ABSTRACT
This chapter describes specific measures counseling psychology researchers and practitioners can use to assess various aspects of optimal human functioning, and discusses some general assessment issues in this area. It describes various definitions of optimal functioning and our rationale for choosing specific domains to cover. The chapter outlines critique assessment instruments in three domains of optimal functioning that we feel are particularly important for counseling psychologists: subjective well-being, meaning in life, and posttraumatic growth (PTG). It discusses some general assessment issues associated with global self-reports of optimal functioning that should be considered, including social desirability, current moods, question order effects, and memory biases. The chapter reviews assessment instruments and issues related to optimal functioning following traumatic events. It explores alternatives to self-report measures. The chapter concludes with a discussion of some broader issues to consider in the assessment of optimal functioning.
