Character Strengths: Research and Practice

TLDR

Character strengths form the foundation of lifelong development and thriving, comprising a plural family of positive traits expressed in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The paper overviews the VIA project, classifying and measuring 24 valued strengths, and discusses how to recognize and cultivate them within a strengths‑based education and personal development framework. The authors review the VIA project’s classification and measurement of 24 strengths and outline strategies for recognizing and cultivating these strengths in educational and personal development settings. Research links character strengths to key aspects of individual and social well‑being, with different strengths predicting distinct outcomes, underscoring the importance of cultivating these components.

Abstract

Character strengths are the foundation of optimal life-long development and thriving. Good character is not a singular thing but rather plural–a family of positive traits shown in one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This paper provides an overview of the Values in Action (VIA) project, which classifies and measures 24 widely-recognized and valued strengths. Research shows that character strengths are linked to important aspects of individual and social well-being, although different strengths predict different outcomes. This paper discusses ways to recognize and cultivate character strengths, within the context of a strengths-based approach to education and personal development. Character matters, and cultivating its components should be an important goal for all.