William J Chopik, Nicky J Newton, Lindsay H Ryan, Todd B Kashdan, Aaron J Jarden
{"title":"Gratitude across the life span: Age differences and links to subjective well-being.","authors":"William J Chopik, Nicky J Newton, Lindsay H Ryan, Todd B Kashdan, Aaron J Jarden","doi":"10.1080/17439760.2017.1414296","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2017.1414296","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Gratitude has been described as an adaptive evolutionary mechanism that is relevant to healthy psychological and interpersonal outcomes. Questions remain as to whether the presence and benefits of gratitude are consistent from young adulthood to old age; prior research has yielded mixed evidence. We examined the magnitude and direction of age differences in gratitude in three samples (combined <i>N</i> = 31,206). We also examined whether gratitude was associated with greater/lesser well-being at different periods in the life course. We found that the experience of gratitude was greatest in older adults and least in middle aged and younger adults. Further, we found that the associations between gratitude and subjective well-being remained relatively constant across the lifespan. Findings are discussed from a developmental perspective.</p>","PeriodicalId":515224,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of Positive Psychology","volume":"14 3","pages":"292-302"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17439760.2017.1414296","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37257914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jeff C Huffman, Sean Legler, Rachel A Millstein, Federico Gomez-Bernal, Christopher M Celano, Wei-Jean Chung, Brian C Healy
{"title":"Does timeframe adjustment of the Life Orientation Test-Revised assess optimism as a state?: Data from the PEACE-III trial in patients with heart disease.","authors":"Jeff C Huffman, Sean Legler, Rachel A Millstein, Federico Gomez-Bernal, Christopher M Celano, Wei-Jean Chung, Brian C Healy","doi":"10.1080/17439760.2019.1579355","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2019.1579355","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Optimism is prospectively associated with superior health outcomes in cardiac patients, making it an attractive target for well-being interventions in this population. However, optimism measured by the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) has largely been considered a static, dispositional construct. Among 125 patients with a recent acute coronary syndrome who received a positive psychology intervention, we assessed the properties of a modified LOT-R that changed the timeframe of items from general dispositional statements to queries about 'right now.' We aimed to learn whether this modified LOT-R was more dynamic than the original LOT-R via administration of both instruments at three timepoints over the 16-week study period. Contrary to our hypothesis, this modified LOT-R showed no greater change in mean score or intra-individual variance than the original LOT-R over 16 weeks. This suggests that simply changing the timeframe of the LOT-R may not facilitate assessment of more state-like optimism in medical patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":515224,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of Positive Psychology","volume":"14 6","pages":"799-806"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17439760.2019.1579355","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38522161","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Measuring Experiential Well-Being among Older Adults.","authors":"Richard E Lucas, Vicki A Freedman, Deborah Carr","doi":"10.1080/17439760.2018.1497686","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2018.1497686","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Experienced well-being measures tap a distinct form of subjective well-being (SWB) and have different age-related properties than the more widely studied evaluations of life satisfaction. Unlike evaluations of the quality of life as a whole, experiential measures capture affective reactions soon after they occur. Recent advances in measurement have allowed for the inclusion of such experiential measures even in large-scale studies. However, respondent burden remains a concern; hence, surveys have also employed shorter experiential modules. The psychometric properties of these brief measures are not well understood. We examine the psychometric characteristics, including the factor structure and correlations with theoretically relevant criteria, of experienced wellbeing measures included in two supplements to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID). The first supplement included a detailed time diary whereas the second included a brief review of the prior day. Results show that for the detailed time diaries a single index of affective experience provides a useful summary of the associations among individual affect items, both within and between participants. For the abbreviated method, two or more subscales better describe the underlying structure.</p>","PeriodicalId":515224,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of Positive Psychology","volume":"14 4","pages":"538-547"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2019-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17439760.2018.1497686","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37055462","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Freedom to explore the self: How emerging adults use leisure to develop identity.","authors":"Eric K Layland, Brian J Hill, Larry J Nelson","doi":"10.1080/17439760.2017.1374440","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2017.1374440","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>During a period of newly attained freedom preceding commitments expected in adulthood, emerging adults are faced with the major task of identity development. Leisure provides a context with relative freedom wherein emerging adults explore new experiences and access opportunities not always available in more constrained environments like work and school. In this case study of 40 emerging adults from 18 countries (<i>M<sub>age</sub></i> =23.14 years), qualitative interviews were used to investigate the role of leisure as a context for identity development. Results indicate five major themes for leisure-based identity development in emerging adulthood: discovering identity, forming identity, defining identity, positioning identity, and forgoing opportunities. These themes support leisure as an additional context wherein emerging adults may flourish on the pathway toward adulthood. Access to both novel and familiar leisure provide a context for emerging adults to actively direct their identity development through decisions made in leisure time.</p>","PeriodicalId":515224,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of Positive Psychology","volume":"13 1","pages":"78-91"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2018-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17439760.2017.1374440","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"35687381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Fun Is More Fun When Others Are Involved.","authors":"Harry T Reis, Stephanie D O'Keefe, Richard D Lane","doi":"10.1080/17439760.2016.1221123","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221123","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fun activities are commonly sought and highly desired yet their affective side has received little scrutiny. The present research investigated two features of fun in two daily diary studies and one laboratory experiment. First, we examined the affective state associated with fun experiences. Second, we investigated the social context of fun, considering whether shared fun is more enjoyable than solitary fun. Findings from these studies indicated that fun is associated with both high-activation and low-activation positive affects, and that it is enhanced when experienced with others (especially friends). However, social fun was associated with increases in high-activation but not low-activation positive affect, suggesting that social interaction emphasizes energizing affective experiences. We also found that loneliness moderated the latter effects, such that lonely individuals received a weaker boost from shared compared to solitary fun. These results add to what is known about the impact of social contexts on affective experience.</p>","PeriodicalId":515224,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of Positive Psychology","volume":"12 6","pages":"547-557"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2017-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221123","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"35363440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rosalba Hernandez, Mercedes Carnethon, Frank J Penedo, Lizet Martinez, Julia Boehm, Stephen M Schueller
{"title":"Exploring well-being among US Hispanics/Latinos in a church-based institution: a qualitative study.","authors":"Rosalba Hernandez, Mercedes Carnethon, Frank J Penedo, Lizet Martinez, Julia Boehm, Stephen M Schueller","doi":"10.1080/17439760.2015.1117132","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2015.1117132","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Major theories informing conceptions of psychological well-being draw heavily from Western-centric perspectives, which often neglect culturally bound frameworks. We investigated how U.S. Hispanics/Latinos conceptualize well-being, how psychosocial and behavioral aspects may increase well-being, and how psychosocial stressors may impact positive emotional states. Spanish-speaking Hispanic/Latino adults were recruited from a church in an urban city in the U.S. and invited to participate in focus groups. Two groups of women (n=19) and one group of men (n=8) participated. The importance of harmonious social relationships emerged as a theme with the central family unit as the fundamental force influencing long-lasting emotional well-being. Additional correlates of well-being included: faith/religiosity; physical health; self-love and -esteem; effective/open communication with family and friends; and financial security. Programs aimed at increasing well-being may need to be adapted before administration in Hispanics/Latinos to include a heightened focus on interpersonal factors. Delivery in religious institutions may also be particularly beneficial.</p>","PeriodicalId":515224,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of Positive Psychology","volume":"11 5","pages":"511-521"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2016-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17439760.2015.1117132","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"34346112","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of Psychoeducational Content Delivered Online to a Positive Psychology Aware Community.","authors":"Carly Haeck, Stephen M Schueller, Acacia C Parks","doi":"10.1080/17439760.2015.1048819","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2015.1048819","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Happiness-increasing interventions demonstrate significant variation in outcomes, suggesting that the people who use them might be as important as the interventions themselves to determine efficacy. In light of this, instructive interventions might not be necessary to increase happiness given a population with knowledge of happiness-increasing strategies. We recruited 270 participants with knowledge of positive psychology to receive six weeks of online psychoeducation. We explored participants' use of the website, reported use of happiness strategies, and changes in well-being. Those who spent more time on the website reported smaller changes in well-being than those who spent less time on the website. Conversely, those who reported employing more happiness strategies reported greater increases in well-being than those who used fewer strategies. This shows that for those already familiar with positive psychology, information, rather than instruction, might increase well-being. This has implications for studies evaluating the efficacy of happiness-increasing interventions more broadly.</p>","PeriodicalId":515224,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of Positive Psychology","volume":"11 3","pages":"270-275"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2016-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17439760.2015.1048819","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"34349768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How self-enhancers adapt well to loss: The mediational role of loneliness and social functioning.","authors":"Oscar H Yan, George A Bonanno","doi":"10.1080/17439760.2014.965266","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2014.965266","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The tendency toward unrealistically optimistic self-serving biases, known as trait self-enhancement, has been associated with both adaptive benefits and negative social consequences. This study explored these potential benefits and costs in the context of conjugal bereavement.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>The study included 94 individuals who had experienced the death of a spouse 1.5-3.0 years prior. The sample (62 female, 32 male) ranged in age from 37 to 60 (<i>M</i> = 51.45, <i>SD</i> = 6.08). To examine benefits, we used relatively objective measures of overall adjustment: structured clinical interviews and ratings from participants' close friends and relatives. To examine social adjustment, we examined friends'/relatives' ratings of the quality of social interactions and the possible mediating roles of perceived loneliness and friend/relative ratings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Trait self-enhancement was uniformly associated with positive adjustment: relatively lower symptom totals, and friend/relative ratings of both overall better adjustment and better social adjustment. Self-enhancers' low loneliness was found to mediate reduced symptoms. Also, friends'/relatives' ratings of social functioning appeared to mediate self-enhancers' reduced loneliness.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings provide further empirical data to challenge the longstanding assumption that inaccurate self-perception is inherently maladaptive. Authentic benefits may result from mistaken perceptions of oneself by influencing the experience of loneliness and how one is seen by close friends/relatives. Self-enhancement may be an adaptation that provides clinically relevant advantages.</p>","PeriodicalId":515224,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of Positive Psychology","volume":"10 4","pages":"370-382"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2015-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17439760.2014.965266","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33304180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Margaret L Kern, Lea E Waters, Alejandro Adler, Mathew A White
{"title":"A multidimensional approach to measuring well-being in students: Application of the PERMA framework.","authors":"Margaret L Kern, Lea E Waters, Alejandro Adler, Mathew A White","doi":"10.1080/17439760.2014.936962","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2014.936962","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Seligman recently introduced the PERMA model with five core elements of psychological well-being: positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. We empirically tested this multidimensional theory with 516 Australian male students (age 13-18). From an extensive well-being assessment, we selected a subset of items theoretically relevant to PERMA. Factor analyses recovered four of the five PERMA elements, and two ill-being factors (depression and anxiety). We then explored the nomological net surrounding each factor by examining cross-sectional associations with life satisfaction, hope, gratitude, school engagement, growth mindset, spirituality, physical vitality, physical activity, somatic symptoms, and stressful life events. Factors differentially related to these correlates, offering support for the multidimensional approach to measuring well-being. Directly assessing subjective well-being across multiple domains offers the potential for schools to more systematically understand and promote well-being.</p>","PeriodicalId":515224,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of Positive Psychology","volume":"10 3","pages":"262-271"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2015-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17439760.2014.936962","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33107123","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A case study of 'The Good School:' Examples of the use of Peterson's strengths-based approach with students.","authors":"Mathew A White, Lea E Waters","doi":"10.1080/17439760.2014.920408","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2014.920408","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>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. Four of the strengths initiatives have been integrated into existing school experiences such as English curriculum, school sport, student leadership, and counseling. The fifth initiative involved a brand new program which introduced a Positive Education Curriculum for years K-10. We describe these five initiatives and then explain how students at the school may experience these in a more holistic and integrated way. We hope that this article will act as a fitting tribute to the legacy of Christopher Peterson.</p>","PeriodicalId":515224,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of Positive Psychology","volume":"10 1","pages":"69-76"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2015-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/17439760.2014.920408","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"32843214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}