
16. I am not easily discouraged by failure.
17. I think of myself as a strong person when dealing with life’s challenges and difficulties.
18. I make unpopular or difficult decisions.
19. I am able to handle unpleasant or painful feelings like sadness, fear, and anger.
20. I have to act on a hunch.
21. I have a strong sense of purpose in life.
22. I feel like I am in control.
23. I like challenges.
24. I work to attain goals.
25. I take pride in my achievements.

For formal use, the complete CD-RISC-25 includes standardized instructions and scoring guidelines available from the scale’s copyright holders.

Download 3 Free Resilience Exercises (PDF)

Detailed, science-based exercises designed to support recovery from setbacks and build stronger coping skills. (PDF available from positive psychology resource providers.)

How Does Scoring Work?

For the CD-RISC-25, each item is rated on a 5-point scale from 0 (not true at all) to 4 (true nearly all the time). Total scores range from 0 to 100, with higher totals reflecting greater resilience. The CD-RISC-10 uses the same 0–4 item scale with total scores from 0 to 40. Score interpretation should consider sample norms and the clinical or research context.

A Look at the Reliability and Validity of the CD-RISC

Multiple studies have examined the psychometric properties of the CD-RISC. Research comparing the 25-item and 10-item versions often finds the CD-RISC-10 to be psychometrically robust and sometimes preferable due to its unidimensional structure and brevity. The CD-RISC-10 has shown internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent/divergent validity across general and clinical samples. The longer 25-item form has also been validated in diverse populations and is used frequently in epidemiological research.

Where Can I Obtain the CD-RISC?

The official CD-RISC instruments and administration materials are distributed by the scale’s copyright holders. To use the complete scale and receive full administration instructions, contact the copyright holders or the official CD-RISC distribution source. The brief item examples above do not represent the complete scale nor replace the official administration guidelines.

What is the Brief-Resilience Scale (BRS)?

The Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) was developed to measure resilience specifically as the ability to bounce back from stress, rather than to catalogue the traits, resources, or protective factors associated with resilience. It focuses on recovery and return to baseline functioning following adversity.

How Does it Assess the Ability to Cope and Bounce Back?

The BRS measures recovery speed and capacity: how quickly and effectively a person returns to typical functioning after encountering stressors. This construct aligns closely with the original definition of resilience as “bouncing back.” The BRS intentionally excludes broader protective factors and coping style inventories in order to isolate recovery ability.

Scoring and Interpretation for the BRS

The BRS is a 6-item self-report instrument. Sample items include:

1. I tend to bounce back quickly after hard times.
2. I have a hard time making it through stressful events.
3. It does not take me long to recover from a stressful event.
4. It is hard for me to snap back when something wrong happens.
5. I usually come through difficult times with little trouble.
6. I tend to take a long time to get over setbacks in my life.

Respondents rate each item from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Items 2, 4, and 6 are reverse-scored. After reversing those items, sum the six item scores. The raw total ranges from 6 to 30; dividing the total by 6 yields the mean score, with higher values indicating greater ability to bounce back.

Reliability and Validity of the BRS

Validation studies show the BRS to be a psychometrically sound measure of recovery-oriented resilience. It reliably differentiates resilience from related constructs such as depression and perceived stress and provides useful clinical information about how individuals cope with health-related and other stressors.

17 Tools to Build Resilience and Coping Skills

Practical, evidence-based exercises for developing coping strategies and strengthening resilience in clients, students, or teams.

Where to Find the BRS

The Brief Resilience Scale is widely used and is available in many psychological toolkits and academic resources. For clinical or research use, obtain the official instrument and scoring instructions from recognized publishers or academic sources that distribute validated assessment tools.

A Take-Home Message

Resilience describes the capacity to adapt, recover, and grow in response to adversity. It is not a fixed trait but a dynamic quality that varies with age, culture, context, and life experience. People can respond to the same stressor in different ways: some may develop maladaptive patterns, others may recover but remain affected, many will return to baseline functioning, and some will use the experience as an opportunity for growth and increased resilience.

Measuring resilience helps clinicians and researchers understand how individuals cope and recover, target interventions more effectively, and track progress over time. Both the CD-RISC (in its authorized versions) and the BRS offer complementary approaches: the CD-RISC captures broader resilience characteristics, while the BRS focuses specifically on recovery and bouncing back.

If you are interested in practical tools to support resilience, consider evidence-based exercise packs and toolkits that provide structured activities for building coping skills and promoting recovery.

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