The present assessment involved the completion of two questionnaires. The first questionnaire aimed to profile an individual’s character strengths, defining strength in psychology as the capacity for optimal functioning in the pursuit of valued outcomes (Lopez et al., 2018). The primary strength identified was fairness, assessed through the VIA website’s quantitative personality test, which entails treating all individuals impartially, avoiding biases in decision-making, and providing everyone with an equal opportunity. While the identification of fairness as the primary strength was unexpected, it highlighted an aspect not typically used to describe the individual.

PSYC FPX 4110 Assessment 2 Wisdom, Courage, and Humanity Reflection Paper

The second questionnaire, the Compassionate Love Scale, produced less surprising results. The score, situated midway on the scale, indicated a presence of compassion without an extreme inclination to sacrifice personal needs and goals to assist others. As an ICU registered nurse, the individual expressed compassion both professionally and personally but emphasized the importance of not compromising personal happiness and goals to fulfill the satisfaction and goals of others.

Relationship to Positive Psychology

The secondary activity focused on the Compassionate Love Scale, defining compassionate love as an awareness and understanding of others’ suffering, coupled with a commitment to alleviate that suffering (Chiesi et al., 2020). It encompasses feelings, cognitions, and behaviors directed toward caring, tenderness, and support for others. The scale consists of 21 items related to responding to another’s suffering with understanding and motivation to help. Studies on the Compassionate Love Scale demonstrated high internal consistency and significant correlations supporting its validity, particularly concerning empathy, helpfulness, volunteerism, self-esteem, and positive mood (Chiesi et al., 2020).

Application to Personal or Professional Issues

In applying the VIA classification system, which identified fairness as the primary strength, the individual, working as a nurse, reflected on the challenge of providing equal care to all patients, even those with challenging backgrounds. Despite encountering difficult situations, the commitment to fairness remained paramount.

Regarding the Compassionate Love Scale, the individual acknowledged a balanced score, signifying a compassionate nature both personally and professionally. However, a clear delineation was drawn, emphasizing the need for healthy boundaries to prevent overexertion in assisting strangers to the detriment of personal well-being. Professional bodies in healthcare, education, and the justice system underscore the importance of compassion linked to pro-social behaviors and community action (Chiesi et al., 2020).

References

Chiesi, F., Lau, C., & Saklofske, D. H. (2020). A revised short version of the compassionate love scale for humanity (CLS-H-SF): evidence from item response theory analyses and validity testing. BMC Psychology, 8(1), 20. doi:10.1186/s40359-020-0386-9

Lopez, S. J., Pedrotti, J. T., & Snyder, C. R. (2018). Positive Psychology: The Scientific and Practical Explorations of Human Strengths (4th Edition). SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://capella.vitalsource.com/books/9781544341750

PSYC FPX 4110 Assessment 2 Wisdom, Courage, and Humanity Reflection Paper