The High Five Model as a Predictor of Optimal Functioning in University Students: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Objectives: The high-five model (HFM) categorizes five positive human characteristics — erudition, peace, joviality, honesty, and tenacity — on the basis of an inductive psycholexical approach. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive power of the HFM in a sample of university students to assess whether these traits could predict optimal functioning after 20 months. Optimal functioning was defined as high academic performance; emotional, personal, and social well-being; and low levels of psychopathology. Methods: The study included 136 university students with a mean age of 30.8 years (SD = 1.86; 83% female; 17% male). The predictor variables were high factors (HFI – High Five Inventory –), and the criterion variables were emotional, personal, and social well-being (Mental Health Continuum-Short Form – MHC-SF –), psychopathological symptoms (Symptom Checklist-27, SCL-27), and academic achievement (self-reported academic grades). The data were analyzed both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Results: The findings indicated that the HFI, particularly the factors of Honesty (β = .64, p = .05) and Tenacity (β = .49, p = .01), demonstrated high predictive power in identifying profiles of optimal functioning (high complete mental well-being) in university students after 20 months. The predictive power of the model was greater when predictors and criteria were analyzed cross-sectionally rather than longitudinally (explaining 35% vs. 17% of the variance). Conclusions: HFM effectively distinguished between high- and low-complete mental well-being groups both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, demonstrating its robustness in predicting optimal functioning at various time points.