Positive psychology progress: empirical validation of interventions.
Positive psychology has flourished in the last 5 years. The authors review recent developments in the field, including books, meetings, courses, and conferences. They also discuss the newly created classification of character strengths and virtues, a positive complement to the various editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (e. g., American Psychiatric Association, 1994), and present some cross-cultural findings that suggest a surprising ubiquity of strengths and virtues. Finally, the authors focus on psychological interventions that increase individual happiness. In a 6-group, random-assignment, placebo-controlled Internet study, the authors tested 5 purported happiness interventions and 1 plausible control exercise. They found that 3 of the interventions lastingly increased happiness and decreased depressive symptoms. Positive interventions can supplement traditional interventions that relieve suffering and may someday be the practical legacy of positive psychology.
Seligman
Martin E P
ME
Positive Psychology Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. seligman@psych.upenn.edu
Steen
Tracy A
TA
Park
Nansook
N
Peterson
Christopher
C
D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D010551:Personality; D011584:Psychology / Q000639:trends*; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012945:Social Values; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology