Relations between character strengths and subjective well-being in children and adolescents: A brief overview

Abstract

This brief overview focuses on the relations between character strengths and subjective well-being in children and adolescents. The VIA classification of good character encompasses 24 character strengths, positive personality traits that contribute to a good life, which includes but is not limited to satisfaction, happiness, and success. Subjective well-being is a multi-dimensional construct that can be differentiated into positive and negative affect as well as global and domain-specific satisfaction. Cross-national results show that specific character strengths are positively related to positive affect, global life satisfaction, and domain-specific satisfaction. Furthermore, specific character strengths are negatively related to negative affect. Effect sizes are typically small to medium in magnitude. It is concluded that character strengths are clearly relevant correlates of young people’s subjective well-being. Because most - albeit not all - of the results are based on cross-sectional data, more longitudinal studies are needed to further validate these important findings. Nevertheless, the reported findings suggest that it could be very helpful for health-related and other youth-related professionals to be aware of a child or adolescent’s character strengths in order to better interpret their level of subjective well-being.