As a part of my continuing education as a hypnotherapist, I am taking a class through the Core Strengths Coaching Program at San Francisco State’s College of Extended Learning. The class is called Cultivating Core Strengths, Resilience and Optimism.
One of our homework assignments was to take the “Via Signature Strengths Survey” at authentichappiness.org, a site developed by Martin Seligman, Ph.D., Director of the University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Center, and author of the book Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment.
After analyzing your responses to 240 multiple-choice questions, the survey identifies your “signature strengths.” While it is not a perfect instrument, I do feel it is worth taking. Whether or not you agree with the results, you are sure to engage in meaningful self-reflection.
To take the test, you must first register with authentichappiness.org. (It’s free.) Once you are registered, look for the “VIA Signature Strengths Survey” under “Engagement Questionnaires” in the center column of the home page.
Upon completing the survey, the site will generate your top five strengths. If you would like to see your ranking for all 24 strengths, go to: http://www.authentichappiness.org/all24/.
Seligman’s book also includes the survey and instructions for scoring:
July 21, 2009 at 4:58 am
The original site for the VIA Survey is at http://www.viacharacter.org. There people can find the option of getting an expanded, in-depth report as well as other products and information regarding character strengths
July 21, 2009 at 6:28 am
Hello. Just to let you know, an indepth, 16 page report of your signature strengths with raw scores and several charts is available from the VIA Institute on Character. The VIA Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to the science of character. Dr. Seligman and Dr. Peterson are on it’s board of directors. You’ll love this report. Do you know your numbers?
debp@viacharacter.org
July 21, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Thanks for writing in, Neal and Deb. I’m so glad to know about viacharacter.org. What a great resource.