Promoting Students' Strengths to Cultivate Mental Well-Being: Relationships Between College Students' Character Strengths, Well-Being, and Social Group Participation.

INCREASED DEMAND FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES has prompted an expansion of what it means to support mental and emotional well-being in the campus community. Although college counseling centers are vitally important, literature suggests that residence life staff already play prominent roles in promoting college students' mental health and responding to their concerns. One way that residential life departments and other student affairs offices can meet students' needs is through promotion of students' strengths. In this study, we explored the relationships between character strengths, subjective well-being, and social group participation in 253 college students. Results show a positive correlation between these variables. We discuss implications of these findings for student affairs professionals and paraprofessionals working with students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]