Designing Positive Organizational Psychology Interventions

Abstract

The contemporary version of the science of positive psychology introduced by Professors Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi at the turn of the 21st century rests on the shoulders of some of the earlier pioneers and thought leaders in the discipline and profession of psychology. Donaldson et al. recently systematically reviewed and analyzed the findings from 22 meta-analyses and 231 randomized controlled trials designed to determine the efficacy of positive psychology interventions (PPIs). They found that the science of PPIs has matured to the point where we now have numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses to determine which PPIs are most effective under specific conditions. Drawing from streams of science under the positive work and organizations umbrella, including positive organizational psychology, positive organizational behavior, and POS, Donaldson et al. set out to find which positive organizational psychology interventions seem the most promising to date for enhancing well-being and optional functioning at work.