Created by physicians, we believe in evidence and independent verification.
For over two decades, we’ve developed and validated our methodology through scientific research, not passing trends. Built on evidence and published in peer-reviewed journals, our approach gives individuals and organizations trusted tools that improve wellbeing, performance, and engagement.
Created by physicians, we believe in evidence and independent verification.
For over two decades, we’ve developed and validated our methodology through scientific research, not passing trends. Built on evidence and published in peer-reviewed journals, our approach gives individuals and organizations trusted tools that improve wellbeing, performance, and engagement.
Built with academic rigor
Our research partners from the Department of Psychology at California State University, Stanislaus, have ensured our science is rigorous, credible, and up to date with the latest advancements in the field.
Deep dive into our science
Peer-reviewed science
The importance of belonging for well-being in college students
College students are vulnerable to mental health challenges that include depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. We examined how subjective well-being in 369 college students in the United States was affected by the number of friends or family members who could provide essential needs (instrumental support) or with whom intimate or personal matters could be discussed (emotional support), the frequency of engaging with others, satisfaction with these engagements, and the sense of belonging.
Identifying Core Values with a Hierarchical, Ipsative, Preference Assessment
Jamie McCreary, Ph.D., and Harold Stanislaw, Ph.D.
Values provide a foundation for decision-making, behavior, and emotional reaction. They are often used by practitioners to design effective interventions for self-awareness and personal growth. This report describes a novel, user-friendly method that identifies Core Values with a hierarchical ipsatization procedure (HIP) that is transparent and efficient.
Technical reports
The Role of Well-Being in Learning Recovery
Jamie McCreary, Ph.D., and Harold Stanislaw, Ph.D.
Core Values of SCOE Students and Employees
Jamie McCreary, Ph.D., and Harold Stanislaw, Ph.D.
Research Briefs
Core Values: Importance and Assessment
Jamie McCreary, Ph.D., and Harold Stanislaw, Ph.D.
Published in the Journal of Personality Assessment, the benefits of Core Value-alignment are real.
Activates reward centers of the brain2
Gives you a future orientation2
Mental wellbeing improves3
Psychological distress decreases4
Self-compassion improves5
Increases positive behaviors towards others6
Less rumination after failing7
Reduces negativity8
Increases creativity at work9
Makes life feel more meaningful10
Higher levels of optimism and happiness11
Lower levels of sadness and anger12
Increased success in reaching goals13
Performance improves at work and school14-16
Published in the Journal of Personality Assessment, the benefits of Core Value-alignment are real.
Activates reward centers of the brain2
Gives you a future orientation2
Mental wellbeing improves3
Psychological distress decreases4
Self-compassion improves5
Increases positive behaviors towards others6
Less rumination after failing7
Reduces negativity8
Increases creativity at work9
Makes life feel more meaningful10
Higher levels of optimism and happiness11
Lower levels of sadness and anger12
Increased success in reaching goals13
Performance improves at work and school14-16
References: 1.Stanislaw H, McCreary J. Identifying Core Values with a Hierarchical, Ipsative, Preference Assessment. Journal of Personality Assessment. 2022. doi:10.1080/00223891.2022.2090369 2.Cascio CN, O’Donnell MB, Tinney FJ, et al. Self-affirmation activates brain systems associated with self-related processing and reward and is reinforced by future orientation. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2016;11(4):621-629. doi:10.1093/scan/nsv136 3.Sheldon, K. M., & Elliot, A. J. (1999). Goal striving, need satisfaction, and longitudinal well- being: The self-concordance model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(3), 482-497. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.76.3.482 4.Yasuma N, Watanabe K, Iida M, Nishi D, Kawakami N (2019) Personal values in adolescence and psychological distress in adults: A cross-sectional study based on a retrospective recall. PLoS ONE 14(11): e0225454. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225454 5.Thomaes, S., Bushman, B. J., de Castro, B. O., & Reijntjes, A. (2012). Arousing “gentle passions” in young adolescents: Sustained experimental effects of value affirmations on prosocial feelings and behaviors. Developmental Psychology, 48(1), 103-110. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025677 6.Lindsay, E. K., & Creswell, J. D. (2014). Helping the self help others: Self-affirmation increases self-compassion and pro-social behaviors. Frontiers in Psychology, 5(421), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00421 7.Koole, S. L., Smeets, K., Van Knippenberg, A., & Dijksterhuis, A. (1999). The cessation of rumination through self-affirmation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77(1), 111-125. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.77.1.111 8.Emanuel, A. S., Howell, J. L., Taber, J. M., Ferrer, R. A., Klein, W. M., & Harris, P. R. (2018). Spontaneous self-affirmation is associated with psychological well-being: Evidence from a US national adult survey sample. Journal of Health Psychology, 23(1), 95-102. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105316643595 9.Jiang, L. (2018). Job insecurity and creativity: The buffering effect of self‐affirmation and work‐affirmation. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 48(7), 388-397. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.12519 10.Nelson, S. K., Fuller, J. A., Choi, I., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2014). Beyond self-protection: Self- affirmation benefits hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(8), 998-1011. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167214533389 11.Emanuel, A. S., Howell, J. L., Taber, J. M., Ferrer, R. A., Klein, W. M., & Harris, P. R. (2018). Spontaneous self-affirmation is associated with psychological well-being: Evidence from a US national adult survey sample. Journal of Health Psychology, 23(1), 95-102. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105316643595 12.Bono, J. E., & Judge, T. A. (2003). Self-concordance at work: Toward understanding the motivational effects of transformational leaders. Academy of Management Journal, 46(5), 554-571. https://doi.org/10.5465/30040649 13.Gaudreau P. Goal self-concordance moderates the relationship between achievement goals and indicators of academic adjustment. Learning and Individual Differences. 2012/12/01/ 2012;22(6):827-832. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2012.06.006 14.Bono JE, Judge TA. Self-Concordance at Work: Toward Understanding the Motivational Effects of Transformational Leaders. The Academy of Management Journal. 2003;46(5):554-571. doi:10.2307/30040649 15.Smith AL, Ntoumanis N, Duda JL, Vansteenkiste M. Goal striving, coping, and well-being: a prospective investigation of the self-concordance model in sport. J Sport Exerc Psychol. Feb 2011;33(1):124-45. doi:10.1123/jsep.33.1.124 16.Purcell, R., Gwyther, K. & Rice, S.M. Mental Health In Elite Athletes: Increased Awareness Requires An Early Intervention Framework to Respond to Athlete Needs. Sports Med – Open 5, 46 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-019-0220-1