Description

The VIA Inventory of Strengths – Brief (VIA-120) is a shortened version of the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS) and is designed to assess 24 character strengths. The theoretical classification of character strengths and virtues was developed by Peterson and Seligman, while the 120-item form was derived through psychometric item selection from the original 240-item version.

The instrument is grounded in the field of Positive Psychology and focuses on identifying positive personal characteristics, psychological resources, and behavioral tendencies that may contribute to well-being, personal development, resilience, and effective social functioning.

Purpose

The main purpose of the VIA-120 is to generate a profile of character strengths by assessing 24 distinct positive traits.

These strengths are theoretically organized around six broader virtues:

Wisdom and Knowledge: creativity, curiosity, judgment, love of learning, and perspective.

Courage: bravery, perseverance, honesty, and zest.

Humanity: love, kindness, and social intelligence.

Justice: teamwork, fairness, and leadership.

Temperance: forgiveness, humility, prudence, and self-regulation.

Transcendence: appreciation of beauty and excellence, gratitude, hope, humor, and spirituality.

The six virtues serve primarily as higher-order theoretical categories, whereas the VIA-120 directly assesses the 24 individual character strengths.

Structure and Administration

The VIA-120 contains 120 items, with five items representing each of the 24 character strengths.

Participants are asked to indicate the extent to which each statement describes them. Responses are typically provided using a 5-point Likert-type scale, ranging from low to high levels of self-description.

The shorter format reduces administration time compared with the original VIA-240 while retaining coverage of all 24 strengths.

Scoring

Scoring is primarily conducted separately for each of the 24 character strengths. The responses associated with each strength are combined, commonly by calculating a mean score for the corresponding five items.

Higher scores generally indicate a stronger expression or endorsement of the particular character strength.

The VIA-120 is therefore best interpreted as a multidimensional profile rather than through a single global score indicating a generally “strong” or “weak” character.

Scoring and interpretation should follow the official instructions associated with the specific version administered.

Statistical Analysis

VIA-120 data may be examined using descriptive statistics such as means, standard deviations, ranges, and score distributions for each character strength.

In research settings, additional analyses may include internal consistency estimates, correlations among strengths, group comparisons, regression analysis, exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis, and associations with variables such as well-being, resilience, life satisfaction, academic functioning, or occupational outcomes.

Reliability and Validity

Research on the VIA-120 generally supports satisfactory psychometric properties. Internal consistency varies across the individual strength scales, as expected in a multidimensional measure comprising relatively brief subscales.

The abbreviated version was developed to retain much of the psychometric information of the longer VIA assessment while reducing respondent burden and administration time.

When translated or culturally adapted versions are used, reliability, validity, and interpretation should be considered in relation to the available psychometric evidence for the specific language and population.

Applications

The VIA-120 can be used in psychological research, counseling, education, organizational psychology, coaching, and personal development programs.

Assessment of character strengths can support self-awareness, identification of personal resources, and the investigation of relationships between strengths and psychological well-being, resilience, social functioning, educational outcomes, and professional development.

References

Littman-Ovadia, H. (2015). Short form of the VIA Inventory of Strengths: Construction and initial tests of reliability and validity. International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education, 2(4), 229–237.

McGrath, R. E. (2014). Scale- and item-level factor analyses of the VIA Inventory of Strengths. Assessment, 21(1), 4–14.

Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. Oxford University Press.