Validation of the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths for Youth (VIA-Youth) Among South African learners

This study investigated the reliability and validity of the Values in Action Inventory for Youth (VIA-Youth) of Park and Peterson (2006) in a total multi-cultural group of South African learners aged 13 to 17 years (N=1691: male = 703, female = 988). Descriptive statistics, reliability coefficients...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of psychology in Africa 2008-01, Vol.18 (1), p.143-154
Main Authors: van Eeden, Chrizanne, Wissing, Marié P., Dreyer, Jeanette, Park, Nansook, Peterson, Christopher
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Character strengths
Measurement
Pathology
Psychometrics
reliability
South Africa
South African learners
Statistics
validity
values
Well-being
Youth
youths
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Summary:This study investigated the reliability and validity of the Values in Action Inventory for Youth (VIA-Youth) of Park and Peterson (2006) in a total multi-cultural group of South African learners aged 13 to 17 years (N=1691: male = 703, female = 988). Descriptive statistics, reliability coefficients and correlations were calculated, and confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were performed. Acceptable reliability coefficients were obtained for most of the strengths subscales. Criterion-related validity was supported by correlations in expected directions between VIA-Youth subscales and indices of psychological well-being and pathology. Exploration of construct validity by testing of structural equation models and confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses suggested that the VIA-Youth is more homogeneous or uni-dimensional than multi-dimensional. Findings did not support the theoretically hypothesized six virtue-cluster model of character strengths.
ISSN:1433-0237
1815-5626
DOI:10.1080/14330237.2008.10820181