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Examining the possibility of

Growth through adversity

Can we grow through adversity?

The theme of “strength from adversity” is appealing to many, and central to a number of cultural narratives. However, claims that adversity can in fact build character lacks robust empirical evidence, with many unanswered questions remaining. Do character strengths and virtues in fact grow following adversity and what are the rigorous methodological approaches for prospectively assessing potential growth? The Pathways to Character project aims to promote research that rigorously examines whether adversity, challenge, or failure can strengthen character, with a focus on the virtues of altruism, humility, gratitude, relatedness/empathy, spirituality and open-mindedness.

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Featured Projects

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What are the Ingredients of Adversity? Examining Characteristics of Adverse Events as Predictors of Character Growth

Why do some events lead to growth in character strengths and others do not? Past research has addressed this question using a typological approach where adversities are grouped into different types or categories (e.g., daily stressor vs. clinical trauma). This approach has practical and theoretical limitations which we circumvent in this project by using a […]

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Characterizing-Character

Characterizing Character Growth Following Breast Cancer Diagnosis Using Mobile Health

Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment are potent stressors for the individual. This may be particularly so for younger patients (<40 yrs) where the disease can be more aggressive, with a higher potential for lost years of life. Yet women differ greatly in their responses to diagnosis and treatment. Some cultivate new relationships, experience psychological growth […]

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Partnered Research

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Research at ASU

Research at ASU will examine the nature of character growth following adversity, its concordance with informant reports, the processes through which growth manifests following adversity and individuals’ characteristics that may increase or decrease one’s likelihood of experiencing character growth following adversity.

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Research at WFU

Research at WFU will combine experience sampling methodology, self- and informant-ratings and qualitative interviews to examine the relationship between retrospective self-perceived growth, growth-relevant behaviors, identity and reputation to accurately access character change following challenge and failure.

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Meet the Team

Our Project Team is an interdisciplinary group of scholars, each of them well-respected in their field, who will be a part of the grant review process and serve as a board of advisors for the Pathways to Character Project.

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