Background: Interventions for youth on the autism spectrum have historically taken a deficit-based approach. Increasing interest in using strength-based approaches in the autism population has led to the development of new assessment tools and behavioral interventions which take the participant's strengths and talents into consideration. One under-explored area is whether children on the spectrum rate themselves as having fewer or lower strengths than neurotypical peers. Having a better understanding of strength awareness in autism would enable practitioners to determine if strengths awareness/knowledge is an important interventional target. 

Aims: We explored how youth rated their expression of character strengths, compared to neurotypical peers. Finally, we examined the association of self-report of character strengths to other ratings of strengths, as well as depression and self-esteem.

Methods: Youth on the autism spectrum (N = 34) and neurotypical youth (N=37) completed the Global Assessment of Character strengths (GACS), as well as measures of strength knowledge and use (Strength Knowledge and Use Scale), depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale) and self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale).

Results: Youth on the spectrum rated themselves as lower in general character strength expression compared to neurotypical peers. In the autism group, character strengths correlated with ratings of general strength usage (r = .788, p = .000), depression (r = -.399, p = .010), and self-esteem (r = .384, p = .012). 

Conclusion: This preliminary report represents one of the first studies to indicate that youth on the spectrum rate themselves as having fewer character strengths than neurotypical peers. As these ratings are correlated with depression and self-esteem, these results may offer initial evidence that character strength knowledge and awareness is an appropriate intervention target for this population.