Online Positive Psychology Interventions Research Articles

The effects of an online positive psychology intervention on pre‐service teachers' efficacy, ability to cope and emotional regulation

AbstractPre‐service teachers have been identified as a risk group for developing burnout syndromes over the course of their careers due to increased perceived psychological distress and, in particular, if there is a lack of coping strategies. To provide pre‐service teachers with appropriate techniques and concepts that can be successfully applied in educational and work contexts, an online positive psychology intervention was designed to improve participants' resilience, in particular their self‐efficacy, emotion regulation and ability to cope. Linear mixed models that simultaneously analyse variability between subjects and over time revealed that pre‐service teachers who participated in the intervention benefited from the programme with respect to an increase of their emotion regulation strategies, self‐efficacy and ability to cope compared to the control group—although at baseline, they exhibited less beneficial emotion regulation, self‐efficacy and ability to cope. The findings suggest that such positive psychology interventions could help pre‐service teachers build their resilience.

Developing an online positive psychology application for people with bipolar disorder; ‘How expectations of consumers and professionals turned into an intervention.’

IntroductionIn Bipolar Disorder (BD), people report a lower quality of life and lower levels of well-being than the general population. Additionally, patients with bipolar disorder have unmet needs which are closely linked to elements of positive psychology.ObjectivesThe current study aimed to gain insight from patients with BD and care professionals about their thoughts of online Positive Psychology Interventions (PPI) to develop an app containing PPI’s for people with BD.MethodsThe study is conducted in accordance with the CeHRes roadmap principles. Data were collected by focus groups, questionnaires, rapid prototyping and online feedback from the participants. Three focus groups meetings (FGM) were held with consumers (8) and professionals (5).ResultsThe FGM reveals a need for positive psychology interventions to cover some of the unmet needs that can be applied in an app in addition to the guidelines-advised treatment. Patients and professionals expect that PPIs in the current treatment in BD can meet some of the needs that are currently still unmet, specifically offering hope, increasing self-esteem, expressing feelings, acceptation and preventing social isolation. The process of contextual inquiry and value specification is helpful to guide this process.ConclusionsThe consensus on the different topics about the use of positive psychology intervention shows that both consumers and professionals underline the importance of applying PPI’s in BD. The use during subsyndrome and mild depressive episodes seem the most beneficial periods for patients with BD. A more extended study has to be conducted to confirm if these findings are more generalizableDisclosureNo significant relationships.

Effectiveness of positive psychology intervention in promoting happiness and altering attributional style among emerging adults

Happiness has shown to be linked with good health, success, and other positive psychology concepts. However, there are fewer studies on happiness, unlike illness. This study measured the effect of Positive Psychology Intervention on happiness levels and attribution style in emerging adults. A sample of 61 participants took the survey initially in which sample n = 10 was considered for the intervention. Eight-session online positive psychology intervention was designed for the selected sample. The exercises used for the intervention were evidence-based. Subjective Happiness Scale (Lyubomirsky, 1999) was used to measure the happiness levels of the participants. Attributional Style Questionnaire (Peterson et al., 1982) was also used. Results were obtained using Wilcoxon Signed-rank test, Pearson's correlation, and thematic analysis. Happiness was positively related with attributional style and positive psychology intervention had an effect on happiness and attribution style. Results suggest that suitable implementation of intervention can serve as a primary prevention strategy.

Effectiveness of an online positive psychology intervention among Tunisian healthcare students on mental health and study engagement during the Covid-19 pandemic.

AbstractResearch indicates that university students present higher levels of psychological distress compared with non‐student age‐matched youth. These levels are higher among healthcare students, and even higher during the Covid‐19 pandemic. Therefore, cost‐effective large‐scale interventions are needed in order to prevent further development of psychological distress during this period, and more generally. The aim of the current study was to assess the effectiveness of an 8‐week Internet‐based positive psychology intervention for healthcare students in Tunisia. A two‐armed randomized controlled trial was conducted among a sample of 366 health care students (183 in the experimental group and 183 in the control group), with a majority of women (94%). The average age was 20.74 years (±1.64). The participants completed the following online questionnaires at three time‐points (before the program, immediately after, and three months later): stress, anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, optimism, hope, study engagement, and well‐being. Repeated‐measures ANOVAs revealed significant positive effects of the intervention on all the measured variables for the experimental group. The results showed a significant improvement immediately after the intervention compared to the control group, which was maintained three months later. This program may thus be considered as a promising means of improving students' mental health and study engagement.

Feeling Good Despite EDS: The Effects of a 5-Week Online Positive Psychology Programme for Ehlers-Danlos-Syndromes Patients.

Ehlers–Danlos-Syndromes (EDS) is a group of hereditary, chronic and potentially disabling conditions. Few studies have tested the effects of psychological interventions to increase well-being in this population. We hypothesized that Positive Psychology Interventions (PPI), first applied to healthy and mentally ill subjects, can also be useful for people with somatic conditions and conducted a study to evaluate the efficacy of a 5-week online PPI designed to improve well-being in EDS patients. A sample of 132 EDS patients were allocated to three groups: assigned PPI, self-selected PPI, and waitlist control-group (WLC). Measures of positive and negative affect, pain disability, fatigue, and life satisfaction were administered before program start, 6 weeks later, and 1 month later. Satisfaction with the program was also evaluated. The results revealed that participants in the self-selected PPI-group, but not in the assigned PPI group, reported significantly lower levels of fatigue and higher levels of positive affect and life satisfaction compared to WLC after 6 weeks. There were no effects on negative affect and pain disability measures. Finally, 77% of the participants were satisfied or very satisfied with the program. These findings confirm and extend previous research by showing the efficacy of PPI for people with chronic illness under the condition that individuals can choose the program content. From a healthcare perspective, online PPIs could complement treatments aimed at symptom reduction and increase well-being in patients with EDS.

Effectiveness of online, school-based Positive Psychology Interventions to improve mental health and wellbeing: A systematic review

Online positive psychology interventions provide a more equitable method for young people to access wellbeing education at school than more traditional face to face programs. This systematic review aimed to examine the effectiveness of universal, online, school-based, positive psychology interventions using recommendations by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses - protocols (PRISMA-P). Nine articles were identified for the review and were deductively, thematically analyzed using an enhanced RE-AIM framework which adopts a wider systems perspective including evaluation of socio-ecological readiness system wide buy-in and consideration of micro (individual) to macro (governing bodies) levels of influence, on both reach and adoption. Effectiveness assessment identified common factors for success related primarily to implementation (e.g., readiness, reach, outcomes, adoption, implementation, and maintenance). For example, buy-in from stakeholders was found to be highest when PPIs are age appropriate, engaging and helpful. Also brief, more frequent sessions, may be more effective than less frequent longer sessions and multi-level stakeholder buy-in may result in higher completion rates leading to better overall program effectiveness.

‘Stay Safe-Feel Positive’ on the frontline: An online positive psychology intervention for police officers during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT The current study investigated the effectiveness of an online Positive Psychology group intervention for police officers intending to mitigate the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and to enhance their personal strengths and resilience. Participants were 95 Greek police officers, assigned to the intervention (n = 49) and the control (n = 45) group. All participants completed an online questionnaire at four time-points. The results indicated a significant increase in the intervention group’s empathy, resilience, and positive emotions, as well as a significant decrease in fear of the coronavirus, negative emotions, loneliness, depressive symptoms and anxiety emotions compared to the control group. Changes remained significant in the long-term. The intervention assisted police officers in developing their personal strengths in a difficult period, indicating that personal growth can be triggered even in adverse situations.

Effectiveness of Online Positive Psychology Intervention on Psychological Well-Being Among Undergraduate Students

Positive psychology intervention is mediation that aims to promote quality of life and well-being. Current research integrating positive psychology with the Internet is called online positive psychology (OPP) which promotes and prevents mental health problems, improves well-being, and reduces depression. This experimental research aimed 1) to compare the psychological well-being of the experimental group that received online positive psychology intervention in the phase of pre-test, post-test, and follow up and 2) to compare the psychological well-being between the experimental group and the controlled group. The subjects were 24 undergraduate students from Mahasarakham University, Thailand, selected by purposive sampling. Thereafter, the subjects were equally divided into experimental and controlled groups. Measures used in this study were as follows: 1) the online positive psychology intervention to improve psychological well-being and 2) the scale of psychological well-being based on Ryff’s psychological well-being. The statistics used in the data analysis were the Friedman Test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and the Mann Whitney U Test. The results of the pre-test and the post-test showed that the mean scores of psychological well-being of the experimental group were significantly different at 0.05 levels. Additionally, the mean scores of psychological well-being between the experimental group and the controlled group in the phases of post-test and follow-up were significantly different at 0.05 levels. The online positive psychology intervention was effective in increasing the psychological well-being of undergraduate students.

"Staying Home - Feeling Positive": Effectiveness of an on-line positive psychology group intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current study investigated the effectiveness of a group on-line positive psychology intervention (OPPI) designed to mitigate the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent measures to control it. Study participants (N = 82, Mage = 33.07, SD = 9.55) were all Greek adults divided into an intervention (n = 44) and a control group (n = 38). The intervention group attended a voluntary, online, two-week, six-session (each 50 min), group intervention. The intervention aimed at enhancing participants’ personal strengths and resilience in order to cope more effectively with the psychological impact of social distancing (e.g., feelings of anxiety, sadness, fear, and/or loneliness). All participants completed an online questionnaire one week before the intervention’s implementation, which included scales measuring their: demographic characteristics, empathy, resilience, affectivity, feelings of loneliness, depression and anxiety levels, and feelings of fear regarding the outbreak. Participants in both the intervention and control group completed the same measures the week following the intervention’s termination to examine its effects, and two weeks later to examine its long-term effectiveness. The intervention was found to be effective in alleviating the impact of the pandemic and in strengthening participants’ resilience. More specifically, the results showed significant decreases for the intervention group in all measures of psychosocial distress (anxiety, depression, loneliness and fear) and significant increases in empathy, resilience, and experience of positive emotions. The study’s implications for the development and implementation of online psychological interventions during a crisis are discussed.

The Effectiveness of an Online Positive Psychology Intervention among Healthcare Professionals with Depression, Anxiety or Stress Symptoms and Burnout

This study aimed to test the effectiveness of an online positive psychology intervention among Greek healthcare professionals with depression, anxiety and/or stress symptoms and increased levels of burnout. The sample was consisted of 38 participants with mild, severe, or extremely severe symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, and moderate or high levels of burnout, who were randomly assigned either to the intervention (N = 19) or the active control group (N = 19). Participants in the intervention group were introduced weekly to three positive psychology activities, whilst participants in the control group were given three placebo activities. All participants completed self-report questionnaires (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Scale) at the beginning and at the end of the three-week online intervention. The results indicated that the intervention group experienced statistically significant decreases in depression, anxiety, stress, and emotional exhaustion scores, as well as increases in satisfaction with life, compared to the control group which reported no changes. These findings suggest that such a positive psychology intervention could help healthcare professionals to manage their difficulties more effectively. Other clinical implications and recommendations for future research are also considered.

Translating online positive psychology interventions to sexual and gender minorities: A systematic review.

Translating online positive psychology interventions to sexual and gender minorities: A systematic review.

Examining Emotional Literacy Development Using a Brief On-Line Positive Psychology Intervention with Primary School Children.

Wellbeing literacy (WL) may be the missing ingredient required to optimally enhance or enable positive psychology intervention (PPI) effectiveness. This study involved Victorian government funded primary schools, including two rural, two regional, and two city schools; participants included 20 classroom teachers and 131 grade five and six primary school students. A brief online PPI was implemented by teachers for 10–15 min, three times per week, for six weeks. This paper examines quantitative data collected pre and post the six week intervention, and qualitative data gathered in week one of the intervention regarding intervention effectiveness. The aim is to examine if a brief online PPI effectively builds intentional emotional vocabulary use, and to discuss how on-line PPIs can be used in public health to improve young people’s WL. Considering evaluations of process effectiveness and outcome measures related to student emotional vocabulary use, results tentatively suggest that online PPIs can positively impact emotional vocabulary capability and intentionality. Multimodal communication was exercised during the PPI, suggesting that the brief online PPI format may provide a valuable tool to promote student WL.

GET.HAPPY2 - User perspectives on an internet-based self-management positive psychology intervention among persons with and without depression: Results from a retrospective survey.

Previous research suggests that online positive psychology interventions (PPI) are frequently used by individuals with symptoms of depression. We aimed to investigate differences in the way depressed and nondepressed users react to the content of an existing online PPI, originally designed for the general public. In a retrospective online survey, we assessed discontinuation parameters, aspects of satisfaction with the program, and negative reactions among users of an online PPI. Bivariate and multivariate analyses showed that, overall, reactions between depressed and nondepressed individuals were similar. Differences were observed concerning reasons for using and for discontinuing the program, the perception of exercises, and negative reactions. Although satisfaction with the program was high, it did not seem to fully meet users' expectations and might be more difficult to complete during episodes of depression. Implications of this study for the adaptation of online PPIs addressing depressed individuals are discussed.

A three-factor model of personality predicts changes in depression and subjective well-being following positive psychology interventions

ABSTRACT The goal of this study was to determine a comprehensive model of personality that could be used to predict outcome (depression and subjective well-being) following online positive psychology interventions. Participants performed randomly assigned exercises over one week, with follow-up assessments over 6-months. Exploratory factor analysis was completed with half of the sample (n = 2188) with measures of the Big Five, neediness, self-criticism, efficacy, self-esteem, gratitude, self-compassion, and attachment styles. The resulting model was validated using confirmatory factor analysis (n = 2186). The best fitting model comprised three factors: Equanimity, Anxiety, and Agency, which were analyzed with latent growth curve models. Equanimity was associated with well-being at baseline, and no change in outcome following the exercises. Anxiety and Agency moderated the efficacy of the interventions, at post-test and over time. The results support the utility of a three-factor model of personality in the study of individual differences in positive psychology.

What might affect acceptability of online positive psychology interventions for depression: a qualitative study on patient expectations\u2019

BackgroundPositive psychology interventions are brief self-adminstered exercises designed to promote positive emotions, behaviours, or thoughts. They are potentially effective for reducing depression and are considered suitable for online dissemination to people with depression and related conditions, as they are assumed to be more acceptable than traditional symptom-focused approaches. However, there is little investigation into perceived acceptability and potential factors that might affect it. This might limit the development and evaluation of effective interventions.MethodsSemi-structured interviews with patients with depression and/or anxiety (n = 18) and professionals, including GPs and psychologists (n = 5) were conducted on their perceptions of a proposed online intervention using positive psychology. Thematic analysis, according to Braun and Clarke, was used to identify meaningful patterns in the data.ResultsFour key themes were identified. The fit between the positive psychological approach and the patient’s context, including their personality, symptoms and other treatments, was important in determining acceptability. Social aspects of interventions were thought to facilitate acceptability, as long as these were balanced. Support was identified as important in facilitating intervention suitability, although it was not without limitations. Finally, participants identified how design features can enhance acceptability.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that positive psychology interventions might not be acceptable to all and that specific exercises might be more or less appropriate to deliver online. Design aspects can help to facilitate acceptability, beyond the psychological content. These findings may inform the design of future online psychology interventions for people with depression and anxiety, which can then be evaluated in future research.

The acceptability of an online intervention using positive psychology for depression: A qualitative study

BackgroundPositive psychology interventions may usefully treat depression and can be delivered online to reduce the treatment gap. However, little is known about how acceptable patients find this approach. To address this, the present study interviewed recent users of a positive psychology self-help website. MethodsIn-depth semi-structured interviews explored the experiences of twenty-three participants from a larger feasibility study. A stratified purposive sampling strategy selected participants with varying intervention experience according to their intervention logins, as well as varying age, gender and depressive symptoms. Framework analysis was used to explore patterns and linkages within and between participants' accounts. ResultsAcceptability varied between participants. Those who found it more acceptable felt it was relevant to their depression and reported feeling empowered by a self-help approach. Conversely, participants for whom it was less acceptable perceived the positive focus irrelevant to their depression and found the emphasis on self-action unsupportive. ConclusionsThe acceptability of an online positive psychology intervention may be facilitated by a patients' preference for a psychological focus on the positive. However, patients may also have distinct preferences for online self-help. Future research should investigate the importance of the therapeutic orientation of online self-help interventions and whether patients' preferences for these can be reliably identified. This could help to target online self-help in clinical practice.

Filling the glass: Effects of a positive psychology intervention on executive task performance in chronic pain patients.

BackgroundChronic pain is associated with emotional problems as well as difficulties in cognitive functioning. Prior experimental studies have shown that optimism, the tendency to expect that good things happen in the future, and positive emotions can counteract pain‐induced task performance deficits in healthy participants. More specifically, induced optimism was found to buffer against the negative effects of experimental pain on executive functioning. This clinical experiment examined whether this beneficial effect can be extended to a chronic pain population.MethodsPatients (N = 122) were randomized to a positive psychology Internet‐based intervention (PPI; n = 74) or a waiting list control condition (WLC; n = 48). The PPI consisted of positive psychology exercises that particularly target optimism, positive emotions and self‐compassion.ResultsResults demonstrated that patients in the PPI condition scored higher on happiness, optimism, positive future expectancies, positive affect, self‐compassion and ability to live a desired life despite pain, and scored lower on pain catastrophizing, depression and anxiety compared to patients in the WLC condition. However, executive task performance did not improve following completion of the PPI, compared to the WLC condition.ConclusionsDespite the lack of evidence that positive emotions and optimism can improve executive task performance in chronic pain patients, this study did convincingly demonstrate that it is possible to increase positive emotions and optimism in chronic pain patients with an online positive psychology intervention. It is imperative to further explore amendable psychological factors that may reduce the negative impact of pain on executive functioning.SignificanceWe demonstrated that an Internet‐based positive psychology intervention strengthens optimism and positive emotions in chronic pain patients. These emotional improvements are not associated with improved executive task performance. As pain itself often cannot be relieved, it is imperative to have techniques to reduce the burden of living with chronic pain.

WELL-BEING OF NURSING HOME PROFESSIONAL CAREGIVERS: TESTING A POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTION

With major job demands such as workload, professional caregivers in nursing homes are at increased risk for stress related problems like burnout. As such job demands will most likely not decrease in the near future, attention should be shifted towards resilience of all professional caregivers by focusing on increasing personal resources. The purpose of this study was to test a generic online positive psychology intervention in increasing both general wellbeing and work related wellbeing for professional caregivers of somatic units of four nursing homes. This study had a group-randomized controlled design (intervention group n = 74, control group n = 47). The intervention consisted of reading information and doing exercises of 8 themes of positive psychology (e.g. strengths, positive relations) in 12 weeks. Questionnaires on work related wellbeing (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale), general wellbeing (Mental Health Continuum) and burnout (Utrecht BurnOut Scale) were filled out online at baseline and 3 months later (T1). Mixed ANOVAs showed no significant increase in work related wellbeing (p = .61) or general wellbeing (p = .37) of the intervention group compared to the control group. Burnout and engagement at baseline were not significant moderators (p’s > .40). Providing professional caregivers of nursing homes with an online generic positive psychological intervention did not increase work related wellbeing or general wellbeing, even for caregivers most at risk for stress related problems. Possible alternative explanations such as ceiling effects, lack of intrinsic motivation and high workload as well as practical implications are discussed.

Effect of a web-based positive psychology intervention on prenatal well-being: A case series study.

Detrimental effects of women's negative feelings during pregnancy have been extensively examined and documented, but research on the influence of positive feelings and protective factors on their prenatal mental health is scarce. Evidence from the positive psychology field has shown that practicing some brief positive exercises, called positive psychology interventions, can maximize well-being by increasing positive emotions, engagement, and meaning. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of a positive psychology web-based intervention on indices of women's prenatal well-being. Specifically, a case series design was adopted, and data from six women are presented. Participants were involved in a 5-week online positive psychology intervention that includes a set of positive psychology interventions specifically adapted for pregnant women. Measures of women's mental well-being, depression, pregnancy-related anxiety, life satisfaction, and social support were measured at pre- and post-intervention. Compliance with the intervention and exercise preferences were assessed at post-test. Single-item related well-being measures were assessed weekly. The findings of this case series study indicate potential effects of the intervention on supporting mental well-being and decreasing depressive symptomatology in these pregnant women. Furthermore, this study provides some suggestions for developing future online-based positive interventions addressed to pregnant women. However, these findings are preliminary, and future studies are needed in order to assess the effects of the intervention in a wider population of pregnant women.

Positive Psychology Interventions Addressing Pleasure, Engagement, Meaning, Positive Relationships, and Accomplishment Increase Well-Being and Ameliorate Depressive Symptoms: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Online Study.

Seligman (2002) suggested three paths to well-being, the pursuit of pleasure, the pursuit of meaning, and the pursuit of engagement, later adding two more, positive relationships and accomplishment, in his 2011 version. The contribution of these new components to well-being has yet to be addressed. In an online positive psychology intervention study, we randomly assigned 1624 adults aged 18–78 (M = 46.13; 79.2% women) to seven conditions. Participants wrote down three things they related to either one of the five components of Seligman's Well-Being theory (Conditions 1–5), all of the five components (Condition 6) or early childhood memories (placebo control condition). We assessed happiness (AHI) and depression (CES-D) before and after the intervention, and 1-, 3-, and 6 months afterwards. Additionally, we considered moderation effects of well-being levels at baseline. Results confirmed that all interventions were effective in increasing happiness and most ameliorated depressive symptoms. The interventions worked best for those in the middle-range of the well-being continuum. We conclude that interventions based on pleasure, engagement, meaning, positive relationships, and accomplishment are effective strategies for increasing well-being and ameliorating depressive symptoms and that positive psychology interventions are most effective for those people in the middle range of the well-being continuum.