Nurturing psychological well-being through an online positive psychological intervention: a PERMA model approach

Objective To establish the screening condition of psychological intervention for patients in department of chest surgery and to explore the effect of psychological intervention on mental status and quality of life of patients undergoing operation. Methods Firstly, 30 healthy citizens and 30 patients undergone thoracic surgery were selected used simple random sampling method from October 2015 to December 2016. The Quality of Life Assessment Table (SF-36) and 90 Symptom Self-assessment Tables (SCL-90) were used respectively to obtain the ROC curve analysis of each total score. The respective values of them were obtained. Secondly, according to the cut-off value, 90 eligible patients were selected and randomly divided into control group and observation group, 45 cases in each group. The control group was given general care, and the intervention group received positive psychological intervention nursing for 2 weeks. Before and after intervention, all patients underwent SF-36 and SCL-90 scores, and the nursing satisfaction survey was done before the end of the study. Results The ROC curve analysis showed that the patients with SF-36 total score less than 570.55 had poorer quality of life, and the patients with SCL-90 total score more than 13.21 had poor mental status. After the intervention, the SF-36 score in emotional function, social function, the overall health of the two groups had no statistical difference (P>0.05) , other indicators of the intervention group were better than the control group, and there were statistical differences (P 0.05) , other indicators of the intervention group were better than the control group, and there were statistical differences (P<0.05) . Conclusions The patients undergoing chest surgery with SF-36 total score less than 570.55 and SCL-90 total score more than 13.21 need positive psychological nursing intervention, and positive nursing intervention has a positive impact on the quality of life and psychological status of such patients. Key words: Thoracic surgery operation; Quality of life; Psychological state; Psychological nursing; Positive psychological intervention

Despite rapid growth in the female prison population, there is little research on effectiveness of psychological interventions for them. To test the hypotheses that (1) each of two psychological interventions administered separately - cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or positive psychology intervention (PPI) - would be more effective than 'treatment-as-usual' alone in reducing psychological distress and enhancing psychological well-being; (2) outcomes would differ according to intervention; and (3) combining the interventions would be more effective than delivering either alone. We recruited 40 women in a special Hong Kong prison unit for female offenders with psychological distress. Half of them received eight sessions of CBT followed by eight sessions of PPI; the other half received the same interventions in the reverse order. We recruited another 35 women who received only 'treatment as usual' (TAU) in the same unit. We used various clinical scales to assess the women's psychological distress or well-being before and after the interventions or at similar time points for the comparison women. All intervention group women showed a significant reduction in psychological distress and enhancement in psychological well-being after each intervention alone compared to the TAU women. There were no significant differences between CBT and PPI in this respect. Receiving both treatments, however, did yield significantly more improvement than either intervention alone in reducing depressive thoughts and enhancing global judgement of life satisfaction, self-perceived strengths and hopeful thinking style. Our findings provide preliminary empirical support for the effectiveness of psychological interventions with psychologically distressed women in prison. It would be important now to conduct a full, randomised trial to determine optimal length and combinations of treatment. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Chronic pain is a multi-faceted, pervasive condition associated with significant psychosocial impairment. Positive psychological interventions (PPIs) are increasingly delivered in clinical settings, with recent research offering evidence supporting the application of PPIs in predominantly mental-health contexts. To date, no review has considered the impact of PPIs applied in physical-health settings. The aim of this systematic review is to collate the available evidence and identify psychosocial factors that can be improved via PPIs for individuals with chronic non-cancer pain. Particularly, the review focuses upon study outcomes considered to be conceptually-aligned with the aims of such interventions. A systematic search of five electronic databases was conducted utilising terms relating to chronic pain, positive psychological constructs and intervention outcomes. A total of 3289 articles were considered as part of the identification process. Eight studies were included in the final review upon de-duplication and application of the review exclusion criteria. The effects of PPIs and methodological quality of studies varied greatly, though improvements in psychological well-being, hope, pain self-efficacy, happiness and life-satisfaction were evident. The results demonstrate PPIs can have beneficial effects for individuals living with chronic non-cancer pain. Methodological limitations, clinical implications and recommendations regarding future research are discussed.

Objectives This study aimed to understand which character strengths are most important for people living with dementia and therefore which strengths-based psychological interventions could be most meaningful and acceptable. Methods A participatory design, utilising Delphi methodology, was incorporated into an iterative three stage framework: (1) literature reviewed for Positive Psychology (PP) interventions and patient public involvement to define the character strengths; (2) modified Delphi (N = 10) identified which character strengths are most important for living with dementia; (3) focus groups (N = 14) explored which PP interventions are most acceptable and meaningful. Qualitative data from the focus groups was analysed using thematic analysis. Results Love, kindness and humour were deemed the most important character strengths for living with dementia. Qualitative data from the focus groups was captured in three superordinate themes: (1) lack of opportunity not capacity; (2) key considerations of PP interventions for people living with dementia; and (3) potential benefits of PP interventions. Conclusions Love, kindness and humour come naturally to people with dementia, but people may lack social opportunities to use these strengths. Therefore, a PP intervention promoting positive emotion, social relationships and connection to one’s values appears most meaningful and acceptable as this may provide a social context to use and maintain these strengths.

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.

The working environment of submarine crews is also very special. They are in a closed, high-temperature, high-noise, high-vibration and narrow working and living space for a long time, and they suffer from physical discomfort caused by seasickness, which will affect the mental health of officers and soldiers. American psychologists have achieved positive results in psychological resilience training for officers and soldiers from the perspective of positive psychology. At present, there are few reports on the correlation between psychological resilience in the field of domestic research on submarine crew psychology, and it is necessary to conduct further research. To explore the impact of active psychological regulation intervention on officers and soldiers operating in confined spaces at sea. A total of 121 soldiers working in a confined space of a large ship were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. The 50 soldiers in the experimental group were given a training course intervention, while the 71 soldiers in the control group did not receive any intervention measures. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Psychological Resilience Scale, military Psychological Stress Self-Assessment Questionnaire, and General Self-Efficacy Scale scores were compared before and 6 months after the intervention. Under the positive psychological control intervention, except for sleep efficiency (P = 0.05), the difference between the remaining dimensions of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores and the total scores of the experimental group compared with the control group was statistically significant (P < 0.05); the assessment of the psychological condition showed that, in addition to the Psychological Stress Self-assessment Questionnaire for Military Personnel scores (P = 0.05), the scores of the Mental Toughness Scale (Dispositional Resilience Scale Resilience II) in the experimental group, General Self-Efficacy Scale scores were statistically significant (P < 0.05) compared to pre-intervention. Positive psychological intervention and control can improve the sleep state and psychological state of officers and soldiers working in confined space at sea.

Happiness is a fundamental goal for all individuals. However, cancer patients often find themselves at risk of happiness deprivation owing to the psychological and physical challenges posed by their condition. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of positive psychological interventions based on the PERMA model in enhancing happiness/well-being in cancer patients. A secondary objective was to assess their effects on anxiety, depression, fatigue, and fear of cancer recurrence. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed according to PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched for experimental studies on PERMA-based positive psychological interventions for cancer patients (from inception to 15 May 2024). Two researchers independently performed data screening, extraction, and risk of bias assessments using Cochrane's Risk of Bias Tool (RoB 2). Meta-analysis techniques were applied, and evidence certainty was evaluated using the GRADE system. Fourteen studies involving 1200 cancer patients met the inclusion criteria, with thirteen included in the meta-analysis. PERMA model-based positive psychological interventions significantly improved happiness/well-being (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.68-1.70) and were associated with reductions in anxiety (MD: -2.98; 95% CI: -3.29 to -2.67), depression (MD: -2.08; 95% CI: -2.20 to -1.96), fatigue (MD: -2.14; 95% CI: -2.20 to -2.08) and fear of cancer recurrence (MD: -5.10; 95% CI: -6.27 to -3.94). The certainty of evidence for all outcomes was rated as low or very low. This meta-analysis provides preliminary evidence that PERMA-based positive psychological interventions have the potential to enhance happiness/well-being in cancer patients while alleviating psychological distress. However, substantial heterogeneity and methodological limitations preclude definitive recommendations, highlighting the need for further high-quality research.

Increasingly health is recognised as a holistic construct that includes both mind and body. What is more, the bidirectional relationship between psychological wellbeing (PW) and physical health (PH) is becoming clearer. Psychological interventions have been shown to be effective at increasing PW and are widely accessible. However, there has not yet been a systematic synthesis of how improving PW using psychological interventions benefits PH. The aim of the study was to review the existing literature on how increasing PW via psychological interventions can improve PH, commenting on effectiveness and causal mechanisms, and suggesting directions for future research. A systematic review of peer reviewed studies was utilised. This took a broad search approach to include quantitative research concerning the impacts of psychological interventions on PH published between January 1998 and June 2022 in both clinical and non-clinical populations. From 1647 search results a total of 74 studies were included in the review with 10305 participants in total. Studies measured 139 individual PH outcomes for which 60 statistically significant effects were observed. Cognitive behavioural therapy-based interventions were most associated with both significant and non-significant effects, commonly impacting various self-report measures of PH. Positive psychology interventions (PPIs) also showed a higher proportion of significant effects. Mindfulness-based interventions had a clear link to reductions in cortisol, demonstrating significant effects in 2/3 studies. Pathways by which interventions improved PH broadly fell into three categories: 1) protect 2) reduce, and 3) produce. Within each category improvements were driven by biological, behavioural, or social support mechanisms. The present review supports the notion that psychological interventions can benefit PH and corroborates potential pathways that may drive this association. Future studies could benefit from defining PW better, thus unpacking the nuance in how targeting different areas of PW appears to impact different markers of PH.

Psychological well-being is one of the constructs studied in positive psychology that is considered as one of the main components of public health. The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of positive psychology and emotion regulation training interventions in promoting the psychological well-being in Nar-Anon group (Anonymous addicts’ family group) of Omidiyeh County. The research method was experimental with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population of the study consisted of all families of drug abusers who participated in sessions of anonymous addicts’ family group (Nar-Anon) in Omidiyeh County in 2018. Sixty participants were randomly selected from the volunteer population and were randomly assigned to two experimental and one control groups (n = 20 per group). The first experimental group received positive psychotherapy intervention, and the second experimental group received emotion regulation training intervention, but the third (control) group did not receive any training. Follow-up was performed 2 months later. The research instrument included Ryff’s scale of psychological well-being (SPWB). Data analysis was done using the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and SPSS version 24.0. The results indicated that positive psychology (p = 0.0001) and emotion regulation training (p = 0.0001) interventions had a significant effect in promoting the psychological well-being. Results of the follow-up stage indicated that changes and the increase continued in participants’ psychological well-being. The difference between the positive psychology and emotion regulation training was not significant (p = 0.09). In other words, both training methods had equal effects on psychological well-being. Given the effectiveness of the interventions, they can be used to promote the psychological well-being of addicts and their families.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the effects of a positive psychological intervention based on the PERMA model on fear of recurrence, subjective well-being, psychological resilience, and quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).MethodsThis study was conducted as a single-blind, two-arm randomized controlled trial at Jiangnan University Affiliated Hospital from May to July 2024. A total of 93 hospitalized patients experiencing fear of recurrence related to IBD were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 47) or the control group (n = 46). Patients in the intervention group received positive psychological intervention based on PERMA model, while patients in the control group received standard nursing. The levels of fear of recurrence, subjective well-being, resilience, and quality of life were assessed at baseline (T0), day of discharge (T1), 2 weeks post-discharge (T2), 4 weeks post-discharge (T3), and 8 weeks post-discharge (T4). Data were analyzed using independent sample t-tests, chi-square tests, and generalized estimating equations (GEE).ResultsResilience and quality of life scores at T2 were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group. As the duration of the intervention increased, there was a significant decrease in the level of fear of recurrence (T3: U = −1.978, p = 0.048; T4: U = −2.116, p = 0.034), alongside improvements in subjective well-being (T3: t = 2.731, p = 0.008; T4: t = 3.490, p < 0.001), psychological resilience (T3: t = 4.824, p < 0.001; T4: t = 5.699, p < 0.001), and quality of life (T3: U = −2.576, p = 0.010; T4: U = −2.746, p = 0.006), all of which were statistically significant. Furthermore, a significant group-related shift was noted in psychological resilience (χ2 = 14.353, p < 0.001). Notably, the effects of time and interaction on fear of recurrence, subjective well-being, psychological resilience, and quality of life were statistically significant (all p < 0.05).ConclusionPositive psychological interventions based on the PERMA model significantly reduced fear of recurrence in IBD patients, and positively affected their subjective well-being, psychological resilience, and quality of life.Clinical trial registrationhttps://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=230313 ChiCTR2400085278.

IntroductionCardiovascular health is influenced by various factors, including not only physiological and behavioural ones but also psychological well-being. However, when developing comprehensive preventive approaches, psychological interventions often receive less attention,...

BackgroundThe use of positive psychological interventions may be considered as a complementary strategy in mental health promotion and treatment. The present article constitutes a meta-analytical study of the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions for the general public and for individuals with specific psychosocial problems.MethodsWe conducted a systematic literature search using PubMed, PsychInfo, the Cochrane register, and manual searches. Forty articles, describing 39 studies, totaling 6,139 participants, met the criteria for inclusion. The outcome measures used were subjective well-being, psychological well-being and depression. Positive psychology interventions included self-help interventions, group training and individual therapy.ResultsThe standardized mean difference was 0.34 for subjective well-being, 0.20 for psychological well-being and 0.23 for depression indicating small effects for positive psychology interventions. At follow-up from three to six months, effect sizes are small, but still significant for subjective well-being and psychological well-being, indicating that effects are fairly sustainable. Heterogeneity was rather high, due to the wide diversity of the studies included. Several variables moderated the impact on depression: Interventions were more effective if they were of longer duration, if recruitment was conducted via referral or hospital, if interventions were delivered to people with certain psychosocial problems and on an individual basis, and if the study design was of low quality. Moreover, indications for publication bias were found, and the quality of the studies varied considerably.ConclusionsThe results of this meta-analysis show that positive psychology interventions can be effective in the enhancement of subjective well-being and psychological well-being, as well as in helping to reduce depressive symptoms. Additional high-quality peer-reviewed studies in diverse (clinical) populations are needed to strengthen the evidence-base for positive psychology interventions.

Positive Psychology has been instrumental in promoting wellbeing science in the modern era. However, there are still ways in which positive psychology interventions and positive education programmes can be improved to achieve more robust and sustained effects. One suggested method is to make wellbeing more salient and tangible through the use of objective tools that assess the relationship between psychological and physiological wellbeing, and enable wellbeing status and change to be seen. With the addition of an interdisciplinary team, as well as technology-enabled and pedagogically sound learning tools and approaches, the potential for positive outcomes and impact increases exponentially. Monitoring wellbeing progress in this way can provide evidence, motivation and belief in positive psychology and wellbeing interventions. This can lead to engaged learning, sustained benefits and systemic impact. Positive psychology needs to strategically extend on the emerging work in this field to help everyone, including policy makers, notice and value wellbeing.

In order to explore the effect of positive psychological intervention of PERMA model in parents of preterm infants hospitalized in NICU, 64 parents of preterm infants who were admitted to the NICU of Deyang People's Hospital between January 2024 and June 2024 within 24h after birth were selected by convenience sampling method as the study subjects. 32 parents of preterm infants in the control group implemented traditional nursing interventions, and 32 parents of preterm infants in the intervention group implemented positive psychological interventions based on the PERMA model on the basis of the control group. Through this study, the effects of the 2 nursing intervention methods were compared respectively. After the experiment, it is found that the CD-RISC scores, the FAD scores, the parental sense of parental competence (C-PSOC) scores and the satisfaction degree scores of parents of preterm infants in the intervention group were all significantly higher than those scores of parents of preterm infants in the control group (P &lt; 0.05). Therefore, it could be drawn that positive psychological intervention based on the PERMA model could effectively improve the psychological condition of parents of preterm infants, enhance their family function, increase the parenting competence and satisfaction degree of parents of preterm infants, and enable parents of preterm infants to change their roles and face the occurrence of preterm births with a positive psychological state, and hence it is worthwhile to do further relevant research and popularize its application in clinical practice in the future.

This study assessed the impact of a positive psychology intervention in a sample of 40 young men (35%) and women (65%) aged 18-30 years. Participants were 1st and 4th year undergraduate University students, postgraduate students and working youths. The study examined the effects of a battery of interventions commonly used in positive psychology interventions, including a video and three exercises (i.e. expressing gratitude, best possible selves, goal setting) on character strengths, hope, gratitude and social relations. Intervention activities were carried out during a session that lasted an hour and a half, while a further half-hour evaluation session took place after a two-week interval. Marked positive changes were revealed with regards to youths’ well-being as a result of the intervention. In particular, elevated levels of hope, perceptions of social support and ability to handle social stress successfully, as well as levels of three out of six key character strengths, i.e. courage, humanity/love and transcendence were observed. Influences of demographic and socio-psychological characteristics of youths on the above variables; constellations of intricate relations between them; as well as certain developmental patterns were also highlighted. The repercussions of the above findings for the advancement of positive psychology knowledge and interventions are discussed.