Strengths use, self-concordance and well-being: Implications for Strengths Coaching and Coaching Psychologists

TLDR

Coaching psychology and positive psychology emphasize strengths and well‑being, and theory suggests that knowing, using, and organismically valuing one’s strengths leads to greater happiness. This study examined how strengths knowledge, strengths use, and organismic valuing relate to subjective well‑being, psychological well‑being, and subjective vitality. A sample of 214 participants completed self‑report measures of strengths knowledge, strengths use, organismic valuing, self‑esteem, and self‑efficacy. Analyses revealed that strengths knowledge, strengths use, and organismic valuing were significantly associated with well‑being and vitality, with self‑esteem, organismic valuing, and strengths use uniquely predicting subjective and psychological well‑being, while only self‑esteem uniquely predicted subjective vitality, highlighting implications for strengths coaching.

Abstract

An emphasis of the coaching psychology and positive psychology movements has been strengths and well-being. This study examined two generic aspects of strengths – strengths knowledge and strengths use, together with organismic valuing, and their relations with subjective well-being, psychological well-being, and subjective vitality. Theory suggests that people who know their strengths, use their strengths, and follow the directions that are right for them (i.e. organismically valuing) will be happier. Participants (N=214) completed measures of these variables, as well as measures of self-esteem and self-efficacy. Analyses showed that strengths knowledge, strengths use, and organismic valuing were all significantly associated with well-being and vitality. Regression analyses showed that self-esteem, organismic valuing, and strengths use all predicted unique variance in subjective well-being and psychological well-being, but only self-esteem significantly predicted unique variance in subjective vitality. The discussion locates the findings in relation to strengths coaching, and suggests directions for future research and coaching psychology applications.