Abstract
Effects of Positive Psychology (PP) have been shown in several studies to alleviate depressive symptoms in patients suffering from major depression or dysthymia when administered within psychotherapy. The present study served to test for the effects of two interventions from PP (best possible self, three good things) when practised by depressive patients for three weeks without any other concomitant psychotherapy. Seventeen depressive patients were randomly assigned to either the PP group or the control group. Patients in the PP group wrote down the best possible self for one week and then three good things for another two weeks. Patients in the control group wrote down images of the future of mankind for one week and early memories for two weeks. Prior to the intervention and again after it had finished, depressive symptoms, satisfaction with life, positive and negative affect, optimism, and resilience were assessed. While in both groups of patients well-being and resilience increased and depressive symptoms declined, the decline of depressive symptoms and the increase of positive affect and resilience were more pronounced in the PP group. The results support the notion that even a short intervention using PP alone alleviates depressive symptoms and increases well-being. Although the effects were of marginal significance, this may be attributed to the relatively small sample size. Likewise, the use of an Intent-to-Treat analysis may have affected the PP group more than the control group, indicating an underestimation of the potency of PP in the present study.
Highlights
Positive Psychology (PP) can be regarded as that discipline in psychology that focuses on positive experiences, positive emotions, positive personality traits and positive social interacttions
The results show that PP was superior to the control intervention, i.e., all measures in the PP group improved, while this was not the case in the control group
Depression ratings, positive affect, and resilience increased markedly in the PP group compared to the control group, these increases reached only marginal statistical significance
Summary
Positive Psychology (PP) can be regarded as that discipline in psychology that focuses on positive experiences, positive emotions, positive personality traits and positive social interacttions. The principle “fix what’s wrong” should be replaced by the principle “build what’s strong” (Duckworth, Steen, & Seligman, 2005). Main variables on which PP focuses are happiness, subjective well-being, and positive affect. These variables overlap to some extent and each is a component of the others. Happiness can be regarded as the main goal of positive psychology and of psychological or psychotherapeutic interventions. Happiness is regarded as comprising self-experienced satisfaction with life and the relative amounts of positive and negative affect. High SWB arises from the experience of more positive than negative affect and a satisfaction with life
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