Resilience profiles and functional independence in adults with cardiovascular diseases: An exploratory study

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) frequently compromises independence in activities of daily living (ADL), a core area of everyday occupation. Although resilience supports adaptation to chronic illness, its association with ADL independence in CVD remains unexamined. Given that resilience is multidimensional, this exploratory cross-sectional study examined overall and domain-specific resilience in relation to ADL independence. Methods: Thirty-nine adults with CVD were recruited from an outpatient specialized cardiovascular referral center in Shiraz, one of the largest metropolitan cities in southern Iran. Participants completed the Persian Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, which measures four domains (achievement motivation, self-confidence, tenacity, adaptability), and the Barthel Index assessing ADL independence. Functional independence was dichotomized as independent (Barthel Index >90) or dependent/relatively dependent (⩽90). Mann–Whitney U tests compared overall and domain-specific resilience scores between groups, with effect sizes calculated. Results: Higher overall resilience was significantly associated with functional independence. Among the four domains, only self-confidence significantly differentiated independent from dependent participants. Achievement motivation and tenacity showed directional trends favoring independence, whereas adaptability demonstrated weak functional relevance. Conclusion: Resilience is domain-specifically associated with ADL independence in CVD, with self-confidence showing the strongest functional relevance. Findings support confidence-targeted occupational therapy strategies (i.e. graded mastery experiences) in cardiac rehabilitation.