Empirical referents are classes or categories of actual phenomena
where their existence or presence demonstrates the occurrence of
the concept itself (Walker & Avant, 2011). Based on this definition, the
focus of using an empirical instrument is to recognize or measure the
occurrence of the defining characteristics or attributes of the concept
of resilience. The conceptual definitions of resilience from multiple
disciplines (nursing, psychology, and psychiatry), age population, and
the context or framework of the study, have to be considered when
choosing the survey instrument (Gillespie et al., 2007).