Character Strengths Across Disabilities: An International Exploratory Study and Implications for Positive Psychiatry and Psychology.

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in character strengths for people with disabilities by using an international dataset by the VIA Institiute on Character. Specifically, we aimed to explore (a) the top and bottom five character strengths reported by different disability groups and all people with disabilities more broadly, and (b) group differences in each character strength and total character strengths. The investigator contacted the VIA Institute on Character (http://www.

Being good, doing good: The role of honesty and integrity for health.

Psychological traits, such as character strengths, have been already established in experimental studies as factors playing a favorable role for well-being and potentially reducing the risk of depression. Positive associations have been also reported between character strengths and physical fitness, self-reported physical and mental health. Yet, evidence with large scale, epidemiological data on the role of character strength of honesty and integrity (CSHI) in shaping subsequent health outcomes and daily functioning remains unexplored.

The Practice of Character Strengths: Unifying Definitions, Principles, and Exploration of What's Soaring, Emerging, and Ripe With Potential in Science and in Practice.

What does it mean to be "strengths-based" or to be a "strengths-based practitioner?" These are diffuse areas that are generic and ill-defined. Part of the confusion arises from the customary default of practitioners and leaders across many cultures to label anything positive or complimentary as "strengths-based," whether that be an approach, a theoretical orientation, an intervention, or a company. Additional muddle is created by many researchers and practitioners not making distinctions between very different categories of "strength" in human beings - strengths of character, of talent/ability, of interest/passion, of skill/competency, to name a few.

The Decoding of the Human Spirit: A Synergy of Spirituality and Character Strengths Toward Wholeness.

Little attention has been given to the integral relationship between character strengths and spirituality (the search for or communing with the sacred to derive meaning and purpose). The science of character strengths has surged in recent years with hundreds of studies, yet with minimal attention to spirituality or the literature thereof. At the same time, the science of spirituality has steadily unfolded over the last few decades and has offered only occasional attention to select strengths of character (e.

Character strengths cinematherapy: Using movies to inspire change, meaning, and cinematic elevation.

Good movies have the potential to capture a trifecta of meaning: they can be enjoyable, engaging, and empowering. In other words, we experience pleasure, focused attention and concentration, and are inspired toward the good or reach new insights into ourselves, others, or the human condition. Drawing on the rapidly emerging science in character strengths, areas of integration with cinematherapy are outlined and explored.

Assessing Character Strengths in Youth With Intellectual Disability: Reliability and Factorial Validity of the VIA-Youth.

This article reports the results of an examination of the endorsement, reliability, and factorial validity of the VIA-Youth and assessment of character strengths and virtues developed for the general population in youth with and without intellectual disability. Findings suggest that, generally, youth with intellectual disability endorsed character strengths as being like them at lower levels, although few differences were significant. Issues related to measurement, particularly the establishment of measurement invariance, emerged for some virtues.

Transporting integrated primary care to the private sector: addressing the business challenges.

The primary care literature provides some useful information and several project examples for clinicians attempting to develop an integrated care practice, but prior discussion has been based largely on projects developed in government-funded or HMO systems. The current paper focuses on the business challenges of establishing an integrated care practice in a private, fee-for-service setting. Despite increasing commitment to the concept of the medical home, which embraces behavioral health care, physicians in the private sector remain cautious about proposed practice changes such as integrated care.

Psychometric properties of the primary care behavioral health screen.

The Primary Care Behavioral Health Screen (PCBHS) is a self-report instrument developed to screen for behavioral health problems in primary care settings. The present paper describes development of the PCBHS and reports findings from item analyses and studies examining the instrument's convergent validity and test-retest reliability. Results suggest the PCBHS is a useful and valid method for screening a variety of behavioral health problems in a busy primary care practice.

Understanding death attitudes: the integration of movies, positive psychology, and meaning management.

The portrayal of death is one of the most common themes in movies and is often unrealistic, promoting misconceptions to the public. However, there are also many films that portray death acceptance in an instructive way. Such films depict the development of character strengths useful in embracing life and lessening death anxiety, namely zest, curiosity, self-regulation, and humor.

Teaching integrated behavioral health in a primary care clerkship.

Background: Most behavioral health care is actually delivered by primary care physicians. Primary care clerkship students have a unique opportunity to learn about behavioral health and the integrated care model. Integrated care is an effective multidisciplinary model for delivering high quality care.

The clinical use of films in psychotherapy.

This article discusses the ways in which client attitudes about mental illness, psychotherapy, and therapists are shaped by contemporary films. Five common myths about mental illness that are promulgated by films are discussed, and the potential applications of films in psychotherapy are reviewed. Numerous examples of films relevant to psychotherapy are presented, and a clinical vignette is used to demonstrate how films can enrich and expand psychotherapy.