UNDERSTANDING THE LINK BETWEEN CHARACTER STRENGTHS AND MINDFULNESS: INSIGHTS FROM HIGH SCHOOL POPULATIONS

Abstract

Objective: To examine (a) the relationship between global character strengths and dispositional mindfulness among high-school students, and (b) the distribution of levels of character strengths and mindfulness in the sample.

Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 344 high-school students age (M = 17.06, SD = 0.63) drawn from urban and rural schools. Character strengths were measured with the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths for Youth (VIA-Youth, 96 items, 5-point Likert) and mindfulness with the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale—Adolescent version (MAAS-A, 14 items, 6-point Likert). Data collection occurred in classroom settings under researcher supervision. Analyses comprised descriptive statistics, categorical classification of score ranges (low/moderate/high), and Pearson product-moment correlation to test the association between total VIA and MAAS scores. Reliability (internal consistency) was evaluated for both scales.

Results: The sample was predominantly urban (83.1%), largely from nuclear families (79.7%), and balanced by gender (53.9% male). The correlation between total VIA and MAAS scores was small and positive but not statistically significant (r = .077, p = .157), indicating minimal shared linear variance between global character strengths and dispositional mindfulness in this sample. Classification of total VIA scores showed 25.0% low, 50.6% moderate, and 24.4% high; MAAS-A classifications showed 25.6% low, 51.7% moderate, and 22.7% high. Instruments were administered with standard procedures; internal consistency was assessed (see manuscript for coefficients).

Conclusion: Most students reported moderate levels of both character strengths and mindfulness, yet global measures of these constructs were largely independent in this cross-sectional sample. The findings suggest that aggregate indices of character strengths may obscure facet-specific relations with mindfulness and that cultural, developmental, and measurement factors can influence observed associations. Longitudinal, facet-level, and intervention studies—using culturally validated measures and multi-informant designs are recommended to clarify causal pathways and identify which specific strengths most closely relate to mindful attention in adolescents.