In a first of its kind study, Michigan State University researchers have identified the top and bottom five character strengths for most individuals with disabilities. The findings show remarkable consistency amongst groups with all types of physical, emotional and mental disabilities, and point the way toward positive changes for clinicians and clients in rehabilitation, mental health and psychology.
The study, compiling data from close to 12,000 survey respondents across the globe, found love of learning, honesty, appreciation of beauty and excellence, kindness and fairness were the top five character strengths amongst most people with disabilities.
While there have been previous studies done on character strengths—or positive personality traits that align with moral characteristics like gratitude, teamwork and curiosity—they have, to date, only focused on one type of disability (such as physical disability) or a particular group (like those with chronic conditions). This research is unique in that it examined a wide range of individuals.
“I’ve been working on positive psychology for a long time, examining ways to help those with disabilities have better well-being, better adjustment to life, better employment,” said Emre Umucu, an assistant professor in the College of Education and lead author on the study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry. “I believe if people can identify and focus on their strengths, it will help improve their quality of life.”
The study examined 11,699 responses to the VIA Institute on Character Strengths survey, which provides “actionable tips to apply your strengths to find greater well-being.” Umucu and fellow scholars collected the data in 2020 and divided the respondents into eight subgroups for the purposes of the study. Their research included individuals with:
- Multiple disabilities (26.7% of respondents)
- Other health impairments (26.4%)
- Emotional disturbances (23.1%)
- Sensory disabilities (11.5%)
- Specific learning disabilities (4.8%)
- Orthopedic impairments (3.6%)
- Intellectual disabilities (2.6%)
- Traumatic brain injuries (1.2%)
Respondents, who self-reported all data in the survey, were predominantly women (72.3%), employed (81%) and had at least a bachelor’s degree (about 72%). More than half, nearly 54%, were from the U.S.
“Overall, there were a lot of overlaps amongst top five and bottom five reported strengths across disability groups,” said Umucu. The bottom five strengths reported were regulation, perseverance, zest, spirituality and prudence.
The consistency was surprising to scholars, who “were expecting each group to have different ideas of where they had strengths.” This was true in some instances: Individuals within the traumatic brain injury group, for example, rated their strengths higher overall than other disability groups. Those with emotional disturbances reported lower character strengths than other disability groups, “which may reflect the poorer self-esteem and lower self-concept commonly observed in those with depression and anxiety”, according to the study.
“The project findings will help mental health care professionals understand what character strengths are being used among people with different disabilities,” said Umucu. “This could be helpful in developing tailored and personalized interventions.”
Ryan M. Niemiec, an MSU graduate and the education director for the VIA Institute on Character, was a collaborator on the study. “The research tells us that character strengths might be an important and unique avenue to connect with and support a person with a disability,” he added. “Anyone can look to spot these more prevalent strengths in a person and can encourage and empower the use of these strengths.”
The study and its findings are preliminary, and merit further study, say Umucu and fellow researchers: MSU faculty Beatrice Lee, William J. Chopik, Connie Sung; Rehabilitation Counseling graduate student Mizuka Yasuka; Helen M. Genova (Kessler Foundation) and Niemiec.
For starters, Umucu, Lee and Niemiec are taking the same data set and exploring how responses vary among those who have different sociodemographic characteristics (such as employed compared to not employed), which will provide more novel findings.
The researchers also hope the findings inspire change within rehabilitation counseling, psychology and more.
“There has been a tendency to focus on negative things: depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder,” said Umucu. “We hope through this work, clinicians may instead look at individuals through a lens of strengths, assets and skills of people with disabilities. Do not just focus on the disability of someone, focus on what they can do. Focus on joy. Strength. Hope.”