Tools for Strengths-Based Assessment and Evaluation

Catherine Simmons, PhD, LCSW ìDrs. Simmons and Lehmann have given all of us in the helping professionsópractitioners and researchers alikeóa comprehensive resource for finding and selecting psychometrically sound, practical, strengths-based measures that we can use not only to ëlook at the resultsí but to do so in a way that we ëmeasure others by their strengths.í We look forward to seeing this invaluable resourceÖon every social workerís desk in the coming years.î -John G. Orme, PhD, MSW Professor, University of Tennessee -Terri Combs-Orme, PhD The Urban Child Institute Endowed Professor Traditionally, assessment and evaluation have focused on the negative aspects or deficits of a clientís presentation. Yet strengths, health, and those things that are going ìrightî in a personís life are key protective factors in the prevention and treatment of many mental health problems. Thus, measuring strengths is an important component of a balanced assessment and evaluation process. This is the first compendium of more than 150 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 an individualís strengths while being easy to complete, score, and interpret. The scales and instruments included are consistently formatted, 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: Assessing Emotions Scale Affective Balance Scale Flourishing Scale Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire Positive States of Mind Scale Measure of Expectations for Partner Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale Parenting Sense of Competence Scale Personal Well-being Index Proactive Coping Inventory Psychological Empowerment Scale Stress-Related Growth Scale Social Well-being Scales Wellness Beliefs Scale