The Development and Initial Validation of the Preschool Strengths Inventory

Abstract

Psychological assessment is a valuable tool that aids in the process of diagnosis, treatment, and the evaluation of outcomes in therapy. However, assessment has a long history of being skewed towards the negative aspects of human traits and functioning (Lopez & Snyder, 2003; Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). There has been a shift in this practice, which includes a greater emphasis on the identification of positive characteristics and the balance of strengths and weaknesses (e.g., Linley & Harrington, 2006; Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson, 2005). This movement has made significant gains in the adult and adolescent literature, with the inclusion of multiple strength assessments and clinical interventions (Magyar-Moe, 2009). However, less attention has been given to children. As such, the purpose of this study was to create and begin validating a reliable measure of preschool-aged children's inter- and intra-personal strengths based upon a developmental framework. Four focus groups with parents (N= 16) of preschool-aged children (ages 3-5) and a thorough review of the literature were conducted to identify the strengths preschool-aged children possess. Following item development, the preliminary Preschool Strengths Inventory (PSI) was given to parents (N = 302) of preschool-aged children. An exploratory factor analysis showed five factors best represented the data, which included Strengths of Agreeableness, Strengths of Extraversion/Openness, Strengths of Conscientiousness, Leadership, and Organization. Factor loadings were strong, .50 or higher, with no cross loadings higher than .25. This model was confirmed using a confirmatory factor analysis, with strong internal reliability. The PSI is the first measure of its kind designed for preschool-aged children to identify internal strengths based on developmental literature. Limitations and future directions are discussed.