Relationships between Positive Human Traits and PERMA (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishments) in Student Veterans with and without Disabilities: A Canonical Correlation Analysis

Purpose: We explored the relationships between positive human traits and positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievement (PERMA) the core elements for Seligman's model of happiness and well-being. Method: Two hundred and five student veterans (147 males and 58 females; 80 with service-related disability) were recruited from several colleges and universities across the United States. Participants completed positive human traits measures on resilience, hope, optimism, attachment, and coping, along with the "PERMA Profiler" that measures the five core elements of the well-being theory. Correlational techniques and canonical correlation analysis were computed to examine the canonical relationship between positive human traits and PERMA variables. Results: Overall, the positive human traits set accounted for 37% of the variance in the PERMA set, whereas the PERMA set accounted for 51% of the variance in the positive human traits set. Conclusions: The research findings suggest that human traits can be conceptualized as building blocks for PERMA, and PERMA are the core elements for happiness and well-being. Importantly, student veterans with disabilities had significantly lower resilience, secure attachment and PERMA scores. Positive psychology interventions to help student veterans, especially students with service-related disabilities, develop character strengths, and PERMA could improve college life adjustment and goal persistence of student veterans.