Our findings show that persons who live their life according to high moral standards have substantially lower odds of depression. “We know that character strengths are positive personality traits that are essential to one’s identity, contribute to the greater good, and play a favorable role in promoting well-being and positive health. The results were also indicative of positive associations between SMC and self-reports of mental health (β = 0.048–0.118) and physical health (β = 0.048–0.096).Īccording to lead author of this study, Dorota Weziak-Bialowolska, research scientist at Harvard SHINE, affiliated scientist at Human Flourishing Program, and associate professor of sociology at the Jagiellonian University: The results suggest that persons who live their life according to high moral standards have substantially lower odds of depression (by 21–51 percent). The prospective associations between SMC (seven indicators and a composite measure) and physical and mental health outcomes were examined using lagged linear and logistic regression models.

Self-reported physical and mental health as well as diagnostic information on depression, anxiety, and cardiovascular disease were used as outcomes. VanderWeele, and Eileen McNeely used longitudinal observational data merged with medical insurance claims data collected from 1209 working adults of a large services organization in the U.S. Lee, Piotr Bialowolski, Ying Chen, Tyler J. Authors Dorota Weziak-Bialowolska, Matthew T. Researchers from Harvard Chan SHINE and the Human Flourishing Program have published a new paper in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology exploring the role of strengths of moral character (SMC) in physical and mental health.

Integrity health