PERMA-Profiler

What it measures

Operationalises Seligman's PERMA model of flourishing across five wellbeing pillars plus additional negative emotion, health, and loneliness items. Provides a profile rather than a single score, enabling targeted wellbeing intervention planning. Validated in adult community, student, and workplace samples.

Response format

Likert (0–10 per item); 15 wellbeing items scored across 5 PERMA domains + 4 negative emotion + 4 health/loneliness items

Representative items

• In general, how often do you feel joyful? (Positive Emotions)
• How often do you become absorbed in what you are doing? (Engagement)
• To what extent do you receive help and support from others when you need it? (Relationships)
• To what extent do you lead a purposeful and meaningful life? (Meaning)
• How much of the time do you feel you are making progress towards accomplishing your goals? (Accomplishment)

Usage notes & scoring

Freely available from Margaret Kern (www.peggykern.org). Five PERMA domain scores (each 0–10) are the primary output. Pairs with deficit-focused measures (PHQ-9, GAD-7) for a complete mental health picture. Profile-level interpretation is more informative than summing domains.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Butler, J., & Kern, M.L. (2016). The PERMA-Profiler: A brief multidimensional measure of flourishing. International Journal of Wellbeing, 6(3), 1–48.

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