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Research Ques�on 1
RQ1 is addressed by the model fit sta�s�cs pro- is mediated on well-being by each character
vided in Table 3. Analysis of the model sugges- virtue. In the sample, as a rela�onship with
ted character virtues do par�ally mediate bet- God increases one standard devia�on, it pre-
ween a rela�onship with God and well-being in dicted a .159 standard devia�on increase in
Chris�ans when all theore�cally warranted pa- well-being mediated by gra�tude, a .063 stan-
thways between the variables are accounted dard devia�on increase in well-being mediated
for. See Figure 1 above for the path coefficients. by humility, and a .11 standard devia�on decre-
Significant standardized indirect effects (for all ase in well-being mediated by compassion.
effects, p < .01) indicate a rela�onship with God
Table 3. Model Fit Indices Summary
RMSEA IFI CFI X 2
Path Model .078 .978 .978 149.568 (p < .001)
Research Ques�on 2
The preceding data par�ally address RQ2. Ho- rela�onship with God. The suggested decrease
wever, the effects amongst the variables are re- in well-being resul�ng from compassion is at
vealed by the standardized direct and indirect odds with previous findings (Steffen & Masters,
effects. First, compassion, which seems to par- 2005). Compassion showed significantly smal-
�ally mediate a nega�ve impact on well-being. ler correla�ons with three well-being items
Compassion primarily predicted reduc�ons in than gra�tude and humility that may explain its
emo�onal well-being (-.1) and eudaimonic nega�ve associa�on with well-being (See Table
well-being (-.098). These reduc�ons occur de- 4).
spite compassion posi�vely correla�ng with a
Table 4. Character virtues’ correla�ons with well-being scales
Well-being Scale Item Humility Compassion Gra�tude
SWEMWBS 4 "I've been dealing with problems .272 .075 .205
well."
SPANE 8 “Sad” -.348 -.059 -.183
SPANE 9 “Afraid” -.256 -.053 -.183
Beyond media�on, each character virtue had a that part of each character virtues total effect
significant (p < .01) total predicted impact on on well-being may be related to a rela�onship
well-being (total of the direct and indirect with God. A rela�onship with God predicted
effects). Gra�tude predicted the largest posi�- the largest total posi�ve increase to well-being
ve impact (total effect of .394), humility is se- through all paths (total effect of .544, p < .01).
cond (total effect of .191), and compassion Increases in a rela�onship with God significant-
maintained a nega�ve predicted effect (total ly correlated to increases in emo�onal well-
effect of -.113). Predic�ve correla�ons suggest being (total effect of .482, p < .01), eudaimonic
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