Character Strengths Lead to Satisfactory Educational Outcomes Through Strength Use: A Longitudinal Analysis

Frontiers in Psychology

article

Xiaoqing Tang¹  Yumei Li²  Wenjie Duan³  Wenlong Mu⁵  Xinfeng Cheng⁴ 

[1] School of Philosophy, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law;School of Sociology, Wuhan University;School of Social & Public Administration, East China University of Science and Technology;School of Economics and Management, Xi’an Technological University;School of Economics and Management, Wuhan University

关键词: character strengths;    strengths use;    academic achievement;    eudaimonic well-being;    positive education;    positive development;    adolescents;    longitudinal analysis;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01829

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Despite the flourishing of positive education, understanding of whether different character strengths have different predictive effects on academic achievement/well-being and the mechanisms of actions between character strengths are limited. Specifically, this study adopted strength use as a mediator to understand how character strength (assessed by caring, inquisitiveness, and self-control) is associated with students’ end-of-year academic achievements and eudaimonic well-being. Survey data from 349 adolescents from three different schools showed that three factors of character strengths have positive correlations with academic achievements and eudaimonic well-being. Regression models indicated that inquisitiveness and self-control predicted academic achievements, while caring, inquisitiveness, and self-control predicted eudaimonic well-being, with the foremost as the strongest predictor. Mediation analyses indicated that (1) strengths use fully mediated the relationship between inquisitiveness, self-control, and academic achievements/eudaimonic well-being, while (2) caring had a direct effect on eudaimonic well-being. These findings provided possible explanations on how character strengths could affect students’ academic achievements or eudaimonic well-being and theoretical and empirical evidence for practices that aim to enhance students’ academic achievements and positive developments via interventions based on character strengths.

【 授权许可】

CC BY