Character Strengths Involving an Orientation to Promote Good Can Help Your Health and Well-Being. Evidence From two Longitudinal Studies

Purpose: We examined the impact of an orientation to promote good-one aspect of strengths of character, understood as having consistent thoughts and taking actions that contribute to the good of oneself and others-on flourishing outcomes. Design: We used data from 2 longitudinal observational studies. The primary study used 2 waves of data collected in June 2018 and July 2019. The secondary study used 3 waves of data collected in February 2017, March 2018, and March 2019. Setting: Two culturally different populations of adults were examined: (1) a large service organization based in the United States and (2) a Mexican apparel company in the supply chain of a major global brand. Subjects: 1,209 U.S. employees and 495 Mexican apparel workers were included in the study. Measures: Self-reports of orientation to promote good, Well-Being Assessment, Flourishing Index, the CDC Health-Related Quality of Life and the Job-Related Affective Well-Being Scale were used. Analysis: An outcome-wide approach and lagged regression analyses were applied. To combine the estimates across samples meta-analytic estimates were computed. Bonferroni correction was used to correct for multiple testing. Robustness of the results to potential unmeasured confounding was examined using E-values. Results: Orientation to promote good was positively associated with subsequently higher levels of life satisfaction and happiness (beta = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.19), self-assessed mental health (beta = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.15) and physical health (beta = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.12), social connectedness (beta = 0.102, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.15) and purpose in life (beta = 0.07, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.11). It was also associated with decreased anxiety (beta = -0.11, 95% CI: -0.17, -0.06), depression (beta = -0.07, 95% CI: -0.1, -0.02) and loneliness (beta = -0.09, 95% CI: -0.13, -0.04). Possible effects on both positive affect (feeling happy) and negative affect (feeling sad, stressed and lonely) in general and while-at-work were also identified. Conclusions: Policymakers and practitioners should consider orientation to promote good as an important factor for improving population health and human flourishing while also at work.

Automated summary

The study found that a good-one orientation is positively associated with higher levels of life satisfaction, happiness, mental and physical health, social connectedness, and life purpose, while negatively associated with anxiety, depression, and loneliness. It may also have effects on both positive and negative affect in general and at work.