Positive Psychology Research Articles

Emotional Intelligence and Meaning in Life: Mediation by Sense of Security and Self-Esteem

This study aimed to explore the direct effect of emotional intelligence on the meaning in life from the positive psychology perspective and to verify whether the sense of security and self-esteem can improve the meaning in life based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. It involved 599 undergraduates selected randomly from four universities located in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The study applied structural equation modeling to illustrate the mediating and chain-mediating effects of the sense of security and self-esteem on the relationship between emotional intelligence and meaning in life. Notably, the results showed a strong mediating effect of a sense of security. These findings provided a new perspective and theoretical model for positive psychology to improve the meaning in life among undergraduates.

The Effects of Short Video-App-Guided Loving-Kindness Meditation on Affect, Oneness, and Proenvironmental Attitude

Abstract: Objective: The study investigated the effects of a short video-app-guided loving-kindness meditation (LKM) on affect, oneness belief, and proenvironmenal behavior. Methods: We recruited 93 college students from a university in China and randomized them to an LKM group (n = 47) and a wait-list control group (n = 46). The app-group engaged in an 8-week LKM intervention, while the wait-list control group underwent no intervention. We measured five major variable factors (positive affect, negative affect, oneness belief, and proenvironmenal behavior) before and after the LKM intervention. Results: In the app-group, oneness belief, positive affect, and proenvironmenal behavior were significantly higher and negative affect was significantly lower than in the wait-list control group. The wait-list control group displayed no noticeable differences in any of the four variants[variables??] between the pretest and posttest. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that the short video-app-guided LKM may help to improve oneness belief, positive affect, proenvironmenal behavior and reduce negative affect. The finding of the short video-app-guided LKM’s effect extends our understanding of the integrative effects of positive psychology and digital media on proenvironmenal behavior.

S121 - The Application of Positive Psychology to Substance Use, Addiction, and Recovery Research: An Updated Systematic Review

S121 - The Application of Positive Psychology to Substance Use, Addiction, and Recovery Research: An Updated Systematic Review

Service-oriented HRP bundles and team performance: A team-level serial mediation model

Drawing on two theoretical frameworks–positive psychology theory and conservation of resources theory–the relationship and underlying mechanism between team-level service-oriented human resource practice (SO-HRP) bundles and team performance were explored by constructing a team-level serial mediation model. Survey data were collected from 424 employees at 80 branches of five financial holding companies in Northern Taiwan. The team-level serial-mediated model and hypotheses were examined using SPSS version 24 and the PROCESS macro for SPSS. The results indicate that team psychological capital (PsyCap) and team work engagement serially mediated the relationship between SO-HRP bundles and team performance. These results imply that managers should plan and implement SO-HRP bundles in detail, reinforce team PsyCap, and increase engagement within their financial service teams to enhance team performance.

긍정심리 성격 강점을 활용한 대인관계 향상 프로그램 효과성 연구: 청소년 사례 중심으로

The purpose of this research was to analyze the effect of applying positive psychological programs and character strengths on adolescent interpersonal relationship recovery and competence, and whether interpersonal relationship recovery continues to be maintained. As for the research method, four adolescents with weak interpersonal relationships participated after giving consent to participate in the research. The research process involved 13 sessions of counseling, during which representative strengths and positive psychology programs were applied, and the change process was recorded, observed, and evaluated using scales. The research results show that first, applying positive psychological programs and positive psychological character strengths was effective in enhancing confidence and psychological stability in adolescents' interpersonal relationships. Second, case-by-case character strengths enhance adolescents' interpersonal relationship competence. Third, the strength of positive psychology personality continues to improve adolescents' interpersonal relationships. The conclusion of this research is that psychology has traditionally focused on problem-oriented treatment. Applying the strengths of positive psychology expands positive emotions and offsets the negative parts. Second, the effectiveness of applying the program to improve interpersonal relationships was confirmed. Third, the strength that one wanted to cultivate increased in the latter half of the program when applying positive emotions and representative strengths. The suggestion of this research is that program development should be expanded in various ways. However, the study failed to present solutions to other appeals of participants.

A Comparative Study of Meditation Play and Art Therapy Programs Applying MMPT-Focusing on Child Anxiety, Mindfulness, and Self-Regulation

This study applied MPPT (Meditation Mindfulness Positive Psychology Training) to compare meditation play and art therapy programs and measure their effects on child anxiety, mindfulness, and self-regulation improvement. The subjects were 4th and 6th graders located in K city, Gyeonggi-do, and there were a total of 18 students, consisting of 6 in meditation play, 6 in art therapy, and 6 in control groups. The research period was from mid-April 2022 to mid-July 2022, and the two groups participating in meditation play and art therapy programs were treated once a week for 40 minutes, for a total of 10 sessions, and the control group was not treated. Mindfulness (K-CAMM) by Greco, Baer and Smith (2011), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC) by Spielberger (1973), and Self-Regulation Abilities by Heo Jeong-kyung (2004) were used as measurement tools. For data analysis, SPSS 22.0 was used. For the results of the study, As a result, compared to the control group, the art therapy given to experimental group 2 decreased anxiety, increased mindfulness, and increased self-regulation compared to the meditation play given to experimental group 1. This paper has significance as it is the first in Korea to compare children's meditation play and art therapy programs to compare and verify their effectiveness on anxiety, mindfulness, and self-regulation.

Health behavior change: The challenging turning point of lifestyle medicine interventions

The most common lifestyle-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, or autoimmune disease burden medical systems all over the world and decrease the patient’s quality of life. Limited behavior change knowledge and insufficient understanding of the importance of health behaviors for an individual’s well-being among clinical practitioners are important underlying factors that impair the effective prevention and treatment of the disease cause, focusing on alleviating symptoms instead. The fundamentals of behavior change serve as core competencies in lifestyle medicine, and developing patient-centered therapies is essential. From setting SMART goals to exploring and making use of psychological and behavioral theories such as the health belief model (HBM), the social learning theory (SLT), or the transtheoretical model (TTM), healthcare professionals of all specialties should consider using behavior change techniques in clinical practice for guiding patients adopting and maintaining healthy lifestyles. Furthermore, the clinician-patient collaboration, the involvement of multidisciplinary teams, and positive psychology increase the chances of success in supporting the patient to change unhealthy habits. Identifying patient resources and aptitudes for performing a behavior along with the follow-up process and relapse prevention represent the main challenges in this innovative approach. However, evidence-based knowledge and useful resources are available for educating individuals based on behavior change theories as well as, supporting their health-related endeavors.

Flourishing: Development of a Higher-Level Uses Well-Being Scale and Concept in Positive Psychology

Background: Flourishing is the highest level of well-being in positive psychology. Flourishing individuals have high levels of well-being based on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being perspectives. Flourishing is a developing concept that has yet to be widely studied in positive psychology. Objective: This literature review aims to trace the development of theoretical concepts and scales that can be used to research the flourishing variable further. Methods: This research uses a literature review, which involves searching reputable journals for articles related to the concept and scale of flourishing. Results: The PERMA concept introduced by Seligman is the primary literature that forms the foundation for examining flourishing by combining two theories. This PERMA concept states that flourishing in individuals can be measured by five aspects: positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaningfulness, and individual achievement. Conclusion: Other researchers then developed the PERMA concept as a reference for creating a flourishing scale. Keywords: Flourishing, well-being, theory, scale, literature review

Enhancing L2 Confidence Through Learning Diaries: A Replication Study on Italian Lower-Secondary School Students

Drawing on the literature on self-confidence, motivational theories, and positive psychology in the field of language learning, the present paper aspires to contribute to the literature by discussing some key findings of a recent conceptual replication study. In the original study, Shelton-Strong and Mynard (2018, 2021) investigated the benefits of keeping a diary for university language students’ motivation and L2 confidence. The replication study by Spricigo (2023) aimed to confirm original findings within a different educational context. For this purpose, the research design underwent some necessary modifications justified by the need to investigate the efficacy of using diaries among Italian younger students (13-14 years old) and the applicability of the teaching intervention in a lower-school context. After briefly presenting the two studies, this article will discuss the main findings, with a special focus on the issue of integrating the diary into the lower-secondary school curriculum.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MINDFULNESS DEEP BREATHING TO INCREASE STUDENTS' ACADEMIC WELL-BEING

The study of positive psychology is currently an interesting part of efforts to form students who are active and happy in the learning process with meaningful activities. Mindfulness deep breathing in the learning process is not widely studied, because research is still limited to individual and group contexts. Thus, this research focuses on the application of classical mindfulness deep breathing format which is effective in improving students' academic well-being. The design used was multiple pretest post test with the research subjects being class X high school students. Data collection uses the Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire (SSWQ). The results of the repeated measure test prove that the classical format mindfulness deep breathing is effective in improving students' academic well-being (f (1,72) = 272,80; p <0,001). The findings in this study show the effectiveness of the mindfulness deep breathing technique implemented in a classical format in improving students' academic well-being.

Education and education with values in the face of contemporary challenges

The current reality, with its multidimensionality and challenges related to the increasingly experienced diversity, affects the sense of stability and security among children and adolescents. Assuming that school is a place where every student has a chance to develop adaptive skills, it is this environment that should provide high-quality role models as well as a focus on stable values that will build social sensitivity and mental strength of students. In this text, we present practical solutions on how to explore the essence of values and at the same time put them into practice. We encourage educators, teachers and caregivers to consider education with values as a way to develop in students a certain philosophy of life that supports their maturation, full development and decisions, and thus fosters inclusion in the community with respect, trust and a sense of meaning. The material contains a theoretical part referring to the assumptions of positive psychology and several ideas, such as exercises on implementing key values.

The 5Cs positive teacher interpersonal behaviors-implications for learner empowerment and learning in an L2 context, Ali Derakhshan. (2022). Second Language Learning and Teaching, Springer Cham, 141 pages, ISBN: 978-3-031-16527-6

Teachers' positive interpersonal behaviors play a key role in the field of education and are essential for creating a positive classroom climate, facilitating student learning, and improving learning outcomes.2022 In November 2022 Springer Publishing House published a book edited by Ali Derakhshan, a leading Iranian scholar, titled "5Cs of Positive Teacher Interpersonal Behavior-... -Implications for Learner Empowerment and Learning in Second Language Settings‖. The main purpose of the book is to explore the role of positive teacher interpersonal behaviors in second/foreign language teaching and providing theoretical support and empirical validation of the role of teacher interpersonal behaviors in foreign language learning outcomes. Teachers' positive communicative behaviors originate from Positive Psychology (Positive Psychology), which as an emerging field and an important branch of psychology has received more and more attention from scholars. This paper first introduces its main content, followed by a brief evaluation.

A Multi-Wave Study of Factors Associated With Resident Engagement, Depression, Burnout, and Stay Intent.

Many studies have documented the epidemic of mental ill-being among resident physicians, but fewer have focused on mental well-being or on guiding intervention design to make progress toward positive change in residency programs to support resident thriving. Informed by the job demands-resources model (JD-R) and positive psychology, the current study examines 4 potential predictors of residents' ill-being (burnout, depression) and well-being (engagement, stay intent) that are malleable and thus capable of change through intervention: psychological capital (PsyCap), supervising physicians' autonomy-supportive leadership style (ASL), social support, and meaningful work. Three waves of data were collected between November 2017 and September 2018 at a large hospital system in the United States. Due to participant response rates, we were unable to conduct a planned longitudinal analysis. Therefore, for each wave, Bayesian regression analyses were used to examine cross-sectional relationships between the 4 predictors and each outcome. Although findings varied across the study's 3 waves, the outcomes were largely as expected. With only 1 exception (depressive symptoms in Wave 2), meaningful work significantly predicted all outcome variables in the expected direction across all 3 waves. PsyCap significantly predicted burnout, depressive symptoms, and engagement in the expected direction across all 3 waves. ASL significantly predicted engagement in the expected direction across all 3 waves, as well as depressive symptoms and stay intent in 2 waves, and burnout in 1 wave. Social support significantly negatively predicted depressive symptoms in all 3 waves and burnout in 1 wave. Applying the JD-R framework and a positive psychology lens can open new pathways for developing programming to support resident thriving. Meaningful work, PsyCap, ASL, and social support all significantly predicted 1 or more outcomes related to resident thriving (burnout, depression, engagement, stay intent) across all 3 waves. Thus, this study provides theoretical and practical implications for future intervention studies and designing current programming for resident thriving.

The role of mindfulness on the relation between critical thinking and well-being of Chinese EFL learners

Critical thinking has been defined as one of the abilities that the Chinese EFL learners require to become skillful in the 21st century. Furthermore, recent investigations have indicated that Positive Psychology (PP) and strengths have a pivotal impact on students, and among the related issues of PP, well-being plays a great role in this process. Additionally, mindfulness as one of the language learner's mental characteristics is a strategy that has been revealed to have a positive influence when applied as a management strategy against stress. So the present study aimed to explore whether mindfulness could play a mediating role in the relationship between critical thinking and well-being. For this purpose, 360 Chinese EFL students were recruited to take part in this study to fill out questionnaires on mindfulness, well-being, and critical thinking. At that point, the structural equation modeling utilizing the pwrSEM program statistical package was used to reveal their possible connections. Results indicated that critical thinking has a positive influence on well-being through mindfulness. Overall, mindfulness's main role in this field has been identified and based on the present findings, some suggestions have been made.

A positive psychology framework for understanding teenage driving behaviors: Examining the role of life purpose and mindfulness

Objective The overwhelming majority of teenage driving research in the US is framed around characteristics associated with risk, rather than factors that promote safety. In this study, we examine the role of purpose in life and mindfulness as two factors that may be associated with safer driving behaviors. Methods Using survey responses from a nationally representative sample of teenagers (aged 16–19) we used structural equation modeling to construct three latent variables – sense of purpose, mindfulness, and risky driving—and evaluate the associations between these latent variables among teenage drivers. Risky driving was based on measures of self-reported distracted driving, drunk driving, driving under the influence of marijuana and other drugs, inconsistent seatbelt use, and riding with an impaired driver. Results We found that sense of purpose and mindfulness were associated with fewer risky driving behaviors. We also identified mindfulness as a mediator between sense of purpose and risky driving. Conclusions Purpose in life and mindfulness are associated with fewer risky driving behaviors among US teenagers. Driver education and training could include components related to purpose and mindfulness, in order to promote safer driving behaviors in this population.

Using evidence-based applied positive psychology to promote student well-being.

There has been a noticeable decline in life satisfaction among adolescents globally in recent years. The present study explored the immediate and long-term effects of a positive psychology intervention course, Study with Strength, on the well-being of students at general upper secondary school in Finland during the pandemic. Based on a partly randomized wait-list control group design, the study included a final sample of 350 students from 10 schools. Self-report measures were used to assess both immediate between-group effects and long-term within-group effects of the intervention on student well-and ill-being. A combination of methods from positive psychology and cognitive therapy were applied, and the course was administered by the participating schools' own teachers and student-welfare personnel. The findings show that the Study with Strength intervention course enhanced the students' experiences of positive practices at school, happiness and of positive emotions. However, the effect sizes were small. The intervention did not have any immediate effects on all aspects of well-being, negative emotions, depression, or study-related burnout. The significant, positive changes in students' well-being in the analysis of long-term effects must be interpreted with caution. The students also reported a positive effect of the intervention both on their personal lives and in their studies. Overall, it appears that the intervention had a small but positive impact, nudging students towards enhanced well-being. The results offer valuable insights into the implementation of positive education on students at general upper secondary school aged 15-19.

The structure of ability beliefs in EFL classrooms: A cross-theoretical analysis bridging self-efficacy and perceived competence needs satisfaction

Theoretical parsimony represents one avenue forward for the study of positive psychology in language education. This study examined two well-recognized but interconnected concepts in the context of second language classrooms: academic self-efficacy rooted in Social Cognitive Theory and competence need satisfaction derived from Self Determination Theory. The investigation sought to show the distinctions and intersections in these constructs, underscoring the necessity for empirical scrutiny to establish their coherent definitions. We aim to present both concepts within a unified framework in order to facilitate a meaningful connection between the two theories. A sample comprising 181 students attending a private junior-high school in urban Japan participated in this study by completing widely used scales measuring self-efficacy and perceived competence. The research employed conventional independent cluster confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), bifactor-CFA, bifactor-ESEM, and the S-1 model for comparative analysis. Among these, the S-1 model emerged as the most theoretically sound model with a good fit and absence of anomalies. Furthermore, the factor representing global perceived competence needs satisfaction exhibited a strong association with students’ later academic achievements. These results indicate the potential cross-theoretical nature of competence beliefs and carry implications for both theory and practice in the psychology of language learning.

Effectiveness of a positive psychology and mindfulness-based app on mental health for parents of children with a neurodevelopmental disorder: study protocol of a pragmatic international randomized controlled trial

IntroductionParents of children with a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) experience more stress than parents of typically developing children. In a cocreation process with experts and parents, a low-threshold application that uses exercises based on the principles of positive psychology and mindfulness was developed. This application, called “Adappt,” aims at enhancing the ability to adapt of the parents and caregivers of children with NDDs and at supporting their mental health. This protocol describes the evaluation study of the effectiveness of Adappt, its core working mechanisms and user experiences.MethodA pragmatic international multicenter randomized controlled trial will compare the effectiveness of Adappt with a (delayed) waitlist control condition. At least 212 parents or primary caregivers of children younger than 18 years diagnosed with or suspected of a NDD will be randomly assigned to the intervention or waitlist control condition. Participants are excluded if they have severe anxiety or depression levels or are in treatment for mental health issues. Measures will be collected online at baseline, post-intervention (1 month after baseline), and 4 and 7 months after baseline. The primary outcome is the improvement in generic sense of ability to adapt as measured with the Generic Sense of Ability to Adapt Scale (GSAAS; (Front Psychol 14:985408, 2023)) at 4-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes are mental well-being, (parental) distress, and client satisfaction with “Adappt.”DiscussionResults of this study will contribute to knowledge on the effectiveness of a low-threshold application for parents of children with a NDD in multiple countries. If the application is found to be effective in improving mental health, recommendations will be made for implementation in health care.Trial registrationThis study is registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06248762) on February 8, 2024, and the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/5znqv).

Intergenerational influence on children's pro-environmental behaviors: Exploring the roles of psychological richness and mindful parenting

Psychological richness, as one of the significant orientations in positive psychology, has received widespread attention. Despite findings indicating that adults' psychological richness significantly predicts pro-environmental behaviors, there is currently no research examining its potential involvement in the intergenerational transmission of environmental attitudes. To fill this gap, this study focuses on the dimension of parents' psychological richness, aiming to explore the positive antecedents of children's pro-environmental behaviors. We proposed and tested a chain mediation model to explore how mindful parenting and children's perceptions of parental behavior mediate the association between parental psychological richness and children's pro-environmental behaviors. This study encompasses 293 families from China, totaling 586 participants, with each family comprising one child and one primary caregiver. Parents and their children completed the Psychological Richness Scale, Mindful Parenting Scale, Perceived Parental Action Questionnaire, and Children's Pro-environmental Behaviors Scale, respectively. The results show that parental psychological richness is positively correlated with children's pro-environmental behaviors, and both mindful parenting and perceptions of parental action mediated this relationship. These findings extend the understanding of the intergenerational influence between parental psychological richness and children's pro-environmental behaviors, highlighting the potential importance of mindful parenting and children's perceptions of parental action in improving children's pro-environmental behaviors.

Digital and Hybrid Pediatric and Youth Mental Health Program Implementation Challenges During the Pandemic: Literature Review With a Knowledge Translation and Theoretical Lens Analysis.

The pandemic brought unprecedented challenges for child and youth mental health. There was a rise in depression, anxiety, and symptoms of suicidal ideation. The aims of this knowledge synthesis were to gain a deeper understanding of what types of mental health knowledge translation (KT) programs, mental health first aid training, and positive psychology interventions were developed and evaluated for youth mental health. We undertook a literature review of PubMed and MEDLINE for relevant studies on youth mental health including digital and hybrid programs undertaken during the pandemic (2020-2022). A total of 60 studies were included in this review. A few KT programs were identified that engaged with a wide range of stakeholders during the pandemic, and a few were informed by KT theories. Key challenges during the implementation of mental health programs for youth included lack of access to technology and privacy concerns. Hybrid web-based and face-to-face KT and mental health care were recommended. Providers required adequate training in using telehealth and space. There is an opportunity to reduce the barriers to implementing tele-mental health in youth by providing adequate technological access, Wi-Fi and stationary internet connectivity, and privacy protection. Staff gained new knowledge and training from the pandemic experience of using telehealth, which will serve as a useful foundation for the future. Future research should aim to maximize the benefits of hybrid models of tele-mental health and face-to-face sessions while working on minimizing the potential barriers that were identified. In addition, future programs could consider combining mental health first aid training with hybrid digital and face-to-face mental health program delivery along with mindfulness and resilience building in a unified model of care, knowledge dissemination, and implementation.