Character Strengths and the PERMA Framework: A Comprehensive Approach to Human Flourishing

Abstract

The quest for human flourishing has, within positive psychology, evolved from a narrow focus on happiness to a multicomponent conceptualization of well-being, as exemplified by Martin Seligman's PERMA model. This paper examines the role of character strengths, as identified in the VIA classification, as the foundation for developing the five elements of PERMA: Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. Through systematic review of empirical research, theoretical literature, and psychometric analysis, this review confirms the specific interactions among well-being facets and strengths. It also considers the application of such understanding in key areas, testing the expanded PERMA+4 model for workplace flourishing and positive education interventions for student development. The results confirm that character strengths are functional mechanisms for well-being development, with distinctive strengths predicting specific PERMA outcomes. The availability of validated measures, like the PERMA-Profiler, facilitates accurate measurement and personalized interventions. The article concludes that the combination of character strengths and the PERMA model offers a robust, evidence-based framework for promoting human flourishing across diverse contexts, while also identifying cultural and methodological considerations for future research.