Development of the Japanese version of the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS)

Abstract

Purpose of this study was to develop the Japanese version of the Values In Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS). Japanese VIA-IS was back-translated, and their items were checked by the developers of the original VIA-IS. Participants in our standardization study were 778 undergraduate students who answered a battery of self-report questionnaires. The battery consisted of the Japanese versions of VIA-IS, Subjective Happiness Scale, General Health Questionnaire, and NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). It was found that VIA-IS has high internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Happier people showed higher overall scores on VIA-IS and on almost all subscales both in men and women. Scores on VIA-IS were higher in the healthier group than in the unhealthy group, especially on the subscales of depression and impediment of social activities. Subscales of NEO-FFI were related to subscales of VIA-IS in a consistent way. High nomination groups showed significantly higher scores on eight subscales of VIA-IS than low nomination groups.