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

Karrie A Shogren; Leslie A Shaw; Sheida K Raley; Michael L Wehmeyer; Ryan M Niemiec; Megan Adkins

doi:10.1352/1934-9556-56.1.13

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

Intellect Dev Disabil. 2018 Feb;56(1):13-29. doi: 10.1352/1934-9556-56.1.13.

Authors

Karrie A Shogren¹, Leslie A Shaw¹, Sheida K Raley¹, Michael L Wehmeyer¹, Ryan M Niemiec¹, Megan Adkins¹

Affiliation

¹ Karrie A. Shogren, Leslie A. Shaw, Sheida K. Raley, and Michael L. Wehmeyer, University of Kansas; Ryan M. Niemiec, VIA Institute on Character; and Megan Adkins, University of Kansas.

PMID: 29389255
DOI: 10.1352/1934-9556-56.1.13

Abstract

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. Reliability of the scale was similar across the two groups. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Keywords: VIA-Youth; character strengths; intellectual disability; strengths-based assessment.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Character*
Child
Female
Humans
Intellectual Disability / diagnosis*
Intellectual Disability / psychology*
Male
Personality Assessment*
Reproducibility of Results
Surveys and Questionnaires
Virtues