Frontiers in Psychology (Oct 2022)

Initial validation of the Chinese version VIA Youth-96 and age-related changes in character strengths among adolescents

  • Xiaotong Cheng,
  • Xiaotong Cheng,
  • Xiaotong Cheng,
  • Shuang Xu,
  • Yuyan Huang,
  • Cheng Qin,
  • Cheng Qin,
  • Cheng Qin,
  • Kezhi Liu,
  • Mingyuan Tian,
  • Xiaoyuan Liao,
  • Xinyi Zhou,
  • Bo Xiang,
  • Bo Xiang,
  • Bo Xiang,
  • Jing Chen,
  • Jing Chen,
  • Jing Chen,
  • Wei Lei,
  • Wei Lei,
  • Wei Lei

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.906171
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

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This study aimed to preliminary examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version 96-item VIA Inventory for Youth (VIA Youth-96) by analyzing the internal consistency, factorial validity, and criterion validity, and to examine the age-related changes in character strengths (CSs) among adolescents. The sample consisted of 959 adolescents aged 10–17 (49.5% boys). Participants completed the Chinese version VIA Youth-96, along with the Perceived Parental Autonomy Support Scale, and questionnaires assessing life satisfaction and self-efficacy online. The Chinese version VIA Youth-96 showed a good fit for the original four-factor structure, and CS scores were significantly correlated with life satisfaction and self-efficacy indicating a good criterion validity of the scale. The internal consistency was 0.54–0.86 for subscales. Moreover, this study revealed significant age-related changes in CSs among adolescents, eight CSs significantly linearly declined by age. These results suggested that the Chinese version VIA Youth-96 is a valid tool for assessing CSs in adolescents and that CSs are declined linearly by age during adolescence.

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