Validating Commonly Used Indicators for Community Resilience Measurement

This study quantitatively examines indicators frequently used to estimate community resilience and proposes a method for assessing the validity of indicators used in community resilience measurement. An array of 18 indicators and related measures were identified as being common to existing methodologies. A comprehensive and replicable method that can evaluate the reliability and validity of community resilience indicators was then employed to explore the appropriateness of indicator selection by comparing different sets of measures. Multiple internal consistency test methods, such as Cronbach's alpha, correlation analysis, cluster analysis, and classification tree, were conducted to address varying aspects of community resilience and to estimate commonalities in indicator selections. Structural equation modeling (SEM) provided a system to investigate indicators' validity and overall performance in a hypothetical construct of community resilience predicting a proxy of community resilience outcomes. In exploring internal consistency and external validation of indicators, the importance of conducting validation studies is highlighted. To ensure indicators are ready for use among practitioners and policymakers, the quality of indicators needs to be tested and clearly stated in the context of other indicators and empirical outcomes of community resilience.

Automated summary

This study quantitatively examines indicators commonly used in community resilience measurement and proposes a method for evaluating their validity. Multiple internal consistency tests are conducted to address different aspects of community resilience and estimate similarities in indicator selections. Structural equation modeling is employed to investigate the indicators' validity and overall performance in predicting community resilience outcomes. The importance of conducting validation studies is highlighted to ensure the quality and applicability of indicators in the context of community resilience.