Overuse, Underuse, Optimal-Use of Character Strengths (OUOU)

The Overuse, Underuse, Optimal-Use of Character Strengths Scale (OUOU) was developed by Pavel Freidlin, Dr. Hadassah Littman-Ovadia, and Dr. Ryan Niemiec to assess the degree to which people report using their character strengths inappropriately too little, too much, or in a balanced manner. After publication, the scale underwent revision by the authors and Dr. Robert McGrath to improve its language and accuracy in assessing the constructs (e.g., overuse of creativity, underuse of fairness, optimal-use of bravery, and so on). Early findings have revealed significant correlations between overuse, underuse, and optimal-use of strengths with flourishing, life satisfaction, and depression. Scores have also been studied in relation to clinical conditions. For example, a combination of 6 overuses/underuses was able to identify, with 87.5% accuracy, whether someone met threshold criteria for social anxiety disorder.

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