Strength-Based Assessment

A strength-based assessment can help an individual learn about their resources, strengths, and capacity to overcome difficulties. Goals of a strength-based assessment are to help identify the individual’s talents, skills, and knowledge, as well as their desires and aspirations to enhance overall well-being and life satisfaction. The assessment is tailored to each individual’s aspirations and goals and uses multiple methods to understand the different facets that are either helping or hindering the individual’s ability to achieve his/her goals (e.g., cognitive, social, emotional, leisure, spiritual, and/or physical factors).

A strengths-based assessment includes a clinical interview and completion of questionnaires/rating scales tailored to the individual’s unique goals. Based on what he/she wishes to achieve, it may also include standardized testing in areas of functioning in which the individual wishes to gain a fuller understanding (e.g., memory, learning style).