IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v26y2025i7d10.1007_s10902-025-00938-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Differential Effect of Training in Humor, Forgiveness, Savoring, and Meaning and Purpose on the Well-Being of Older Adults

Author

Listed:
  • Isabel María Salces-Cubero

    (Universidad Isabel I)

  • Encarnación Ramírez-Fernández

    (Universidad de Jaén)

  • Ana Raquel Ortega-Martínez

    (Universidad de Jaén)

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to know whether training older people in the strengths of Humor, Forgiveness, Savoring and, Meaning and purpose in life has a differential effect on well-being and which of these interventions produces better results. Participants were 300 institutionalized and non-institutionalized seniors ranging in age from 60 to 97 years. The measures used were anxiety, depression mood, forgiveness, savoring, meaning and purpose in life, and well-being. The results showed that all the trainings carried out were equally effective and the effect was generally maintained up to three months after the end of the treatments. These findings represent a considerable improvement in knowledge about the type of activities and strengths most appropriate to enhance well-being in older adults and, thus, equip them with tools that enable them to successfully face and overcome the adversities of daily life.

Suggested Citation

  • Isabel María Salces-Cubero & Encarnación Ramírez-Fernández & Ana Raquel Ortega-Martínez, 2025. "The Differential Effect of Training in Humor, Forgiveness, Savoring, and Meaning and Purpose on the Well-Being of Older Adults," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 26(7), pages 1-34, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:26:y:2025:i:7:d:10.1007_s10902-025-00938-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-025-00938-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-025-00938-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-025-00938-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lee Greenblatt-Kimron & Maya Kagan & Ester Zychlinski, 2022. "Meaning in Life among Older Adults: An Integrative Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Daniel Hurley & Paul Kwon, 2012. "Results of a Study to Increase Savoring the Moment: Differential Impact on Positive and Negative Outcomes," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 13(4), pages 579-588, August.
    3. Bozena Burzynska-Tatjewska & Gerald Matthews & Maciej Stolarski, 2022. "Seeking Causality in the Links between Time Perspectives and Gratitude, Savoring the Moment and Prioritizing Positivity: Initial Empirical Test of Three Conceptual Models," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-20, April.
    4. Mohsen Joshanloo & Ana Blasco-Belled, 2023. "Reciprocal Associations between Depressive Symptoms, Life Satisfaction, and Eudaimonic Well-Being in Older Adults over a 16-Year Period," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-15, January.
    5. Pitchada Sutipan & Ungsinun Intarakamhang & Ann Macaskill, 2017. "The Impact of Positive Psychological Interventions on Well-Being in Healthy Elderly People," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 269-291, February.
    6. Consolata Kanyua Kinoti Kiara & Rev. Gregory Kivanguli & Doreen Katiba, 2019. "Strategies Used By Elderly Couples To Strengthen Marriages And Maintain Stability Within Westlands Sub-County, Nairobi County," International Journal of Psychology, IPRJB, vol. 4(1), pages 12-22.
    7. Wenjie Duan & Samuel Ho & Xiaoqing Tang & Tingting Li & Yonghong Zhang, 2014. "Character Strength-Based Intervention to Promote Satisfaction with Life in the Chinese University Context," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(6), pages 1347-1361, December.
    8. 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.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bozena Burzynska-Tatjewska & Maciej Stolarski, 2022. "Leaving Past Adversities Behind: Gratitude Intervention Compensates for the Undesirable Effects of Past Time Perspectives on Negative Affect," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-12, October.
    2. Carmen Valiente & Regina Espinosa & Alba Contreras & Almudena Trucharte & Vanesa Peinado & Belen Lozano & Juan Nieto & Elena Cerezo, 2023. "Promoting Well-Being in a Clinical Sample of Young Adults with Paranoid Tendencies: A Randomised Clinical Trial," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(8), pages 2765-2781, December.
    3. Holli-Anne Passmore & Ying Yang & Sarena Sabine, 2022. "An Extended Replication Study of the Well-Being Intervention, the Noticing Nature Intervention (NNI)," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2663-2683, August.
    4. L. Lambert & Z. A. Draper & M. A. Warren & M. Joshanloo & En-Ling Chiao & A. Schwam & T. Arora, 2022. "Conceptions of Happiness Matter: Relationships between Fear and Fragility of Happiness and Mental and Physical Wellbeing," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 535-560, February.
    5. Qinqin Jiang & Zhe Zhao & Yijun Liu & Zhenbang Wei & Yan Bing & Feng Zhang & Jiahao Liu & Lei Gao & Jinhai Sun & Lei Yuan, 2024. "Decomposition analysis of the difference in depressive symptoms between urban and rural employed people in China: Unpaid work plays an important role," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 70(2), pages 340-354, March.
    6. Satıcı, Seydi Ahmet & Yılmaz, Fatma Betül & Karaağaç, Zahide Gül & Okur, Sinan, 2024. "From childhood psychological maltreatment to fear of happiness: Exploring the serial mediation of external shame and family communication," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    7. Wenjie Duan & Samuel M. Y. Ho, 2018. "Does Being Mindful of Your Character Strengths Enhance Psychological Wellbeing? A Longitudinal Mediation Analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1045-1066, April.
    8. María J. Blanca & Marta Ferragut & Margarita Ortiz-Tallo & Rebecca Bendayan, 2018. "Life Satisfaction and Character Strengths in Spanish Early Adolescents," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(5), pages 1247-1260, June.
    9. Carmela A White & Bob Uttl & Mark D Holder, 2019. "Meta-analyses of positive psychology interventions: The effects are much smaller than previously reported," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(5), pages 1-48, May.
    10. Wei Loong Lim & Stephanie Tierney, 2023. "The Effectiveness of Positive Psychology Interventions for Promoting Well-being of Adults Experiencing Depression Compared to Other Active Psychological Treatments: A Systematic Review and Meta-analys," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 249-273, January.
    11. Rebecca Y. M. Cheung & Melody C. Y. Ng, 2023. "Disentangling the Effects of Mindfulness, Savoring, and Depressive Symptoms among Emerging Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-10, April.
    12. Jinseok P. Kim & Eunkook M. Suh, 2024. "Childhood Socioeconomic Status Shapes Beliefs About Hedonic Versus Eudaimonic Happiness: A Life History Approach," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(5), pages 1-21, June.
    13. Raquel Lara & Mᵃ Luisa Vázquez & Adelaida Ogallar & Débora Godoy-Izquierdo, 2020. "Psychosocial Resources for Hedonic Balance, Life Satisfaction and Happiness in the Elderly: A Path Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-18, August.
    14. Sen-Chi Yu & Kennon M. Sheldon & Wen-Ping Lan & Jia-Huei Chen, 2020. "Using Social Network Sites to Boost Savoring: Positive Effects on Positive Emotions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-11, September.
    15. Jacquelyn E. Stephens & Laurel Mertz & Jennifer L. Smith, 2025. "Within- and Between-Person Effects of Savoring Ability and Well-Being in Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 1-17, January.
    16. Daniel Hurley & Paul Kwon, 2013. "Savoring Helps Most When You Have Little: Interaction Between Savoring the Moment and Uplifts on Positive Affect and Satisfaction with Life," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 1261-1271, August.
    17. Nicola S. Schutte & John M. Malouff, 2019. "The Impact of Signature Character Strengths Interventions: A Meta-analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 1179-1196, April.
    18. Selda Koydemir & Aslı Bugay Sökmez & Astrid Schütz, 2021. "A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Randomized Controlled Positive Psychological Interventions on Subjective and Psychological Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(3), pages 1145-1185, June.
    19. Ryan, Gerard & Hernández-Maskivker, Gilda-María & Valverde, Mireia & Pàmies-Pallisé, Maria-del-Mar, 2018. "Challenging conventional wisdom: Positive waiting," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 64-72.
    20. Erica D. Chadwick & Paul E. Jose & Fred B. Bryant, 2021. "Styles of Everyday Savoring Differentially Predict Well-being in Adolescents Over One Month," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 803-824, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:26:y:2025:i:7:d:10.1007_s10902-025-00938-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.