Tools for Strengths-Based Assessment and Evaluation

Catherine Simmons

nov 2012 · Springer Publishing Company

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Traditionally, assessment and evaluation have focused on the negative aspects or deficits of a client's presentation. Yet strengths, health, and those things that are going "right" in a person's life are key protective factors in the prevention and treatment of manymental health problems. Thus, measuring strengths is an important component of a balanced assessment and evaluation process. This is the first compendium of more than 140 valid and reliable strengths-based assessment tools that clinicians, researchers, educators, and program evaluators can use to assess a wide array of positive attributes, including well-being, mindfulness, optimism, resilience, humor, aspirations, values, sources of support, emotional intelligence, and much more. These tools provide a clear picture of anindividual’s strengths while being easy to complete, score, and interpret.

The scales and instruments included are consistently formatted, are organized according to construct measures, and include tools for working with adults, couples, families, children, and special populations. They represent a wide range of theoretical approaches and were written by a diverse array of professionals, including social workers, psychologists, nurses, physicians, and sociologists.

Partial List of Instruments:

• Adult Dispositional Hope Scale
• Assessing Emotions Scale
• Flourishing Scale
• Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire
• Positive States of Mind Scale
• A Measure of Expectations for Partner
• Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale
• Parenting Sense of Competence Scale
• Personal Wellbeing Index
• Proactive Coping Inventory
• Psychological Empowerment Scale
• Stress-Related Growth Scale
• Social Wellbeing Scales
• Wellness Beliefs Scale

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Peter Lehmann PhD, LCSW is a retired Professor from the University of Texas at Arlington. His primary areas of research are in solution-focused brief therapy and batterer intervention programs.

Catherine Simmons, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., is an Associate Professor at the University of Memphis, Department of Social Work.