Abstract
For at least four decades, researchers have studied the effectiveness of interventions designed to increase well-being. These interventions have become known as positive psychology interventions (PPIs). Two highly cited meta-analyses examined the effectiveness of PPIs on well-being and depression: Sin and Lyubomirsky (2009) and Bolier et al. (2013). Sin and Lyubomirsky reported larger effects of PPIs on well-being (r = .29) and depression (r = .31) than Bolier et al. reported for subjective well-being (r = .17), psychological well-being (r = .10), and depression (r = .11). A detailed examination of the two meta-analyses reveals that the authors employed different approaches, used different inclusion and exclusion criteria, analyzed different sets of studies, described their methods with insufficient detail to compare them clearly, and did not report or properly account for significant small sample size bias. The first objective of the current study was to reanalyze the studies selected in each of the published meta-analyses, while taking into account small sample size bias. The second objective was to replicate each meta-analysis by extracting relevant effect sizes directly from the primary studies included in the meta-analyses. The present study revealed three key findings: (1) many of the primary studies used a small sample size; (2) small sample size bias was pronounced in many of the analyses; and (3) when small sample size bias was taken into account, the effect of PPIs on well-being were small but significant (approximately r = .10), whereas the effect of PPIs on depression were variable, dependent on outliers, and generally not statistically significant. Future PPI research needs to focus on increasing sample sizes. A future meta-analyses of this research needs to assess cumulative effects from a comprehensive collection of primary studies while being mindful of issues such as small sample size bias.
Highlights
Mental health has often been conceptualized as the absence of negative symptomatology [1]
The present study revealed three key findings: (1) many of the primary studies used a small sample size; (2) small sample size bias was pronounced in many of the analyses; and (3) when small sample size bias was taken into account, the effect of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) on well-being were small but significant, whereas the effect of PPIs on depression were variable, dependent on outliers, and generally not statistically significant
To calculate PPIs effect sizes, we extracted the following data for each study, intervention, and relevant outcome measure: research design; intervention; outcome measure; sample size of both control and intervention group; overall sample size; means and standard deviations of both pre and post assessments; within condition correlations between pre and post measurements; any F, t, p, or effect size (e.g., Cohen’s d) statistics reported for post only comparisons between control and intervention conditions; mean differences between pre and post measurements and associated standard deviations; and any other relevant data that allowed for effect size calculations
Summary
Mental health has often been conceptualized as the absence of negative symptomatology [1]. Ryff developed a model of PWB with six dimensions: (1) Self acceptance (viewing oneself positively); (2) Positive relations with others (the ability to be empathetic and connect with others in more than superficial ways); (3) Autonomy (self-motivation and independence); (4) Environmental mastery (the ability and maturity to control and choose environments that are most appropriate); (5) Purpose in life (a sense of belonging, significance, and chosen direction); and (6) Personal growth (continuously seeking growth and optimal functioning) Both components of well-being have led researchers to different hypotheses and interests, continually providing both similar and dissimilar findings [2,10]. Well-being is a broad, multidimensional, construct that includes one’s affect, satisfaction with life, happiness, engagement with others, personal growth, and meaning and functioning in life
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