Character strengths as protective factors against behavior problems in early adolescent
Abstract Character strengths could effectively prevent negative psychological outcomes in adults. However, there was little research conducted among early adolescents. The present study aimed to explore character strengths that were independently related to fewer behavior problems in early adolescen...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SpringerOpen
2022-06-01
|
| Series: | Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-022-00217-z |
| _version_ | 1818161671622885376 |
|---|---|
| author | Cheng Qin Xiaotong Cheng Yuyan Huang Shuang Xu Kezhi Liu Mingyuan Tian Xiaoyuan Liao Xinyi Zhou Bo Xiang Wei Lei Jing Chen |
| author_facet | Cheng Qin Xiaotong Cheng Yuyan Huang Shuang Xu Kezhi Liu Mingyuan Tian Xiaoyuan Liao Xinyi Zhou Bo Xiang Wei Lei Jing Chen |
| author_sort | Cheng Qin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Character strengths could effectively prevent negative psychological outcomes in adults. However, there was little research conducted among early adolescents. The present study aimed to explore character strengths that were independently related to fewer behavior problems in early adolescents. In total, 521 early adolescents (mean age 10.92 ± 0.04, range 10–12 years) were recruited from primary schools in Sichuan, China. Character strengths were measured using the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths for Youth (VIA-Youth). Behavior problems were measured using the Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ). The results showed that behavior problems were negatively correlated with character strengths (r = −0.14 to −0.3, p < 0.05 Bonferroni corrected). Character strengths explained a significant proportion of additional variance (14–22%) in five types of behavior problems after controlling the effect of demographic factors (residence, left-behind experiences, maternal education level). Moreover, several specific character strengths showed an independent contribution (β = −0.34 to −0.14 for self-regulation, perseverance, zest, humility, and leadership; β = 0.21 to 0.34, for hope; all p < 0.05) to behavior problems. Our study revealed that character strengths were protective factors against behavior problems in early adolescents. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T16:21:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-52a2aa4ea5374ff0bd874aad5d056a9b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1678-7153 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T16:21:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica |
| spelling | doaj.art-52a2aa4ea5374ff0bd874aad5d056a9b2022-12-22T00:58:50ZengSpringerOpenPsicologia: Reflexão e Crítica1678-71532022-06-0135111110.1186/s41155-022-00217-zCharacter strengths as protective factors against behavior problems in early adolescentCheng Qin0Xiaotong Cheng1Yuyan Huang2Shuang Xu3Kezhi Liu4Mingyuan Tian5Xiaoyuan Liao6Xinyi Zhou7Bo Xiang8Wei Lei9Jing Chen10Department of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityCollege of Clinical Medicine, Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityAbstract Character strengths could effectively prevent negative psychological outcomes in adults. However, there was little research conducted among early adolescents. The present study aimed to explore character strengths that were independently related to fewer behavior problems in early adolescents. In total, 521 early adolescents (mean age 10.92 ± 0.04, range 10–12 years) were recruited from primary schools in Sichuan, China. Character strengths were measured using the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths for Youth (VIA-Youth). Behavior problems were measured using the Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ). The results showed that behavior problems were negatively correlated with character strengths (r = −0.14 to −0.3, p < 0.05 Bonferroni corrected). Character strengths explained a significant proportion of additional variance (14–22%) in five types of behavior problems after controlling the effect of demographic factors (residence, left-behind experiences, maternal education level). Moreover, several specific character strengths showed an independent contribution (β = −0.34 to −0.14 for self-regulation, perseverance, zest, humility, and leadership; β = 0.21 to 0.34, for hope; all p < 0.05) to behavior problems. Our study revealed that character strengths were protective factors against behavior problems in early adolescents.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-022-00217-zCharacter strengthsBehavior problemsPositive psychologyEarly adolescent |
| spellingShingle | Cheng Qin Xiaotong Cheng Yuyan Huang Shuang Xu Kezhi Liu Mingyuan Tian Xiaoyuan Liao Xinyi Zhou Bo Xiang Wei Lei Jing Chen Character strengths as protective factors against behavior problems in early adolescent Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica Character strengths Behavior problems Positive psychology Early adolescent |
| title | Character strengths as protective factors against behavior problems in early adolescent |
| title_full | Character strengths as protective factors against behavior problems in early adolescent |
| title_fullStr | Character strengths as protective factors against behavior problems in early adolescent |
| title_full_unstemmed | Character strengths as protective factors against behavior problems in early adolescent |
| title_short | Character strengths as protective factors against behavior problems in early adolescent |
| title_sort | character strengths as protective factors against behavior problems in early adolescent |
| topic | Character strengths Behavior problems Positive psychology Early adolescent |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-022-00217-z |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chengqin characterstrengthsasprotectivefactorsagainstbehaviorproblemsinearlyadolescent AT xiaotongcheng characterstrengthsasprotectivefactorsagainstbehaviorproblemsinearlyadolescent AT yuyanhuang characterstrengthsasprotectivefactorsagainstbehaviorproblemsinearlyadolescent AT shuangxu characterstrengthsasprotectivefactorsagainstbehaviorproblemsinearlyadolescent AT kezhiliu characterstrengthsasprotectivefactorsagainstbehaviorproblemsinearlyadolescent AT mingyuantian characterstrengthsasprotectivefactorsagainstbehaviorproblemsinearlyadolescent AT xiaoyuanliao characterstrengthsasprotectivefactorsagainstbehaviorproblemsinearlyadolescent AT xinyizhou characterstrengthsasprotectivefactorsagainstbehaviorproblemsinearlyadolescent AT boxiang characterstrengthsasprotectivefactorsagainstbehaviorproblemsinearlyadolescent AT weilei characterstrengthsasprotectivefactorsagainstbehaviorproblemsinearlyadolescent AT jingchen characterstrengthsasprotectivefactorsagainstbehaviorproblemsinearlyadolescent |