Abstract:
Psychological resilience is an individual's ability to "bounce back" from "setbacks" caused by their encounters with stressors, life events and adversity. This study was informed by Flach's theory which is based on the "Law of Disruption and Reintegration". The study sought to establish the levels and predictors of psychological resilience, and determine whether there is a relationship between gender and psychological resilience. The study sample (n = 381) was made up of 56.2% females, 42.8% males and 1% respondents who preferred not to state their gender. This sample was drawn from an adult population of individuals living in Nairobi (57.7%) and Kiambu (42.3%) counties in Kenya. The sample was obtained through convenience sampling and snowballing where participants self-selected themselves for the study. This cross-sectional quantitative study was carried out in the month of October using an online questionnaire made up of three parts; socio demographics, the Resilience Scale to measure resilience and the Baruth Protective Factors Inventory to assess factors that predict resilience. Data collected was analyzed using SPSS V.25 and MS Excel was used for the presentation of the results which were aligned with the study objectives. The resilience score of the sample (M = 141.25; SD = 21.97) indicated moderate resilience levels. Females scored (M = 141.19; SD = 23.46) marginally higher than males (M = 141.04; SD = 20.14). Weak positive statistically significant relationships were found between psychological resilience and the predictors; fewer stressors (r = .142, p = .005), adaptive personality (r = .205, p < .001) and supportive environment (r = .216, p < .001). Regression analysis results showed significant impact of few stressors, adaptive personality and supportive environment. Few stressors accounted for 2% variance in psychological resilience and an increase in one unit of few stressors was commensurate to an increase in psychological resilience by 1.01 units (B = 1.01, 95% CI). Adaptive personality accounted for 4.2% variance and an increase in one unit of adaptive personality was commensurate to an increase in psychological resilience by 1.34 units (B = 1.34, 95% CI). Supportive environment accounted for 4.7% variance in psychological resilience and an increase in one unit of supportive environment was commensurate to an increase in psychological resilience by 1.81 units (B = 1.81, 95% CI). There was no statistically significant relationship between psychological resilience and gender (B = .001, p = .713). These findings may have broad implications in the approach and practice of building or enhancing psychological resilience in Kenya.