Well-Being Technologies and Positive Psychology Strategies for Training Metacognition, Emotional Intelligence and Motivation Meta-Skills in Clinical Populations: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The holistic growth and psychological well-being of people with special needs and disabilities remain high on the priority agenda for sustainable and inclusive education. Digital well-being technologies and especially “smart technologies”, are ready to revolutionize mental health interventions by meeting trainees’ needs and providing them with more positive and transformative mental, emotional, and social experiences. Μeta-skills refer to a set of consciousness-raising competences that incorporate meta-cognitive, social–emotional, and motivational attributes, allowing individuals to intentionally achieve a state of optimal functioning. Although positive psychology and well-being technologies are considered promising intervention approaches, there is less knowledge regarding the effectiveness of such interventions among people with special needs and disabilities, especially in the crucial domain of meta-skills development. Thus, the current systematic review aims to examine positive psychology strategies as well as the synergy with well-being technologies in the development of metacognition, emotional intelligence, and motivation meta-skills in populations with special training needs and disabilities. The PRISMA methodology was utilized to answer the research questions. A total of forty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The results indicated that positive psychology strategies improved a wide range of meta-skills, including self-regulation, emotional control, behavioral control, inhibition control, self-awareness, intrapersonal skills, interpersonal skills, adaptation, goal setting, and self-compassion. Artificial intelligence tools, wearables, smart applications, immersive technologies (virtual and augmented reality), neurofeedback and biofeedback technologies, as well as digital games were found to effectively assist such training programs. The results of the current review may provide positive feedback in the discussion about digitally-aided mental health interventions for training the meta-skills of mental and emotional health.