Personality, Values, and Character Strengths: Contributions to Positive Changes in Bereavement

Abstract

The objective of this study is to test an explanatory model of posttraumatic growth in bereavement that combines personality traits, human values, and character strengths, to identify the linear relationship between value subfunctions and character strengths and the mediating role of human values in the relationship between personality and strengths. There were two samples, the first with 243 individuals (Mage = 27.88, SD = 9.74), 63.4% of whom were women, who answered the Character Strengths Scale, Big Five Inventory, Basic Values Questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire, and the second totaling 207 individuals (Mage = 27.56, SD = 12.24), 74.8% of whom were women, who had gone through bereavement and answered the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. The calculated correlations, followed by regressions and mediation models, demonstrated the contributions of the extraversion and agreeableness traits, the normative subfunction, and character strengths in explaining posttraumatic growth. Thus, it is concluded that it is important to count on these variables in promoting positive experiences and overcoming adversities in the bereavement process.