Character Strengths Research Articles

Character strengths and employment in persons with disabilities: a national survey study

ABSTRACT This study explores the latent classes of character strengths within individuals with disabilities, seeks to understand the unique characteristics of each class, and examines the relationship between their class membership and employment status. Our data consisted of 11,699 people with disabilities. The results showed that five profiles best met the criteria. Of the 11,669 participants with disabilities, 1,947 (16.69%) were classified in Latent Profile 1 (Compassionate CS Utilizers), 1,422 (12.19%) were classified in Latent Profile 2 (Profound CS Utilizers), 2,704 (23.17%) in Latent Profile 3 (Creative CS Utilizers), 1,606 (13.76%) in Latent Profile 4 (Discerning CS Utilizers), and 3,990 (34.19%) in Latent Profile 5 (Minimalist CS Utilizers). Controlling for other predictors, Latent Profile 5 (Minimalist CS Utilizers) was associated with a 15.3% decrease in the odds of employment compared to Latent Profile 1 (Compassionate CS Utilizers). Clinical and research implications are discussed.

An Exploratory Study to Test the Psychometric Properties of Character Strengths-Semantic Differential Scale (CS-SDS) Among Singaporean Adults

Character strengths encompass a set of positive traits that can be manifested through thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. To measure the 24 character strengths, the Character Strengths-Semantic Differential Scale (CS-SDS) was used. The aim of the study was to (a) test the factor structure of CS-CDS and (b) test the convergent validity of CS-CDS with life satisfaction and positive affect, and the divergent validity of CS-SDS with negative affect. In total, 283 Singaporean students (96 males, 35.3%), with a median age of 24–26 years old (42.9%), participated in this study. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) showed the multi-dimensional nature of CS-SDS. Specifically, EFA demonstrated a four-factor model, while CFA identified a five-factor model, showing the dimensions of interpersonal, emotional, restraint, theological, and intellectual. All factors were significantly related to life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. It was concluded that CS-SDS is a psychometrically sound instrument for measuring character strengths in the Asian context. This tool can be used for designing strength-based interventions aimed at promoting well-being and character among students in higher education.

Self-Reported Character Strengths Over 21 Years

Self-Reported Character Strengths Over 21 Years

Investigating resilience in patients with IBD: preliminary insights for understanding disease-specific resilience skills

IntroductionInflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) significantly impact patients’ quality of life. While research highlights the potential role of psychological resilience to enhance overall health and well-being in patients with chronic conditions, its specific role in the context of IBD remains underexplored. This study aimed to identify key components of resilience, while serving as a precursor to the development of a disease-specific Resilience Scale for IBD (RISE-IBD).MethodsIn semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews, fifteen patients with IBD discussed their perspectives on the construct of resilience, particularly in terms of the diverse strategies they employed to overcome IBD-related challenges. Patients also deliberated on the relevance of themes identified in two widely used and validated resilience measures. Four analysts coded the transcripts using MAXQDA. Selected items for the drafted measure were refined based on constructive feedback from an additional focus group with study participants and six multidisciplinary IBD professionals, thus establishing face and content validity.ResultsThe qualitative analysis revealed critical themes of resilience for IBD including: (1) seeking physical and emotional support from others, (2) developing personal coping mechanisms to manage stress, and (3) employing strategic disease-management techniques. These themes led to the identification of 17 items, which were categorized into three domains: interpersonal fortitude, individual character strengths, and logistical strategies.DiscussionThis study highlights the critical role of resilience, a core concept in positive psychology, in the effective self-management of IBD. The findings underscore the importance of building upon resilience strategies to help patients bolster the psychological potencies needed to manage their condition more effectively. Future research will focus on the psychometric validation of items identified for the scale. By incorporating resilience-building strategies into IBD care, we can support patients in developing a more positive outlook and improved life satisfaction.

Socio-Economic Aspect of a Person’s Image Representation in the Khakass Proverbial Picture of the World

Purpose. The article describes Khakass proverbs and sayings that represent the socio-economic relations of a person in society. Currently, many issues relating to the description of a person’s image through paremic expressions in the Khakass language have not yet received proper coverage, which determines the relevance of this study.Results. The authors have come to the conclusion that the socio-economic aspect is widely represented in Khakass proverbs and sayings. It is realized in the images of people, relatives, children, friends, enemies, masters, guests, neighbors, as well as men and women. The image of the people affirms the norms and rules of collectivism and peaceful coexistence in society. Children, parents and relatives are the main components of family relationships and always come to the aid of each other. The host is distinguished by his hospitality, and the guest, in turn, does not abuse this. As a rule, neighbors are endowed with such qualities as kindness and responsiveness. Based on the analyzed linguistic material, a man is endowed with a higher proportion of stereotypical characteristics: strength, stamina, strength of character, etc. And a woman appears as a kind, gentle and strong person.Conclusion. Economic relations reflect the ideas about a person’s financial condition, their work activity and the commodity-money sphere. The key to a person’s success in the Khakass society is adherence to the principles of col-lectivism, mutual assistance, tolerance, perseverance, education of the younger generation and caring attitude towards each other.

The Role of Gratitude and Forgiveness Toward Self-awareness in Emerging Adulthood

A transition period from adolescence to adulthood is called emerging adulthood. Individuals experience periods of life that offer opportunities to explore identity in various aspects of life, such as love, work, and views of the world. Self-awareness is an important self-development component for emerging adulthood. Self-awareness is the ability to see oneself clearly and objectively. Self-awareness will become more visible when individuals can use character strengths in living their lives. One of the two character strengths that people have is gratitude and forgiveness. Gratitude is the character strength most strongly associated with life satisfaction. Forgiveness is one of the characteristics of the virtue of temperance, namely a virtue that correlates with an individual’s attitude to refrain from anything that is excessive and has the potential to cause undesirable consequences. This research uses a non-experimental quantitative approach using the Indonesian version of the character strength scale developed by the VIA Institute via the viacharacter.org with an internal consistency reliability of 0.75, which the researcher uses for the gratitude and forgiveness sections. The scale for self-awareness uses the Self-Awareness Outcomes Questionnaire (SAOQ) that has 38 items. The research subjects were 138 respondents in the emerging adulthood category (18-25 years). The research results found that gratitude and forgiveness had a significant role in self-awareness by 42%. Significance in a positive direction, the more gratitude and forgiveness increases, the more self-awareness increases. Keywords: emerging adulthood, self-awareness, gratitude, forgiveness

Luonteenvahvuuksien hyödyntäminen aikuisten suomen kielen oppimisessa

In this article, I will explore how to utilize character strengths in Finnish language learning. This study relies on VIA strengths inventory (Peterson & Seligman 2004). I will examine which character strengths adult Finnish learners utilize and how character strengths are related to learning Finnish, as well as participants’ beliefs regarding character strength intervention. The data of this qualitative study consist of an online questionnaire (n=32), individual and group info meetings online (n=21), character strengths intervention (n=8) and final interviews (n=4). The data were analyzed using content analysis. The results indicate that while some strengths are easily applicable to learning Finnish, others prove challenging to employ in language learning. Furthermore, the findings suggest that while participants found the character strength exercise interesting and enlightening, they expressed a desire for examples demonstrating the application of strengths, along with guidance on identifying and utilizing them.

Which character strengths may build organizational well-being? Insights from an international sample of workers.

The nature and composition of well-being has been the subject of ongoing debate in the field of positive psychology. Recent discussions identify Seligman's PERMA dimensions as concrete pathways to achieve subjective well-being, rather than a distinct type of well-being. Four additional "building blocks" have been categorized to define positive functioning at work (PERMA+4). The present study adds another level of inquiry, by newly examining the relationships of character strengths and a general factor or character with PERMA+4 and life satisfaction in a large international sample of 5,487 employees. We found that 21 of the 24 character strengths were significantly (yet only slightly) more strongly correlated with PERMA+4 than with life satisfaction, and that PERMA+4 was consistently related to life satisfaction. The happiness strengths (hope, gratitude, zest, curiosity and love) and the general factor of character were also directly and indirectly related to life satisfaction. Taken together, these results suggest that the PERMA+4 dimensions may help bridge the gap between strengths and well-being, explaining how individuals with good character are also those who report higher life satisfaction. Future longitudinal studies should build on the present findings and examine whether character strengths can act as the "building blocks of the building blocks" of life satisfaction.

Peran Guru BK dalam Meningkatkan Rasa Ingin Tahu (Curiosity) Pada Siswa Menggunakan Bimbingan Klasikal

Character strength is the basis of our identity, it can be seen when we express this strength of character through thoughts and actions. The truly wonderful thing about character strengths is that they can contribute to personal well-being, the quality of relationships, and the personal community as a whole. For example, curiosity helps explore new ideas, people, places and so on. As well as making it possible to collaborate on projects and see the value of each person's contribution and the courage to help yourself get out of your comfort zone, and be able to challenge yourself.Therefore, the role of the guidance and counseling teacher is very important in increasing students' curiosity, especially in terms of education, which shows that we tend to feel happier, more connected, and more productive. Counseling teachers teach students to always have a high curiosity by exploring new things, creating new ideas, and always generating new innovations.

Optimism mitigated impacts of pre-operative depression and anxiety on post-operative distress in cardiac patients

ABSTRACT Both anxiety and depression are comorbid mortality risks in middle-aged and older patients with heart diseases. Open-heart surgery (OHS), a life-altering procedure, can induce psychological distress that impedes postoperative recovery. Extensive research has shown the health benefit of optimism, an indicator of hope—a Character Strength in positive psychology. It predicts low mortality in cardiovascular disease—the number one killer of all Americans. Few studies, however, have explored whether that optimism mitigates the negative impact of preoperative depression and anxiety on postoperative general psychological distress. This interdisciplinary clinical study evaluated a hypothetical model of these relationships prior to and 1 month following OHS in 311 U.S. patients using a three-wave survey. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to predict post-OHS general psychological distress. Optimism was indicated by two subscales in the Life Orientation Test (LOT). Based on the definition, general psychological distress was indicated by low symptom levels of somatization, depression, and anxiety as measured by the SCL-90 subscales. The final solution demonstrated a good fit. Optimism alleviates the negative effects of preoperative depression and anxiety, as indicators of poor mental health, on postoperative distress. Both older age and female gender were positively and directly associated with higher levels of post-OHS symptoms. The finding supports the beneficial role of optimism in mitigating the damage of poor mental health in the postoperative outcome of cardiac patients. The desirable function of character strength hope suggests that health providers should be attentive to and enhance inner strength for reducing the distress of cardiac patients in the postoperative recovery month.

Individual Resilience among Adult Children of Parents with Bipolar Disorder in Chinese Society: An Inductive and Deductive Content Analysis Approach.

Nurses can help children of parents with mental illness discover their resilience. However, previous studies have focused on their experience in Western settings and have limited understanding of a Chinese cultural context. This study aims to explore individual resilience emerging from adult children's experience of living with parents with bipolar disorder in Chinese society within the framework of character strengths and possible cultural components. A content analysis with both inductive and deductive approaches. Twenty adults participated in this study. Interviews were conducted while the participants' parents were hospitalized in an acute psychiatric hospital ward. The framework of character strengths confirmed five emergent themes of individual resilience in this study: courage, temperance, humanity, knowledge and wisdom, and transcendence. Character strengths are an adequate framework for understanding of individual resilience. Chinese adult children develop resilience by regulating their emotions, respecting their parents, engaging in self-discipline, and positively interpreting adversity.

A tripartite taxonomy of character strengths & virtues: toward professional identity formation in medical students & physicians

BackgroundThere are limited comprehensive descriptions of character strengths and virtues specific to the professional identity formation of medical students in the literature. This absence of a satisfactory summation of virtues has stimulated us to attempt a conceptual framework utilizing a tripartite taxonomy. This taxonomy reflects recent interest in and importance of justice and care of the self.MethodsOur taxonomy is grounded within a perennial tradition of medical ethics that focuses on the moral “excellences” or “virtues” that form the character of a good doctor, as acquired over time within a community of practice. Character refers to the whole set of excellences of a practitioner as a member of the medical community.ResultsWe propose a tripartite taxonomical classification of virtues as Other-Regarding Virtues, Self-Regarding Virtues, and Equal-Regarding Virtues. Though synergistic, each category is readily distinguishable with regard to a fundamental mindset. To thrive, a medical student must develop character strengths that encompass all three categories.ConclusionsOur goal in introducing this tripartite taxonomy is to provide a framework of virtues to contribute to the definition of professional identity. We envision the taxonomy will provide a structure for professional identity formation curriculum development and organize the ever-elusive assessment of professionalism in learners. This taxonomy can also be viewed as an aspirational roadmap for practicing physicians and educators, and as a compass for their daily consciousness. We believe that this taxonomy will enhance the well-being and development of physicians and medical students, and the patients in their care.

Character strength patterns, social support and psychological distress in adolescents and young adults with cancer: A multicenter cross-sectional study

ObjectiveAdolescents and young adults with cancer (AYAC) experience severe psychological distress worldwide. Social support was associated with reduced distress among cancer patients, but the role of character strength patterns in this association is unexplored. This study explored whether character strength patterns influence the association between social support and psychological distress in AYAC. MethodsA multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted at four hospitals in Changsha, China. Participants completed questionnaires assessing sociodemographic, distress, social support, and character strengths. Latent profile analysis determined character strength patterns, and multiple linear regression models examined the association. Interaction terms tested moderation effects, and adjusted models examined confounding, all stratified by gender. ResultsAmong 728 participants, three character strength patterns emerged: low (LCS), moderate (MCS), and high (HCS). Across all patterns, higher social support was significantly associated with lower distress in AYAC (female: β ​= ​−0.124, 95% CI ​= ​−0.051 to −0.015; male: β ​= ​−0.180, 95% CI ​= ​−0.080 to −0.030; P ​< ​0.001). AYAC with MCS and HCS experienced significantly less distress than those with LCS, across both genders. However, the association between character strength patterns and lower distress was stronger in males (MCS: β ​= ​−0.384, 95% CI ​= ​−1.898 to −1.033; HCS: β ​= ​−0.777, 95% CI ​= ​−3.420 to −2.495; P ​< ​0.001) compared to females (MCS: β ​= ​−0.284, 95% CI ​= ​−1.215 to −0.700; HCS: β ​= ​−0.593, 95% CI ​= ​−2.776 to −2.102; P ​< ​0.001). ConclusionsCharacter strength patterns didn't moderate or confound the association between social support and psychological distress, but had stronger protective effects against psychological distress than social support. Higher character strength patterns showed a stronger association with lower psychological distress, especially for males.

Character strengths: Theory and intervention

This article discusses concepts related to character strengths and positive youth development and how these ideas can be applied to improve outcomes among gifted young people. A theory with roots in public health, The Theory of Triadic Influence (TTI), is discussed with examples applied to gifted populations. Practitioners and researchers from several fields have used the TTI to better understand behavior and to inform program development/evaluation efforts that have improved young people’s outcomes including those related to substance use, dietary behaviors, and physical activity. The TTI may be helpful for researchers and practitioners intending to understand and change both cognitive and affective/emotional influences that play a role in shaping the behaviors of gifted young people. In addition, we review intervention/evaluation studies that seek to improve outcomes among young people (in general) and gifted young people (in particular) and share ideas for future efforts to improve outcomes among gifted populations.

How do university students experience using photos to self-identify their character strengths? A Thematic analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated demand for mental and emotional well-being support. As a result of the pandemic and the prevailing economic climate, individuals and businesses in the UK have been ‘taking stock’. Positive Psychology Interventions provide the prospect of meeting these needs through strengths-based approaches which demonstrate a host of benefits. One of these is the use of photographs to transform the narratives that people ascribe to their experiences. This intervention may have a range of advantages, including a positive impact on well-being. However, there is relatively little research into the use of photos as a potential tool for self-identifying strengths. To gain an understanding of the lived experience of using photos to elicit strengths, a homogeneous participant sample of nine students studying psychology at a UK university were recruited. The participants undertook an intervention based on that used by Steger et al. (2014) in their pilot study. Each participant was asked to take 9-12 pictures of things that were meaningful to them over the period of one week. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection, and reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken to analyse the data. Four themes were identified: Experiencing the strength, Feeling uplifted, Being reflective, and Looking to the future. It was found that that the participants experienced the intervention as profound and enriching. The use of the photographs was instrumental in the self-identification of strengths. This study provides valuable insights into the experience of this PPI and may have implications for positive psychology practitioners and coaches.

Fortalezas del carácter en el tratamiento de los trastornos por consumo de sustancias psicoactivas

Addiction is a complex health condition, the treatment is not simple, it requires an approach from multiple scientific perspectives, psychological intervention from a positive approach has gained relevance due to the impact that strengths of character have on recovery of various pathologies including problematic use of drugs.

Stories of strength: a systematic review of the use of narratives in character education of children

Character education has a significant role in instilling positive character strengths that help to shape a positive mind, a positive attitude, and positive behavior in children. Next to the commonly used didactic approaches, narrative interventions can be used to ‘package’ key moral messages about character strength in entertaining storylines. Unfortunately, empirical studies on the effectiveness of narrative methods for teaching character education to children is scattered across different disciplines. This review aimed to comprehensively describe the published studies, and identify the main elements used for children’s character education in the narratives. Eight databases of studies published between January 1980 and March 2018 were searched for narrative interventions that focused on character education aimed at children. The searches yielded seven studies with a great variety in outcome measures. Findings consistently suggest that narratives with positive approaches can generate honesty and kindness effectively in children. Employing a positively framed story, giving instructions, and encouraging children to explain the key story events half way and at the end of the story can especially produce preferable results in adopting the character strengths.

A Qualitative Approach to Students’ Experiences of Character Strengths

A Qualitative Approach to Students’ Experiences of Character Strengths

Prevalence of dyslexia related to mental health problems and character strengths among primary school students in northwest China

ABSTRACT Objective This study aimed to examine the prevalence of dyslexia, mental health problems, and character strengths among primary school students in northwest China. Method Primary school students (N = 2,322) were assessed for dyslexia, strengths and difficulties, self-esteem, bullying, depression, anxiety, and character strengths. The Student’s t-test and χ2 test were used to compare continuous and categorical variables between students with and without dyslexia. Results The estimated prevalence of dyslexia ranged from 4.9% to 6.9% and was highly prevalent among boys. Students with dyslexia reported statistically higher mean scores for emotional symptoms, conduct behaviours, internalizing and externalising problems, as well as total difficulties. Conversely, they exhibited lower levels of prosocial behaviour, expressed lower self-esteem, and reported higher instances of being bullied. Additionally, the prevalences of depression and anxiety symptoms were 36.5% and 26.3%, respectively, among dyslexic students. Signature strengths among students with dyslexia included appreciation of beauty and excellence, love, hope, forgiveness, and judgement. Conclusions These findings underscore dyslexia’s impact on mental health and academic performance in China. Implementing character strength-focused interventions could enhance well-being and academic outcomes among dyslexic primary school students.

The Skill of Positive Solitude Moderates the Relationship between 24 Character Strengths and Flourishing in the Second Half of Life.

Aging may challenge life and even affect individuals' wellbeing and flourishing. This includes the challenges of diminished social connections and the experience of solitude in later life while seeking to leverage personal strengths. The current study examines two important personal resources, i.e., the skill of positive solitude and the 24 character strengths, which may be associated with flourishing in old age. A convenience sample of 1085 community-dwelling adults (M = 57.20, SD = 6.24, range = 50-87) completed an online survey with demographic measures and scales measuring personal strengths, the skill of positive solitude, and flourishing. As hypothesized, the 24 character strengths and positive solitude were each associated with flourishing, and positive solitude moderated the relationships between the 24 character strengths and flourishing. The relationship between the 24 character strengths and flourishing was stronger among participants with lower levels of positive solitude. These findings highlight the way in which, despite the decrease in social relations which often characterizes old age, the skill of positive solitude serves as a valuable resource for flourishing in the later stages of life.