Study using network analyses to explore the map of strengths in a large sample of individuals (N = 1,255,248) from the general population in the United States, Australia, Canada, and UK.In this repository you can find the script used for the VIA network analysis.
Objective. Traditional methods of analyzing the structure of psychological strengths with the VIA Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS) have yielded different solutions, not always confirming the original structure of 24 strengths corresponding to six virtues as proposed by Peterson and Seligman (2004). Method. In contrast with previous studies that have analyzed psychological strengths using latent variable approaches, this study used network analyses to explore the map of strengths in a large sample of individuals (N = 1,255,248) from the general population in the United States, Australia, Canada, and UK. Results. The network analysis revealed four different communities (i.e., groups of strengths): Discernment, Interpersonal, Responsibility, and Energy. The strength most connected to other nodes was Gratitude, whereas Love of Learning was the least connected node. The overall network predictability was quite high (mean R2 = .49), and the stability of the network was adequate. Conclusion. These results open a new way to conceptualize psychological strengths as a complex network of mutually interconnected elements. Furthermore, it reveals a structure of four distinct groups of strengths that complement results from factor analyses that future research should replicate and validate.