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Positive Psychology at School: A School-Based Intervention to Promote Adolescents’ Mental Health and Well-Being

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  • Anat Shoshani
  • Sarit Steinmetz

Abstract

The present study evaluated a positive psychology school-based intervention aimed at enhancing mental health and empowering the entire educational staff and students at a large middle school in the center of Israel. 537 seventh- to ninth-grade students participated in a 1 year intervention program and were compared to 501 students in a demographically similar control school. In a 2-year longitudinal repeated measures design, the study assessed pre- to post-test modifications in psychological symptoms and distress and in targeted well-being factors that were promoted in the experimental but not in a wait list control condition. The findings showed significant decreases in general distress, anxiety and depression symptoms among the intervention participants, whereas symptoms in the control group increased significantly. In addition, the intervention strengthened self-esteem, self-efficacy and optimism, and reduced interpersonal sensitivity symptoms. These results demonstrate the potential benefits of evidence-based positive-psychology interventions for promoting school-children’s mental health, and point to the crucial need to make education for well-being an integral part of the school curriculum. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Anat Shoshani & Sarit Steinmetz, 2014. "Positive Psychology at School: A School-Based Intervention to Promote Adolescents’ Mental Health and Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(6), pages 1289-1311, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:15:y:2014:i:6:p:1289-1311
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-013-9476-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Peter Greenspoon & Donald Saklofske, 2001. "Toward an Integration of Subjective Well-Being and Psychopathology," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 81-108, April.
    2. Susana Marques & Shane Lopez & J. Pais-Ribeiro, 2011. "“Building Hope for the Future”: A Program to Foster Strengths in Middle-School Students," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 139-152, March.
    3. Anat Shoshani & Michelle Slone, 2013. "Middle School Transition from the Strengths Perspective: Young Adolescents’ Character Strengths, Subjective Well-Being, and School Adjustment," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 1163-1181, August.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Ditzel, Loreto & Casas, Ferran & Torres-Vallejos, Javier & Reyes, Fernando & Alfaro, Jaime, 2022. "Children participating in after-school programs in Chile: Subjective well-being, satisfaction with free time use and satisfaction with the program," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    3. Freire, Teresa & Lima, Isabel & Teixeira, Ana & Araújo, Marta Raquel & Machado, Alexandra, 2018. "Challenge: To Be+. A group intervention program to promote the positive development of adolescents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 173-185.
    4. Niamh O’Brien & Martin Lawlor & Fiona Chambers & Wesley O’Brien, 2020. "State of Mind Ireland-Higher Education: A Mixed-Methods Longitudinal Evaluation of a Positive Mental Health Intervention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-23, July.
    5. Claudio Barbaranelli & Marinella Paciello & Valentina Biagioli & Roberta Fida & Carlo Tramontano, 2019. "Positivity and Behaviour: The Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy in Organisational and Educational Settings," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 707-727, March.
    6. Chiara Ruini & Elisa Albieri & Fedra Ottolini & Francesca Vescovelli, 2023. "Improving Purpose in Life in School Settings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(18), pages 1-13, September.
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    8. Lauren H. Naples & Elizabeth D. Tuckwiller, 2021. "Taking Students on a Strengths Safari: A Multidimensional Pilot Study of School-Based Wellbeing for Young Neurodiverse Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-27, June.
    9. Vincenza Capone & Mohsen Joshanloo & Miriam Sang-Ah Park, 2022. "Job Satisfaction Mediates the Relationship between Psychosocial and Organization Factors and Mental Well-Being in Schoolteachers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, December.
    10. Pandya, Samta P., 2023. "Adolescents raised by single parents: Examining the impact of spiritual education lessons on school connectedness, wellbeing, and resilience," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    11. Shiri Lavy, 2020. "A Review of Character Strengths Interventions in Twenty-First-Century Schools: their Importance and How they can be Fostered," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(2), pages 573-596, April.
    12. Anne Kennes & Johan Lataster & Mayke Janssens & Marianne Simons & Jennifer Reijnders & Nele Jacobs & Sanne Peeters, 2023. "Efficacy of a School-Based Mental Health Intervention Based on Mindfulness and Character Strengths Use Among Adolescents: a Pilot Study of Think Happy-Be Happy Intervention," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 677-697, February.
    13. L. Lambert & H.-A. Passmore & N. Scull & I. Al Sabah & R. Hussain, 2019. "Wellbeing Matters in Kuwait: The Alnowair’s Bareec Education Initiative," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(2), pages 741-763, June.
    14. L. Lambert & H.-A. Passmore & M. Joshanloo, 2019. "A Positive Psychology Intervention Program in a Culturally-Diverse University: Boosting Happiness and Reducing Fear," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 1141-1162, April.
    15. Lucy Morrish & Nikki Rickard & Tan Chyuan Chin & Dianne Anne Vella-Brodrick, 2018. "Emotion Regulation in Adolescent Well-Being and Positive Education," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(5), pages 1543-1564, June.

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