Validation of the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths for Youth (VIA-Youth) Among South African learners

Abstract

This study investigated the reliability and validity of the Values in Action Inventory for Youth (VIA-Youth) of Park and Peterson (2006) in a total multi-cultural group of South African learners aged 13 to 17 years (N=1691: male = 703, female = 988). Descriptive statistics, reliability coefficients and correlations were calculated, and confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were performed. Acceptable reliability coefficients were obtained for most of the strengths subscales. Criterion-related validity was supported by correlations in expected directions between VIA-Youth subscales and indices of psychological well-being and pathology. Exploration of construct validity by testing of structural equation models and confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses suggested that the VIA-Youth is more homogeneous or uni-dimensional than multi-dimensional. Findings did not support the theoretically hypothesized six virtue-cluster model of character strengths.