Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/21119
Title: What's in character strengths? Profiling strengths of the heart and mind in a community sample
Contributor(s): Haridas, Serena (author); Bhullar, Navjot  (author)orcid ; Dunstan, Debra  (author)orcid 
Publication Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.03.006
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/21119
Abstract: The present study investigated a profile-based perspective of six dimensions of character strengths (i.e., heart strengths, heart/self-focused strengths, heart/others-focused strengths, mind strengths, mind/self-focused strengths, and mind/others-focused strengths),with the aimof identifying an optimal combination of Peterson's (2006) character strengths. A second aim was to examine whether profile membership was associated with mental health markers. We predicted that at least two qualitatively distinct profiles would emerge: the "heart" strengths profile and the "mind" strengths profile. We also predicted that a "heart" strengths profile would be more strongly associated with markers of mental health than a "mind" strengths profile. Respondents (N = 595, M age = 34.11 years, SD = 13.18) completed measures assessing endorsement of character strengths and a range of mental health markers. A latent profile analysis identified an optimal 4-profile solution based on these six dimensions of strengths. Emergent profiles were Profile 1 (Low Strengths), Profile 2 (Mind Strengths), Profile 3 (Heart Strengths), and Profile 4 (High Strengths). As expected, profile membership was significantly associated with mental health markers. Notably, strengths of the heart (e.g., zest, hope, kindness) contributed to more favorable presentations. Therefore, cultivating strengths associated with the heart dimension might enhance mental health.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Source of Publication: Personality and Individual Differences, v.113, p. 32-37
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Place of Publication: United Kingdom
ISSN: 1873-3549
0191-8869
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: 170113 Social and Community Psychology
170106 Health, Clinical and Counselling Psychology
170110 Psychological Methodology, Design and Analysis
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: 520302 Clinical psychology
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: 970117 Expanding Knowledge in Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: 280121 Expanding knowledge in psychology
Peer Reviewed: Yes
HERDC Category Description: C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal
Appears in Collections:Journal Article
School of Psychology

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