Measuring Protective Factors: The Development of Two Resilience Scales in Norway

The prevalence of mental disorders among adults and adolescents is high, and World Health Organization estimates indicate an increase in the near future, especially in depressive disorders. Clarifying the development of psychopathology and preservation of mental health is of the utmost importance. Identification of influential protective and vulnerability factors is a primary focus. The development of valid and reliable operationalizations of protective factors may be one step toward determining which factors are important and influential in preserving good mental health and preventing the development of psychopathology. This article summaries of the development of an adult and an adolescent scale for measuring protective factors associated with resilience.