Design and evaluation of a positive intervention to cultivate mental health: preliminary findings

Abstract

The past two decades have witnessed a proliferation of positive psychological interventions for clinical and non-clinical populations, and recent research, including meta-analyses, is providing evidence of its effectiveness. Most interventions have focused on increasing life satisfaction, positive affect, and psychological well-being. Manualized, multi-component interventions based on a comprehensive theory are scarce. Keyes’ concept of mental health and flourishing (subjective, psychological, and social well-being) is an overarching theoretical framework to guide the design of a multi-component psychological intervention to cultivate well-being and personal development. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to design a theory-driven positive intervention and to pilot test the intervention. The manual presents an 8-week group program that includes homework activities. A sample of 56 young adults completed the intervention. Participants were assessed at base line, after termination, and at a 6-month follow-up session. Standardized instruments were used to assess the dimensions of mental health proposed by Keyes. Pre- and post-test measures of subjective, psychological, and social well-being showed significant differences, as did the total mental health scores. At 6-month follow-up, differences remained in subjective and psychological well-being and in positive mental health, with smaller effect sizes. Limitations of these preliminary findings as well as future lines of research and improvements in this manualized intervention are proposed in the light of current research on positive interventions.

Effects of a Multi-Component Psychological Intervention to Cultivate Mental Health in Older Adults

“…In this context, positive psychological interventions seem to be a useful tool, 4 though much work is still ahead to empirically validate the interventions and elucidate the processes and mechanism of change involved. The proposal by Gorbeña et al 22 merits further work and adaptations to foster the well-being of older adults.…”

“…The Personal Development and Well-Being Program 22 is an intervention developed after Keyes’ concept of positive mental health and thus it attempts to cultivate subjective, psychological and social well-being. A detailed manual describes the program and the materials used.…”

“…[18][19][20][21] In an attempt to remedy this lack of theoretical foundation, Gorbeña et al developed a multi-component intervention based on this construct and results with young adults indicated that the intervention was effective. 22 The intervention, described in the next section, is, to the best of our knowledge, unique in that it addresses subjective, psychological and social well-being and avoids a focus on changing maladaptive behavioral patterns as other multi-component interventions do. For instance, Friedman et al focused only in psychological well-being, and used CBT to work on cognitive restructuring.…”