Youth psychological well-being has become increasingly acknowledged as not merely the absence of psychological distress, but the presence of positive indicators of optimal functioning. Students with complete mental health (i.e., low psychopathology and high well-being) demonstrate the best academic, social, and physical health outcomes. As such, there remains a need to address children’s well-being through a holistic approach emphasizing the prevention of mental health problems and promotion of flourishing. Positive psychology interventions (PPIs) have emerged as a promising method of enhancing students’ complete mental health. Previous investigations support the utility of multitarget PPIs with middle school students and single-target PPIs (e.g., character strengths, hope) with younger elementary students, though the extent to which comprehensive multitarget, multicomponent PPIs enhance classes of elementary students’ outcomes relative to a control has not been examined. This study compared levels of subjective well-being, mental health problems, classroom social support, and classroom engagement between students in 6 classrooms randomly assigned to participate in a 10-week intervention targeting a variety of positive psychological constructs (i.e., positive relationships, gratitude, kindness, character strengths, hope) with parent and teacher components, and students in 7 classrooms randomly assigned to a delayed intervention control group. Follow-up analyses examined levels of outcomes of the immediate intervention group relative to the control group at post-intervention, as well as levels of outcomes in the intervention group three months after program completion. At post-intervention, classes of students participating in the immediate intervention group did not have significantly improved student-reported life satisfaction, positive affect or negative affect, classmate or teacher support, emotional or behavioral engagement, nor teacher-reported relationship satisfaction, instrumental help, and emotional or behavioral engagement relative to the control classes. However, several trends were found: (a) students in the immediate intervention group had lower negative affect relative to the delayed intervention control among students with greater baseline negative affect levels, (b) students in the immediate intervention group had lower teacher-reported levels of instrumental help relative to the control among students with greater baseline instrumental help levels, and (c) students in the immediate intervention group reported lower levels of behavioral engagement relative to the delayed intervention control. Because of the lack of improvement in immediate intervention group outcomes relative to the control group at post-intervention, continuation of those anticipated improvements from post-intervention to 3-month follow-up could not be detected. However, there was a significant increase in teacher-reported internalizing symptoms from post-intervention to follow-up among the immediate intervention group (without comparison to a control). Overall, findings from this study do not provide empirical support for the efficacy of a multitarget, multicomponent PPI when delivered universally to classes of elementary students. Nevertheless, high levels of treatment acceptability and feasibility from students and teachers as well as limitations to the study design support the need for educational scholars and practitioners to continue exploring the impact of multitarget PPIs delivered to students in multiple formats and various age levels in order to promote complete mental health across tiers of support and thus optimize success for all students.

Physician well-being has become an important area of interest given that reduced well-being can have a negative effect on patient outcomes. However, research has predominantly focused on impairment thus studies addressing physicians' positive functioning are limited. The purpose of this two-phase, mixed methods study was to investigate the well-being and self-regulation capacity of physicians using a positive psychology lens. In Phase 1, 132 physicians (n = 40 physicians; n = 92 resident physicians) completed online questionnaires to assess their levels of psychological and affective well-being and self-regulation capacity. Selected based on Phase 1 data, 12 physicians then took part in an in-depth individual interview in Phase 2 to discuss their experiences of psychological well-being and self-regulation. Results of Phase 1 showed that physicians and resident physicians had moderate and high levels of self-regulation capacity, respectively. While both groups reported high levels of psychological well-being, they had average levels of positive and negative affect. MANOVAs confirmed the hypothesis that high self-regulating physicians and resident physicians would have higher levels of psychological well-being and positive affect compared to those with lower levels. However, those with higher self-regulation capacity did not have lower negative affect, nor did physicians have significantly higher levels of psychological and affective well-being than resident physicians. Regression analyses confirmed the hypothesis that a significant amount of variance in levels of psychological well-being would be explained by self-regulation capacity. There was a particularly strong relationship between self-regulation capacity and the dimensions of purpose in life and environmental mastery, which suggests that physicians who effectively self-manage may be better able to preserve a sense of purpose and an adequate work-life balance in their daily life. A qualitative content analysis of the Phase 2 qualitative data revealed that physicians had both high and low functioning experiences of psychological well-being across the dimensions of self-acceptance, positive relations with others, environmental mastery, and autonomy. They, however, reported high functioning for the dimensions of personal growth and purpose in life. Their experiences also varied based on their professional and personal life contexts, with work-life balance emerging as a prevalent theme. Physicians' self-regulation experiences involved individualized preparation, performance, and evaluation processes that were perceived to influence their well-being. Results of a composite analysis suggest that the development of effective self-regulation skills could be one way to help physicians achieve satisfactory levels of well-being.

A dual-factor model of mental health includes indicators of wellness (i.e., subjective well-being) and psychopathology (i.e., internalizing and externalizing behavior problems) in defining psychological wellness. The present empirical investigation examined the utility of SWB and psychopathology examined separately and together (as in a dual-factor model of mental health) in predicting students' subsequent academic achievement and in-school behavior. Specifically, it determined if SWB, psychopathology, and membership in a specific mental health group yielded by the dual-factor model (i.e., complete mental health, vulnerable, symptomatic but content, or troubled) at Time 1 was related to achievement (i.e., GPA, FCAT-math, FCAT-reading, absences, office disciplinary referrals [ODRs]) the following school year (i.e., Time 2). A previously analyzed data set (Time 1) and a different archival data set yielded from student records unique to the current study (Time 2) comprised of data from 300 adolescents were analyzed. Results of regression analyses to explore the predictive initial relationship of mental health to later student achievement indicated that initial SWB predicted student grades one year later, initial internalizing psychopathology predicted absences one year later, and initial externalizing psychopathology predicted grades, absences, and ODRs one year later. Results of mixed model ANCOVAs indicated that students' grades and attendance across time varied as a function of mental health group. Specifically, students belonging to the troubled mental health group declined at a significantly faster rate than youth without psychopathology across time on GPA. In contrast, the slope of students in the symptomatic but content group was not significantly different from the slope of peers with low psychopathology. Additionally, at Time 2, the best school attendance and school grades were found by students who had both average/high SWB and low psychopathology one year earlier, supporting the long-term utility of complete mental health.

The purpose of this study is to describe and explore the happiness, sense of coherence and resilience of rural teachers from a positive psychology framework where positive and healthy adaptation is emphasized. This study forms part of the dissemination phase of a longitudinal study known as STAR (Supportive Teachers Assets and Resilience). Completed questionnaires by twelve rural teachers in STAR schools (2 primary and 1 secondary) in rural Mpumalanga were purposively sampled as data sources for secondary analysis. The measures included the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ), Resilience Scale (RS-14) and the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (SOC-13). Results are presented as descriptive and non-parametric statistics. Results indicated that teachers possess High Moderate to High levels of happiness, Moderate to High Moderate sense of coherence, and High Moderate to high levels of resilience. There was no significant relationship between happiness, sense of coherence and resilience. No significant differences were observed between levels of happiness, sense of coherence and resilience of teachers in (Pre- STAR intervention and post- STAR intervention); nor with regards to gender. Theorizing the findings of this study within the theoretical framework of positive psychology indicates that despite significant risk and adversity, teachers are able to demonstrate positive psychological constructs in the form of happiness (extraversion, kindness, humor, sense of purpose, aesthetic appreciation, locus of control, positive affect, self-efficacy, physical health and self-esteem ), sense of coherence (comprehensibility, manageability and meaning) and resilience (self-reliance, having a purposeful and meaningful life, equanimity, perseverance and existential aloneness). / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

This qualitative investigation addresses the notion of using the film The Matrix (Silver, & Wachowski, Wachowski, 1999) as a fortigenic tool. Fortigenesis is a process of developing strengths. Within the relatively new field of positive psychology (PP) the premise is that character strengths and virtues can be fostered to lead a better life with positive goals and richer meaning. This positive outlook has several links with existentialism. As such PP and existentialism were used as theoretical points of departure in this reading of the film. For this new field to grow, positive psychologists embrace the idea of using many foci. Hence many looking-glasses or lenses were used in this reading: these are PP, existentialism, philosophy, Christianity and fairy-tales. As a result, several PP notions such as self-efficacy, love, hope, courage, open-mindedness, creativity and faith and two existential themes, freedom of choice and will to meaning, were read into this motion picture. Thus conceptually, The Matrix is specifically explored as a filmic container. Its application as a fortigenic tool is highlighted through the use of Broaden-and-Build theory to validate and solidify constructs. Broaden-and-build theory is founded on the idea that positive emotions lead to a broadening of cognition (e.g. new and creative ways of thinking), which in turn allows for a broader repertoire of positive actions that people can consider. Lastly, conclusions are discussed, one being that more research about the positive in psychology is necessary. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Psychology / MA / Unrestricted

Orientador: Gisele Maria Schwartz / Resumo: Muitos estudos já têm utilizado a tecnologia referente a filmes como forma de auxiliar em tratamentos, como os da cinematerapia, tendo em vista seu impacto em diversos aspectos da área terapêutica. Entretanto, pouco se conhece sobre a potencialidade desse recurso como expressão combinada de uma rede de atributos, os quais podem desencadear inúmeros estímulos audiovisuais, tendo como base o referencial da Psicologia Positiva, podendo impactar nas funções cognitivas e nos estados de humor em idosos. Este estudo, de natureza qualiquantitativa, tem como objetivo investigar o efeito de sessões de mídias cinematográficas nos estados de humor e em algumas funções cognitivas, relacionadas à memória, à atenção e à percepção, de idosos saudáveis e com sintomas depressivos. O estudo alia pesquisas bibliográfica e exploratória. A pesquisa exploratória foi desenvolvida por meio da aplicação bifásica, sendo antes do início da exibição do filme (pré-filme) e após o término do mesmo (pósfilme), de três instrumentos para a coleta de dados: Questionário com entrevista estruturada de caracterização da amostra contendo 1 pergunta (pré-filme) e 4 perguntas (pós-filme), Lista de Estados de Ânimo Reduzida e Ilustrada (LEA-RI) (VOLP, 2000) e a Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)-versão abreviada de 15 itens (ALMEIDA; ALMEIDA, 1999). A amostra de conveniência foi constituída por 216 idosos, com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos, de ambos os sexos, residentes em Rio Claro-SP. Foram utilizados quatro film... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Many studies have already used the technology related to films as an auxiliary way of treatments, such as the ones of the cinema therapy due to its effectiveness in several therapeutic aspects. However, little is known about the potentiality of this resource as a combined expression in a network of attributes, which may trigger innumerable audiovisual stimuli, based on the Positive Psychology reference and, may impact the efficiency of cognitive functions and mood states in seniors. The present quali-quantitative study aims to investigate the effect of cinematographic media sessions in the mood state and cognitive performance related to memory and attention in healthy elderly with depressive symptoms. The study will combine bibliographic and exploratory research, which will be developed through biphasic technique, before the beginning of the film (pre-test) and after the end of the film (post-test). Three instruments for data collection will be used: Structured interview questionnaire, The Reduced and Illustrated States List (LEA-RI) (VOLP, 2000) and, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), abbreviated version of 15 items (ALMEIDA; ALMEIDA, 1999). The convenience sample consisted of 216 elderly people, aged 60 years or over, of both genders, residing in Rio Claro-SP. Four films were used, from the genre’s biography and drama, selected from the studies of Positive Psychology. The data collected were analyzed in two ways: qualitatively, using the Content Analysis technique, from ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Students in accelerated curricula tend to have greater stress when compared to students in general education (Suldo, Shaunessy, & Hardesty, 2008). It is important for stakeholders to be able to help these students reach their goals and attain happiness. One potential method to help these students is to attend to their character strengths. People who effectively utilize their character strengths have achieved numerous positive outcomes including greater levels of well-being, self-esteem, and positive affect (Proctor, Malby, & Linley, 2011; Quinlan, Swain, Cameron, & Vella-Brodrick, 2014; Wood, Linley, Maltby, Kashan, & Hurling, 2011). Unfortunately, there is a lack of research on students’ strengths, and there is no research looking specifically at the strengths of students in accelerated curricula. This study addressed this gap in the literature by examining the character strengths of students in accelerated curricula. Participants included 253 ninth-grade students in accelerated curricula, specifically enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) classes or a pre-International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma program. A mixed-method design was utilized. For the quantitative part of the study, the researcher looked at the most frequent self-identified character strengths of all the participants and examined if the endorsed strengths differed for subgroups of students based on ethnicity, academic program, academic risk, or emotional risk. The most prevalent strength was humor, followed by love, creativity, kindness and curiosity. More Asian students identified with love of learning compared to students from other ethnic groups, and more White students identified with social intelligence. Across program, more AP students identified with creativity and fairness, and more IB students identified with self-regulation and kindness. In regard to risk status, more students without academic risk identified with persistence/perseverance. More students without emotional risk identified with creativity, persistence/perseverance, leadership, and teamwork, whereas more students with emotional risk identified with love, hope, and humor. For the qualitative part of the study, the researcher examined a subset of 121 participants who participated in a selective intervention because they were identified as demonstrating early signs of academic or emotional risk. The researcher examined how these students described their behaviors and actions in a way that illustrated their strengths. The qualitative analyses revealed three main themes: Manifestation, Importance, and Origination. This thesis can assist educators understand how high-achieving students describe and view their character strengths as meaningful. The rich descriptions of each character strength can be useful for educators in targeting character strengths in students and creating strengths-based interventions to increase students’ happiness and overall flourishing, according to the PERMA framework (which is made up of positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment). Further research should be conducted on why strengths differ between AP and IB students, as those findings may have implications for those who participate and ultimately succeed in these rigorous programs.

Syftet med studien är att belysa vikten av att studera välbefinnande i projektarbete och bidra till bättre förståelse för vad som påverkar projektmedlemmars välbefinnande på arbetet. Detta undersöktes genom en kvalitativ studie där tio semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes av projektmedlemmar från olika branscher och organisationer. Genom tematisk analys resulterade studien i tre teman: Mitt jobb är viktigt, Jag behövs! och Vi går framåt som beskriver faktorer som är viktiga för projektmedlemmars välbefinnande i projektarbete. Studiens analys kan kopplas till PERMA, sexfaktormodellen för psykologisk välbefinnande, subjektivt välbefinnande, Self-determination theory och KASAM. Vidare diskuteras vikten av välbefinnande i projektarbete, studiens begränsningar och förslag på vidare forskning inom projektledning. / The purpose of the study is to highlight the importance of studying well-being in projects and contribute to a better understanding of what affects project members' well-being at work. This was investigated through a qualitative approach where ten semi structured interviews were conducted on project members from different branches and organizations. Thematic analysis was conducted and resulted in three themes: My job is important, I am needed! and We are moving forward, which describe factors that are important for project member’s well-being in project work. The analysis of the study connects to PERMA, the Six-factor model of psychological well-being, subjective well-being, Self-determination theory and sense of coherence. Furthermore, are the importance of well-being in project work discussed, the limitations of the study and suggestions for future studies in project management.

Sexual minorities experience mental and physical health disparities in comparison to heterosexual individuals due to minority stress (Branstrom et al., 2016; Kerridge et al., 2017; Meyer, 2003). Positive psychology interventions have improved mental and physical health (Antoine et al., 2018; Lambert D'raven et al., 2015), and therefore these interventions have potential to address health disparities. The current study tested an identity-specific intervention (n = 30) to a general positive psychology intervention (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30) among sexual minorities. This built on a recent pilot study which tested the efficacy of an identity-specific intervention designed for sexual minorities and showed significant improvements in depressive and anxiety symptoms. Thus, I hypothesized that individuals in intervention conditions would have better mental health, physical health, and substance use outcomes than the control group. Additionally, outcomes of the identity-specific condition were compared to those of the general positive psychology intervention. Participants included 91 sexual minority adults that completed three surveys (baseline, one week after the intervention, one month follow-up) including outcomes measures (depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, problematic drinking, problems associated with drug use, well-being, and self-rated health), potential covariates (anticipated stigma, internalized stigma, concealment) and manipulation checks (self-compassion, forgiveness, optimism, coping using humor, social support seeking). Fifty-three participants completed interventions featuring five intervention tasks eliciting self-compassion, optimism, forgiveness, humor, and social support seeking. Analyses included descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and multilevel modeling. Compared to the control condition, results showed significantly greater improvements in well-being (b = .40, p = .013), self-rated health (b = -.42, p = .006), and problems associated with drug use (b = -.97, p = .004) among participants in the intervention conditions. No significant differences emerged for depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, or problematic drinking. Limitations include lack of power for analyses examining extended follow-up and comparing intervention types, as well as a number of history effects. Despite these limitations, the current study has potential to improve health outcomes and aid clinical practices. More research on positive psychology interventions with sexual minorities is needed.

Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and other drugs puts communities' and individuals' safety at tremendous risk. The excessive use of alcohol, illicit drugs, and/or some prescribed medications causes cognitive impairment and the physical incapability of operating a vehicle. The court system penalizes drunken driving behaviors by placing DUI offenders in a variety of mandated interventions to minimize the risk of reoffense. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore DUI offenders' positive experiences and perceptions derived from DUI programs and how they impacted well-being and commitment to positive change using Seligman's well-being theory as a conceptual framework. In-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 11 DUI offenders participating in court-mandated treatment in a northern U.S. state. The interviews were manually transcribed and then coded for themes using a typology classification system based on key terms, word repetitions, and metaphors. The findings highlighted positive consequences and outcomes resulted from DUI arrest including resilience, engagement in treatment, and well-being. The findings of this study could be useful because addiction professionals might incorporate concepts related to positive psychology into the addiction treatment. The issues described by the participants may be used to enrich the quality of existing DUI interventions with the promotion of positive factors supporting health, thus shifting existing negative focus on disease, weakness, and damage into positive interventions based on strengths and virtues.