Citation: Su R, Tay L, Diener E. The development and validation of the Comprehensive Inventory of Thriving (CIT) and the Brief Inventory of Thriving (BIT). Appl Psychol Health Well Being. 2014 Nov;6(3):251-79.
PMID: 24919454
Main construct measured: thriving
Sub-constructs measured: N/A
Available subscales:
CIT: relationship (support, community, trust, respect, loneliness, belonging); engagement; mastery (skills, learning, accomplishment, self-efficacy, self-worth); autonomy (lack of control); meaning; optimism; subjective well-being (life satisfaction, positive feelings, negative feelings)
BIT: relationship (support, belonging); engagement; mastery (accomplishment, self-efficacy, self-worth); meaning; optimism; subjective well-being (life satisfaction, positive feelings)
Description: The Comprehensive (CIT) and Brief (BIT) Inventories of Thriving measure a broad range of psychological well-being constructs a represent a holistic view of positive functioning. The CIT includes 18 subscales (3 items each) with 54 items total. The BIT has 10 items total and can serve as an indicator of psychological well-being and a brief screening tool of mental health.
Number of items:
CIT – 54 items (3 items per 18 subscales)
BIT – 10 items (1 item per 10 subscales)
Example of statement/item: “I feel a sense of belonging in my community”, “In most activities I do, I feel energized”, “What I do in my life is valuable and worthwhile”, “The life choices I make are not really mine”, “I feel good most of the time”
Response options: 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 “Strongly Disagree” to 5 “Strongly Agree”
Total score: The researchers who developed the scale recommend that users refer to the norms of the scales developed in the original paper (Su, Tay, Diener, 2014) as a guideline for identifying psychological strengths and risks. A score above the 75th percentile signifies an area of strength, whereas a score below the 25th percentile points to an area of risk and the need for intervention or referral. A score between the 25th and 75th percentiles indicates that an area is within the common range.
Examples of studies:
Cheng X, Bu H, Duan W, He A, Zhang Y. Measuring character strengths as possible protective factors against suicidal ideation in older Chinese adults: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2020 Apr 3;20(1):439.
Su R, Tay L, Diener E. The development and validation of the Comprehensive Inventory of Thriving (CIT) and the Brief Inventory of Thriving (BIT). Appl Psychol Health Well Being. 2014 Nov;6(3):251-79.