Publications
Background/Aims/Objectives: Learned helplessness, diminished life satisfaction, and low self-esteem
are linked to depression among children. Past research suggests that children who have
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are at an increased risk of experiencing learned
helplessness, diminished life satisfaction, low self-esteem, and, therefore, future mental health
disorders. Character strengths interventions (CSIs) are positive interventions for supporting children
in improving learned optimism, life satisfaction, and self-esteem.
Methodology: A 7-week repeated measures intervention study investigated the impact of a CSI
named Strengths Gym (Proctor & Fox Eades, 2019) on the life satisfaction, self-esteem, and positive
and negative affect of 30 students aged 9 to 10 years old.
Results: Results indicated no significant pre-intervention differences in life satisfaction, self-esteem,
or positive and negative affect between SEND and non-SEND students. However, significant pre- and
post-intervention score differences in life satisfaction, self-esteem, and positive affect, with no
significant difference in the pre-and post-intervention score differences for negative affect, were
found among the full sample population.
Discussion/Conclusion: Results indicated a significant positive increase in life satisfaction, self-esteem,
and positive affect for both SEND and non-SEND students. Overall, results support the use
of Strengths Gym as a promising intervention for supporting and improving the life satisfaction, self-esteem,
and positive affect of SEND students.
Bibliotherapy is the use of literature to facilitate the psychotherapeutic process and therapeutic reading is often used as an adjunct to various psychotherapy modalities. This paper presents a talk reporting on the initial findings of the use of bibliotherapy in existential psychotherapy, as three existential-phenomenological therapists have experienced it.
Enhancing well-being in youth: Positive psychology interventions for education in Britain
Book ChapterK-A. Allen, M. J. Furlong, D. A. Vella-Brodrick, & S. M. Suldo (Eds.), The handbook of positive psychology in schools: Supporting process and practice (3rd ed.) (pp. 451-465). Taylor and Francis.
(Publication year: 2022)
(Publication year: 2022)
This chapter reviews school-based positive psychology interventions designed to enhance the well-being of children and adolescents. A review of current assessments of the well-being of children and adolescents in the U.K. is presented. Recent findings are summarized and presented with corresponding findings from the well-being literature in this area. The promotion of positive well-being in schools is considered in light of reported levels of well-being and current national strategies. Examples are provided of both single component and multicomponent positive psychology curriculum based interventions at the primary and secondary school level. The chapter concludes with a discussion of considerations for those wishing to implement or develop positive psychological well-being programs in education.
‘Diogenes syndrome is characterised by extreme self-neglect of environment, health, and hygiene, excessive hoarding, squalor, social withdrawal, and a distinct lack of concern or shame regarding one’s living condition’ (Proctor & Rahman, 2021, p. 1). There have been proposals to use the term ‘severe domestic squalor’, and previously, the cluster of symptoms has been known as ‘senile squalor syndrome’. Diogenes is not uniquely recognised in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013); however, the closely related condition Hoarding Disorder appears in the fifth version. Numerous case report studies suggest that the constellation of symptoms representative of Diogenes is distinct from other closely related disorders. This mini-review presents a brief overview of cases highlighting the complexity and diversity of patients suffering from Diogenes, underscoring the importance of diagnostic criteria and classification to treat this condition accurately.
Measurement of adolescent life satisfaction across cultures has not received much attention in previous empirical research. The present study evaluated measurement invariance of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) among adolescents in 24 countries and regions (N = 22,710; age range = 13–19 years; 53% female). A singlefactor model with residual covariance between a pair of items tapping past life satisfaction fitted well in 19 countries and regions and showed a partial metric invariance. In a subset of nine countries and regions, partial scalar invariance was supported. Partial metric invariance across all 24 countries and regions was achieved when custom model modifications in five countries and regions were included. Three SWLS items showed evidence of noninvariance across cultures. The measurement model was found to operate similarly across gender and age. Our findings suggest that caution is needed when using the SWLS for measuring life satisfaction among adolescents from different cultures.
“Severe domestic squalor” or Diogenes syndrome is characterised by extreme self-neglect of environment, health, and hygiene, excessive hoarding, squalor, social withdrawal, and a distinct lack of concern or shame regarding one’s living condition. This report presents a case of a 51-year-old male admitted to the hospital psychiatric ward following the police removing him from his home. Police officers attended the man’s home following the alarm being raised by his stepfather that he had not been seen or heard from in 3 weeks. His home was covered in several feet of rubbish, rotting food, and debris and smelled intensely of rotting mould, urine, and faeces. He was found lying nude on top of garbage with a rug over him. Diogenes syndrome is highly comorbid with psychiatric and somatic disorders, including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, personality disorder, and stress. This case report provides a rare opportunity to better understand the distinction of Diogenes syndrome from the closely related condition hoarding disorder. Furthermore, creating an agreed-upon constellation of symptoms representative of Diogenes is essential to creating a formal Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) entry, which would facilitate the much-needed development of assessment measures to enable accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Background
This study further explores the naturally emerging structure of well-being. Practitioners often measure the subjective well-being (SWB) construct, though a “Big Two” (hedonic vs eudaimonic) or “Big Three” (hedonic, eudaimonic, psychosocial/tripartite) model may deserve more attention. Furthermore, theories of well-being often involve virtue, without its operationalization.
Methodology
This study explored naturally emerging constructs of well-being. University students (n = 269) completed measures of well-being (positive and negative affect, depression, basic psychological needs, authenticity, hope, life satisfaction, psychological well-being), and virtue (empathy, dark triad traits). Goldberg’s (2006) Bass-Ackward procedure of component analysis provided a quantitative approach to examine the emerging constructs of well-being.
Results
Results provide further confirmation of the philosophical distinction between well-being and dysphoria, hedonia and eudaimonia, and the nonspecificity of life satisfaction. Virtue was associated with eudaimonia but was not redundant with other elements. Unexpected evidence emerged that the rejecting-influence element of authenticity may load more with dysphoria than with well-being.
Discussion
The separation of well-being from dysphoria and of hedonia from eudaimonia suggest the analysis worked well. The nonspecificity of life satisfaction brings further evidence that the SWB construct may be imbalanced. Results also support calls for a return to the Aristotelian inclusion of virtue in modern conceptualizations of eudaimonia. The Bass-Ackward approach also provided unexpected insights regarding authenticity.
Conclusions
Overall, results suggest a justification for a broader Big Three (tripartite) model of well-being. The Bass-Ackward approach also showed further potential with its combination of quantitative methods while allowing for the emergence of unexpected new insights.
Keywords: eudaimonia; well-being; happiness; hedonia; Bass-Ackward; life satisfaction
The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of Strengths Gym (Proctor & Fox Eades, in Strengths gym: Year 8, Positive Psychology Research Centre, Pennsylvania, 2009; Proctor et al., in J Posit Psychol, 6:377–388, 2011)—an intervention based on the Values in Action (VIA; Peterson & Seligman in Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2004) classification of character strengths among Indian students. Participants in this classroom-based intervention were 121 students from grades 7 and 8 (Age = 11–13 years, M = 11.22 years, SD = 1.61, 53% male) from two schools in the National Capital Region of India. Using quasi-experimental design, participating classrooms in each school were randomized into intervention or control conditions. Intervention group engaged in 24 sessions—one corresponding to each character strength, spread over 12 weeks. All participants completed a questionnaire comprising measures of well-being, life satisfaction, happiness, affect, and self-esteem at pre- and post-test. Participants reported significant gains in happiness, life satisfaction, and positive affect at post-test. Findings suggest promising evidence for character strength interventions among Indian students, while also contributing to research evidence about cross-cultural relevance and validity of an existing intervention. Fostering character strengths and well-being among Indian students emerges as an area of tremendous importance in the face of the stressors and challenges faced by this demographic group in the present times.
Commentary for Dr Paul Wong’s editorial to the IJEPP: http://www.drpaulwong.com/what-is-existential-positive-psychology-why-is-it-necessary-for-mental-health-during-the-pandemic/
This study investigated Rogerian unconditional positive self-regard (UPSR) among young adults. Based on the findings of extant research in support of the Rogerian metatheoretcial model, variables were selected based on the fully functioning person to represent characteristics predictive of UPSR. Using hierarchical regression, UPSR was assessed with young adults aged 16 to 19 years (= 16.87). Participants completed emotional self-assessments (block 1: depression, anxiety, and self-esteem), humanistic/positive psychology construct assessments (block 2: authenticity, life satisfaction, aspirations), and a measure of perceived parental conditional regard (block 3: domain-specific perceptions of parental conditional regard (PPCR)). Analyses revealed that each block of variables significantly accounted for the variance in UPSR. All scores (with the exception of PPCR – Sport) had significant zero-order correlations with UPSR, however when considered together this was no longer the case due to the significant inter-correlations of the predictor variables. Overall, the following significant predictors of unconditional positive self-regard among young adults emerged: self-esteem, authentic living, accepting external influence, life satisfaction, importance of intrinsic motivations, and perceived parental conditional regard on academic success. Implications are explored.
A historical style of art that includes reminders of death, deserves attention from positive psychologists because it hints at a failure in positive psychology. In particular, both the rhetoric and research practices of early positive psychology suggest a narrow vision of the good life. This type of messaging may cause people to crowd out the pursuit of other ideals that research, Aristotelian philosophy, and even historical art suggest as visions of the good life. In contrast, a more complete positive psychology promotes a vision of the good life that includes a broader array of eudaimonic constructs. Even among proponents of a eudaimonic perspective in positive psychology, however, the importance of wisdom and virtue, although supported by research, and central to the historical concept of eudaimonia, are relatively neglected. Throughout his life, Paul Wong has been disseminating messages that could have helped correct such errors.
A number of current theoretical psychologists and philosophers have begun to consider the application of virtue ethics in psychotherapeutic practice. Emerging fields of study, such as positive psychology, and renewed interest in traditional fields of study, such as humanistic psychology, have resulted in a revival of interest and enthusiasm with regards to virtue ethics. Primarily based in Aristotelian (c. 330 BCE/1980) philosophy, virtue ethics in psychotherapy brings ancient philosophy into modern day practice. A systematic review of the extant literature was conducted, resulting in seven publications for review. Presented is a review and critique of the yielded literature. The work concludes with a discussion of virtue ethics in psychotherapeutic practice, which is demonstrated by way of two brief vignettes. Aristotle’s virtue ethics is demonstrated as being unquestionably worthy of our consideration and application in facing the existential givens presented for examination and exploration in psychotherapy.
Two studies examined the characteristics of the Rogerian fully functioning person from the positive psychology perspective. Based on the findings of extant research in support of the Rogerian metatheoretical model, indicators were selected to represent characteristics constituting the fully functioning person. Using confirmatory factor analysis, a single factor structure of the fully functioning person was assessed with young adults aged 16 to 19 years ( = 16.86). Participants of both studies completed measures of life satisfaction, positive thoughts and feelings, authenticity, organismic valuing, aspirations, basic psychological needs, anxiety, and strengths use. Participants of Study 2 also completed a measure of character strengths endorsement. Analyses revealed that variables consistent with the Rogerian fully functioning person loaded positively on a single “fully functioning person” factor. Overall, results suggest that the fully functioning person is high in life satisfaction, has increased positive thoughts and feelings and decreased negative thoughts and feelings, low anxiety, and moves toward intrinsic values rather than extrinsic values. The fully functioning person component was positively correlated with the character strengths of enthusiasm, bravery, honesty, leadership, and spirituality and negatively correlated with modesty and fairness. Results supplement research indicating strong links between positive psychology and the person-centered theory of Carl Rogers.
A central construct within the positive psychology literature is life satisfaction. Whereas adult life satisfaction has been studied extensively, the life satisfaction of children and adolescents has only received attention more recently. This article provides a review of the extant research on youth life satisfaction. Empirical studies (n = 141) on life satis- faction among youth are reviewed. The review details how life satisfaction among youth relates to various other important emotional, social, and behavioural constructs. Evidenced by the review are the conditions that foster positive life satisfaction and the implications of positive life satisfaction among youth. Future directions in life satisfaction research among youth are briefly discussed.
This study explored common measures of well-being to assess whether the naturally emerging relationships are best explained by a “Big Two” (hedonic vs. eudaimonic) or another, yet to be discovered framework. A sample of young adult participants (n = 355) completed measures of life satisfaction, flourishing, positive and negative experience, meaning in life, basic psychological needs, and subjective happiness. Goldberg’s (2006) Bass-Ackward procedure of component analysis was used to determine the relationship between the variables. Results indicated that life satisfaction and flourishing loaded on both hedonic and eudaimonic variables at several levels of the analysis, suggesting that these constructs may be outcomes of both hedonia and eudaimonia. Results further indicated that searching for meaning was distinct from hedonia, but was not an effective indicator of eudaimonic well-being. Overall, the results justify the distinction between hedonia and eudaimonia; however, they also suggest that further distinctions between different measures of well-being are required. Moreover, life satisfaction may be a superordinate category that reflects outcomes of both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Thus, the “Big Three” of positive psychology (i.e., positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction) is neither purely hedonic, nor purely eudaimonic, nor a balanced combination of the two, and thus is deficient as an indicator of either type of well-being. Furthermore, the results suggests that further understanding the place of life satisfaction within hedonic and eudaimonic conceptualizations of happiness is important in enhancing our overall understanding of well-being.
This preliminary research study examined the impact of Strengths Gym, a character strengths-based positive psychological intervention program, on adolescent life satisfaction. Using a quasi-experimental treatment-control condition design, the study compared student outcomes for life satisfaction, positive and negative affect, and self-esteem for 319 adolescent students aged 12-14 (M = 12.98); 218 adolescent students who participated in character strengths-based exercises in the school curriculum, and 101 adolescent students who did not participate in character strengths-based exercises in the school curriculum. Results revealed that adolescents who participated in character strengths-based exercises experienced significantly increased life satisfaction compared to adolescents who did not participate in character strengths-based exercises. Overall, results provide encouraging preliminary support for the application of character strengths-based exercises in the school curriculum as a means of increasing life satisfaction and well-being among youths.
There is a growing body of research devoted to the examination of character strengths as conceptualized by Values-In-Action (VIA) strengths classification system. However, there remains a dearth of research examining generic strengths use and its relationship with well-being, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and VIA character strengths. In this cross-sectional study, 135 undergraduate university students completed measures of strengths use, subjective well-being (SWB), self-esteem, self-efficacy, and HRQOL, and endorsed five top VIA strengths. Results revealed strengths use is a unique predictor of SWB, but not HRQOL. The VIA strengths of hope and zest were significant positive predictors of life satisfaction. The most commonly-endorsed VIA strengths were: love, humor, kindness, social intelligence, and open-mindedness. The least-endorsed VIA strengths were: leadership, perseverance, wisdom, spirituality, and self-control. Overall, results suggest an important link between generic strengths use and specific VIA strengths and their impact on SWB.
A 3-year longitudinal study explored whether the two-dimensional model of trait hope predicted degree scores after considering intelligence, personality, and previous academic achievement. A sample of 129 respondents (52 males, 77 females) completed measures of trait hope, general intelligence, the five factor model of personality, divergent thinking, as well as objective measures of their academic performance before university (‘A’ level grades) and final degree scores. The findings suggest that hope uniquely predicts objective academic achievement above intelligence, personality, and previous academic achievement. The findings are discussed within the context of how it may be fruitful for researchers to explore how hope is related to everyday academic practice.
This study investigated the characteristics of adolescents reporting very high levels of life satisfaction. Participants (N = 410) were divided into three life satisfaction groups: very high (top 10%), average (middle 25%), and very low (lowest 10%). Results revealed that very happy youths had significantly higher mean scores on all included school, interpersonal, and intrapersonal variables, and significantly lower mean scores on depression, negative affect, and social stress than youths with average and very low levels of life satisfaction. Life meaning, gratitude, self-esteem, and positive affect were found to have a significantly more positive influence on global life satisfaction for the very unhappy than the very happy. Findings suggest that very unhappy youths would benefit most from focused interventions aimed at boosting those variables having the most influence on their level of life satisfaction. Results are discussed in light of previous findings and suggestions for future directions are briefly discussed.
This study examined the acquisition of intrinsic and extrinsic values among children. Participants (N = 218) completed measures of intrinsic and extrinsic values, happiness, life satisfaction, and anxiety, and rated their hero’s perceived values and the importance placed on each of these values by their caregiver. Results revealed that children’s intrinsic values were associated with greater life satisfaction and happiness, whereas extrinsic values were associated with lower behaviour ratings made by classroom teachers. Children’s intrinsic values were significantly predicted from the intrinsic values internalized from their caregivers and their hero’s perceived intrinsic values, whereas extrinsic values were significantly predicted from the extrinsic values internalized from their caregivers, their hero’s perceived extrinsic values, and their best friend’s extrinsic values. Internalized values for caregivers and hero’s perceived values significantly predicted children’s intrinsic and extrinsic values.
The burgeoning field of positive psychology has highlighted the need to discover what makes life worth living. Within this framework is the exploration of how youths perceive their lives and achieve happiness. Recent research demonstrates that perception of life satisfaction among youths has important implications for their psychological, social, and educational functioning. An important part of understanding how youths perceive their lives is the incorporation of measurement of life satisfaction, and this article provides a review of the extant measures of youth life satisfaction. Following systematic literature searches, empirical studies (n = 47) of youth LS measures are reviewed. The review provides an overview of each instrument outlining its normative samples, reliability, and validity. Recommended future research directions are briefly discussed.
A central construct within the positive psychology literature is life satisfaction. Whereas adult life satisfaction has been studied extensively, the life satisfaction of children and adolescents has only received attention more recently. This article provides a review of the extant research on youth life satisfaction. Empirical studies (n = 141) on life satisfaction among youth are reviewed. The review details how life satisfaction among youth relates to various other important emotional, social, and behavioural constructs. Evidenced by the review are the conditions that foster positive life satisfaction and the implications of positive life satisfaction among youth. Future directions in life satisfaction research among youth are briefly discussed.