Coping
Bouncing back
6 questions · 2 min
This short questionnaire looks at your sense of bouncing back: how quickly you feel you recover after stress, setbacks and difficult times.
It’s about recovering, not about never feeling stressed. Many people who feel things deeply still bounce back well.
Taking tests is free. Your results unlock with a free 7-day trial.
What it shows
How quickly you feel you recover after stressful events.
What it doesn’t
A diagnosis, or a measure of how much stress you’re under.
Who it’s for
This check is for anyone who wants a quick sense of how they’re recovering from the ups and downs of life. It can be useful after a demanding stretch, such as a busy season at work, a move, an illness or a loss, when you’re wondering how much it has taken out of you.
It’s also helpful if you’re trying things that support recovery, like better rest, more time with people you trust or steadier routines. Taking it again every month or so lets you see whether your sense of bouncing back is shifting.
Questions people ask
What does the Brief Resilience Scale measure?
It measures your sense of bouncing back: how quickly you feel you recover after stressful events. It doesn’t measure how much stress you’re under or how strongly you feel things.
How long does it take?
There are six statements, and most people finish in about 2 minutes. You choose how much you agree with each one, from strongly disagree to strongly agree.
How is the BRS scored?
Each answer counts from 1 to 5, and three statements are worded the other way round, so they’re flipped to make a higher score always mean quicker recovery. Your score is the average, from 1 to 5. Published guidance from the scale’s authors treats below 3 as slower to bounce back, 3 to 4.3 as steady and above 4.3 as quick.
Is a low score a sign that something is wrong?
No. The score describes how you feel about recovering at the moment, and it can’t diagnose anything. Bouncing back is something that can grow, and if you’ve felt stuck or worn down for a long time, a doctor or counsellor can help.
How often can I retake it?
Every four weeks or so works well. That gives enough time for things to change, so your results show a real trend rather than a single day.
Who developed the Brief Resilience Scale?
Psychologist Bruce Smith and colleagues at the University of New Mexico, in 2008.
Where it comes from
Developed by psychologist Bruce Smith and colleagues at the University of New Mexico in 2008.
Brief Resilience Scale
On iPhone or iPad?
Sprout is an app there too, and this link opens the test straight away if you have it.
Coming soon to the App Store