Toxic Positivity and Its Role among Young Adult Workers

Abstract

The pandemic-fuelled rise of the “Good vibes only” has raised concerns about toxic positivity, fostering unrealistic expectations of constant happiness. This qualitative study explored the role of toxic positivity among young adult workers in Malaysia. Six Malaysian participants, aged 18 to 25 years old, were purposefully selected for a semi-structured interview to explore the challenges, risk factors, and coping strategies related to toxic positivity encounters. Three themes and seven subthemes were identified using Thematic Analysis. The study findings underscored the importance of recognising toxic positivity as a critical issue that affects the emotional well-being of young adult workers. Future research is recommended to explore similar themes in different study contexts, incorporating multiple perspectives to gain deeper insight into the issue.