Character strengths, moral motivation and vocational identity in adolescents and young adults: a scoping review

Abstract

Past reviews have examined the association between positive personality traits known as character strengths and work-related outcomes. However, little is known about the role of positive traits in the pre-career stage. This study aims to fill this gap by mapping the peer-reviewed literature on the relationships between character strengths, moral motivation and vocational identity in adolescents and young adult students. Scopus and Web of Science databases were used to identify English written sources published between 1980 and October 2020. Documents had to include one of the 24 positive psychology character strengths or a moral motivation construct (moral reasoning, moral identity or moral emotions) and one vocational identity process (commitment, exploration or reconsideration). 136 documents were selected (123 quantitative, 8 qualitative, and 5 theoretical). 15 strengths were studied together with a vocational identity process. The most investigated strengths were prudence (27.9%) curiosity (20.6%), hope (20.6%) and love (19.9%). Only one moral motivation construct (the moral emotion of empathy) was associated with vocational commitment. Four character strengths were the most studied in association with vocational identity. These strengths coincided with some skills and competencies promoted in career counselling. Some suggestions for future research on vocational development and character education are stated.