title: Increasing psychological well-being and resilience by psychotherapeutic methods.
abstract: A specific psychotherapeutic strategy for increasing psychological well-being and resilience, well-being therapy, has been developed and validated in a number of randomized controlled trials. The findings indicate that flourishing and resilience can be promoted by specific interventions leading to a positive evaluation of one's self, a sense of continued growth and development, the belief that life is purposeful and meaningful, the possession of quality relations with others, the capacity to manage effectively one's life, and a sense of self-determination. A decreased vulnerability to depression and anxiety has been demonstrated after well-being therapy in high-risk populations. There are important implications for the state/trait dichotomy in psychological well-being and for the concept of recovery in mood and anxiety disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat, 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy. giovanniandrea.fava@unibo.it
authors.forename: Giovanni A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Fava
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tomba
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012649:Self Concept; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support