Positive Psychology

MasterClass: Creating Resilient Minds

This MasterClass will empower you to be a charismatic leader in the lives of your clients. Dr. Robert Brooks has been working in this field and researching methods to increase resilience for over 40 years. This  MasterClass puts his extensive work together in one easily accessible location....

MasterClass: Exploring VIA Character Strengths: Taking Strengths to the Next Level

When coaching, leading, or collaborating with other human beings, few elements are as important or have as much impact as working with an individual’s character strengths....

MasterClass: Positivity and Love 2.0

This MasterClass aligns with the Institute of Coaching's theme: the conference that never ends. Here, we feature Barbara Frederickson’s research on positivity, or positive emotions, as well as her research on the psychology and biology of “love,” what Barbara describes as the supreme emotion, explored in her latest book Love 2.0....

Meaning in life and work: A developmental perspective

This study examined linear and nonlinear relations between age and the presence and search for meaning in life and examined if these relations were moderated by the presence of meaning in work....

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Happiness, excellence, and optimal human functioning revisited: Examining the peer-reviewed literature linked to positive psychology

This paper describes a broad study of the peer-reviewed literature linked to the positive psychology movement (Donaldsen et al, 2015). A systematic review selected 750 articles published in English between 1999-2013 (no review yet for 2014-2019) that were empirical tests of positive psychology theories, principles, and interventions....

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Self-compassion, a better alternative to rumination than distraction as a response to negative mood

Self-compassion – having a healthy, mindful and kind self-attitude – may be a better way to cope with negative experiences than distraction. This was tested in 152 undergraduates who underwent a negative mood induction and then completed either a self-compassionate writing task or a distraction task....

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An evaluation of positive psychology intervention effectiveness trials using the re-aim framework: A practice-friendly review

Meta-analyses indicate the efficacy of positive psychology interventions in promoting well-being. But, despite accumulating empirical and anecdotal evidence of these interventions’ implementation in real-world settings, no review of effectiveness research exists....

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It’s good to do good and receive good: The impact of a ‘pay it forward’ style kindness intervention on giver and receiver well-being

Despite the popularity of the ‘pay it forward’ (PIF) concept in textbooks and popular culture, to date, no study has tested the effectiveness of a brief, one-time PIF activity on the well-being of those who do good and those who receive good. To test this, 83 undergraduates (‘givers’) performed random kind acts for 1.5 h....

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Integrating psychological and cultural perspectives on virtue: The hierarchical structure of character strengths

The VIA Classification characterizes six culturally defined virtues as latent variables underlying 24 character strengths. Factor analyses of measures based on the Classification usually suggest 4–5 factors that do not correspond well to traditional lists of virtues....

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A case study of ‘The Good School’: Examples of the use of Peterson’s strengths-based approach with students

This applied case study centers on two aspects of Peterson’s research as introduced into a large K-12 school in Australia: (i) creating enabling institutions and (ii) applications of character strengths. The paper describes five character strengths initiatives....

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