Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory (DRRI-2)
Also known as: DRRI, DRRI-2
The DRRI-2 is a comprehensive self-report inventory measuring pre-deployment, deployment, and post-deployment risk and protective (resilience) factors influencing mental health outcomes in military personnel. Developed by King and colleagues in 2006 and refined in 2008, it captures contextual, behavioral, social, and psychological factors that shape post-deployment adjustment. It is used in military health surveillance, clinical formulation, and research examining how risk-resilience balance predicts PTSD and other adverse outcomes.
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When to use it
The DRRI-2 is used in: (1) comprehensive post-deployment health assessment to contextualize PTSD symptoms within ecological and personal risk-resilience factors, (2) research examining how multiple risk and protective factors combine to predict outcomes, (3) clinical case conceptualization to identify modifiable intervention targets, (4) longitudinal tracking of resilience trajectories as service members transition to civilian life. It is most suitable when a nuanced understanding of outcome etiology is needed (vs. brief symptom screening); less practical in high-volume acute settings or when rapid risk categorization is the sole goal.
Strengths & limitations
- Comprehensive, empirically derived measurement of multiple risk and resilience domains; captures biopsychosocial complexity of post-deployment adjustment
- Good internal consistency for subscales (α = 0.70–0.85 across domains) and adequate test–retest reliability
- Subscale structure allows flexible interpretation and intervention targeting; clinicians can identify specific modifiable factors
- Validated in large military cohorts (OEF/OIF) with heterogeneous outcomes; robust psychometric evidence
- Aligns with ecological models of resilience, capturing pre-, during-, and post-deployment influences on adjustment
- Length and complexity: DRRI-2 is lengthier than brief screening tools; requires time and cognitive effort, limiting utility in high-volume acute settings
- No validated cutoff scores or risk-resilience ratio formulas; interpretation requires clinical judgment and familiarity with military mental health contexts
- Subscales are correlated (e.g., high combat exposure and low unit cohesion co-occur); multicollinearity complicates interpretation of independent effects
- Resilience factors assessed are correlational, not causal; high social support does not guarantee good outcomes, nor does its absence guarantee poor outcomes
- Limited validation in non-military populations (police, first responders); generalizability to other occupational trauma groups uncertain
Frequently asked
What is the difference between risk and resilience subscales on DRRI-2?
Risk subscales measure stressors and vulnerability factors (e.g., combat exposure, low unit cohesion, childhood trauma). Resilience subscales measure protective factors (e.g., social support, adaptive coping, spiritual meaning). Both are measured; outcomes reflect their combined influence, not risk alone.
How do I interpret a high-risk, high-resilience profile?
A service member with high combat exposure (high risk) but strong family support and adaptive coping (high resilience) may fare better than one with lower exposure but weak social support. Clinically, this profile suggests leveraging resilience factors therapeutically while treating any emerged PTSD symptoms.
Can DRRI-2 be used in civilians or police?
DRRI-2 was developed and validated in military/veteran populations. While some subscales (e.g., social support, coping) are generic, others (e.g., unit cohesion, combat exposure) are military-specific. Civilian and police versions would require separate validation.
Is DRRI-2 free or copyright-protected?
DRRI-2 is available from the National Center for PTSD and is freely distributed for research and clinical use. No copyright restrictions or licensing fees apply. Reproducible scoring templates are available online.
Sources
- King, D. W., King, L. A., Vogt, D. S., Knight, J., & Samper, R. E. (2006). Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory: A collection of empirically derived factors for stress outcomes. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 19(2), 87-101. DOI: 10.1037/t04522-000 ↗
- Vogt, D. S., Proctor, S. P., King, D. W., King, L. A., & Vasterling, J. J. (2008). Validation of scales from the Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory in a large sample of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans. Psychological Assessment, 20(2), 180-191. DOI: 10.1177/1073191108316030 ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory (DRRI-2). ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/military-psychology/deployment-risk-resilience
Which method?
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