For this review strengths intervention studies were located using online searches and collegial networks and included if they explicitly sought to teach or use a strengths classification to enhance well-being, and used pre-and post-intervention measures and a comparison group.Eight studies met the criteria and have been summarised by this review. To date, the effect sizes achieved by character strengths interventions have been small to moderate. An understanding of how these interventions work may facilitate development of more effective interventions, while expanding the field of character strengths interventions to include a broader range of activities and approaches may also offer benefits. Research examining individual factors, such as strengths use, psychological need satisfaction, goal-setting and goal-striving provides promising leads to explain how strengths interventions work. However, the effect on intervention efficacy of relational or contextual factors, such as intervention environment or facilitator attitude to strengths, has not yet been explored. Implications for interventions in school settings are considered.

After adjustment for confounding, robust and reciprocal associations were found between mental health problems and life satisfaction. Overall, this study showed evidence that life satisfaction influences mental disorder, and that mental disorder influences life satisfaction.

Healthcare support workers face challenging situations in their day-to-day work but may have minimal training on how to deal with such incidents. Although staff training is often recommended as an essential part of any comprehensive approach for preventing and managing workplace violence, there is paucity of evidence on the content and effectiveness of such training. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of an intervention (communication skills training) to reduce the experience of aggression for healthcare support workers. A two arm, cluster randomised, single-blinded, controlled trial among healthcare support workers in nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and District Health Boards (DHBs) in New Zealand was conducted. The trial was conducted across 14 NGOs and DHB in Otago, Southland, and Auckland regions of New Zealand. One hundred and twenty-seven participants were randomised to one of two groups. Both the intervention (communication skills) and control condition (mindfulness) were group-based, fully scripted, and structured training interventions that consisted of four once weekly workshops that were facilitated by one of two nonclinical facilitators. Measurements of perceived aggression, psychological well-being, and distress and communication competence were taken pre-, post-, 3 months' post-, and 6 months' postintervention. There was a significant drop in the rate of aggression over time with a mean score and standard deviation of 10.37 (9.169) at baseline dropping to 6.07 (6.923) for the Perception of Patient Aggression Scale-New Zealand across both intervention and control. Equivalent results were noted with increased psychological well-being and communication competence and decreased distress with both interventions. This was sustained at 6 months' follow-up. However, the between groups effect did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups. Both mindfulness and communication skills training can reduce the experience of aggression reported by healthcare support workers.

Interventions that identify and develop character strengths have been shown to benefit well-being, academic engagement and achievement. Strengths research within positive psychology has focused primarily on individual outcomes with less attention on group or relationships effects. This study (N = 193) examined the effect of a classroom-based strengths intervention on class cohesion and friction, relatedness, engagement, well-being and strengths use. A six-session programme was trialled with 9-12-year-old students. Students learned to recognise strengths and practised strengths-related goal setting. At three-months post-test, multi-level modelling indicated that intervention group participants scored significantly higher on class cohesion and relatedness need satisfaction, and lower on class friction than the non-randomised control group. Programme participants also reported higher levels of positive affect, classroom engagement, autonomy need satisfaction and strengths use. School-based strengths interventions may influence individual perceptions of class climate, engagement and student relatedness in addition to individual well-being.

Birth satisfaction impacts on a man's adjustment to his new role as father. Fathers have been found to have needs similar to those of mothers during pregnancy and childbirth. Research suggests that these needs may not be being met for first-time fathers. In a quantitative survey, fathers' birth satisfaction was similar to mothers. This study then used a phenomenological form of thematic analysis to gain an insight into the birth experiences of 155 first-time New Zealand fathers. Core themes included safety of mother and baby, understanding support role, mother in control and managing pain and care and communication after birth. Fathers commented on what impacted on their childbirth experiences and in so doing outlined their needs for a positive experience. Fathers experienced a high level of satisfaction along with a need to be involved and included.