Systematic review of character development in low- and middle-income countries

Abstract

Character strengths and development is one of the most important and influential areas of positive psychology. Yet most of this research involves – as per the field generally – research in high income countries, with relatively little awareness of its dynamics in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, there is a burgeoning research base in such countries, but this has hitherto been neither consolidated nor widely disseminated. To remedy this lacuna, this paper reports on a systematic review of the peer-reviewed journal articles on character development in LMICs, analysing 164 articles selected from 1,507 initial abstracts. Our analysis shows that research into character in LMICs is developing rapidly, noting various significant trends with respect to countries, populations, outcomes, and interventions. We also point where further efforts are needed, showing how research on this important topic can continue to prosper in regions that have been relatively neglected in the literature.