Integration of Well-Being Therapy and Positive Psychotherapy: A Response to Fava and Guidi's (2021) Commentary on Radstaak etal. (2020).

Mirjam Radstaak,Ernst T Bohlmeijer,Laura Hüning

doi:10.1002/jts.22671

Abstract

The results of our study on the effects of well‐being therapy (WBT) compared with a treatment‐as‐usual (TAU) control condition among individuals with residual symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were recently published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress (Radstaak et al., 2020). In a subsequent commentary, Fava and Guidi (2020) raised several conceptual and methodological issues that they asserted potentially limited the interpretation of the results. In this response, we aim to clarify these issues, thus contributing to the optimal interpretation of the findings.

Highlights

One of the aims of well-being therapy (WBT) is to elicit psychological well-being and optimal experiences (Fava, 1999; Fava & Guidi, 2021); Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Mirjam Radstaak, Department of Psychology, Health and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. 217, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands
We made one important adaptation in our study
Participants learned about the construct of posttraumatic growth (PTG) and were presented with assignments designed to increase PTG

Summary

Introduction

One of the aims of WBT is to elicit psychological well-being and optimal experiences (Fava, 1999; Fava & Guidi, 2021); Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Mirjam Radstaak, Department of Psychology, Health and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. 217, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands. We integrated positive psychotherapy interventions into the six sessions of WBT to enhance those feelings and experiences. Given that compassion elicits psychological wellbeing, the third session of our intervention focused on compassion and exercises to promote compassion (Neff, 2004; Zessin et al, 2015).

Objectives

Results

Conclusion