Population-based validation of a German version of the Brief Resilience Scale.

Smith and colleagues developed the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) to assess the individual ability to recover from stress despite significant adversity. This study aimed to validate the German version of the BRS. We used data from a population-based (sample 1: n = 1.481) and a representative (sample 2: n = 1.128) sample of participants from the German general population (age ≥ 18) to assess reliability and validity. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to compare one- and two-factorial models from previous studies with a method-factor model which especially accounts for the wording of the items. Reliability was analyzed. Convergent validity was measured by correlating BRS scores …

Use of illicit and prescription drugs for cognitive or mood enhancement among surgeons

Use of Caffeine for Cognitive Enhancement

Abstract Pharmacological cognitive enhancement (CE) refers to the use of divergent psychoactive substances with the purpose of enhancing one's own cognition (e.g., increasing vigilance, concentration, memory). The group of substances for CE includes divergent over-the-counter drugs. Caffeine-containing products such as coffee, caffeinated drinks, and caffeine tablets are integral part of this group of substances. Furthermore, prescription drugs as well as illicit drugs belong to this group of CE substances (e.g., [psycho-]stimulants, modafinil). The use of caffeine in normal healthy subjects has very limited procognitive effects. However, there are few procognitive effects in healthy but sl…

Construct Validity and Population-Based Norms of the German Brief Resilience Scale (BRS).

Abstract. The Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) measures the ability to recover from stress. To provide further evidence for construct validity of the German BRS and to determine population-based norms, a large sample (N = 1,128) representative of the German adult population completed a survey including the BRS and instruments measuring perceived stress and the resilience factors optimism, self-efficacy, and locus of control. Confirmatory factor analyses showed best model fit for a five-factor model differentiating the ability to recover from stress from the three resilience factors. On the basis of latent and manifest correlations, convergent and discriminant validity of the BRS were fair to g…