Strengths interventions in higher education: The effect of identification versus development approaches on implicit self-theory

Abstract

To better understand how to promote optimal human functioning in ways that are grounded in research and theory, this study empirically explores a hypothesized link between prevalent strengths intervention practices in postsecondary educational settings and existing literature on implicit self-theories of ability. The article provides a differential description of two types of strengths interventions, referred to throughout as talent identification and strengths development. A pretest–posttest waiting list control group design with random assignment assessed whether these intervention types differed in their effect on implicit self-theory in a sample of 388 undergraduates. Results indicate a shift toward entity self-theory for the talent identification group, with no significant changes in self-theory for the other conditions. Implications for future research and strengths intervention practice are discussed.

Keywords:

• strengths
• intervention
• implicit self-theory
• Clifton StrengthsFinder
• college students

Acknowledgments

This work was funded in part by The Gallup Organization, whose support is hereby gratefully acknowledged. Any opinions, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gallup Organization. I would like to thank Drs. Laurie Schreiner, Shane Lopez, Anita Henck, Eileen Hulme, and Sandra Pettingell for their valuable feedback on this research, and Dr. Carol Dweck for granting permission to use her scale in this study.

Notes

1. The Clifton StrengthsFinder, Theme Names, and Theme Descriptions Copyright^© 2000, Gallup, Inc. Gallup®, Clifton StrengthsFinder®, and the Clifton StrengthsFinder theme names are trademarks of Gallup, Inc. All rights are reserved.

2. A more detailed description of curricula used in the two strengths interventions may be obtained from the author of this article.