Considering personal strengths: The effect of three different methods on mood, arousal, and self-esteem

One hundred twenty-eight college students were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 strength consideration conditions: (a) open-ended generation of strengths, (b) cued generation of strengths using 7 Divisions of Self (social, cogniti ve, behavioral, physical, emotional, motivational, spiritual; Dees, Dansere au, Peel, Boatler, gr Knight, 1991) as cues, and (c) selection of strengths using the Tower of Strengths Activity (Sia & Czuchry, 1997). After all 3 c onditions, students showed an increase in specific aspects of self-esteem a nd positive mood, and a decrease in global self-esteem. Students' arousal d ecreased after both open-ended generation and cued generation, whereas afte r the selection of strengths, students' arousal remained the same. Applicat ions of the strength consideration activities are discussed.