title: The Application of Positive Psychotherapy in Mental Health Care: A Systematic Review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Positive psychotherapy (PPT) stems from the positive psychology movement and is a multicomponent model promoting therapeutic change by developing engagement, pleasure, and meaning. There is some evidence it is effective for depression. PPT is recommended as a flexible model that can be applied to other patient groups alongside other treatments approaches. However, it remains unclear which of the many components are applied. The study aimed to identify how PPT is applied in mental health care.
  
  
  METHODS
  We systematically searched online databases, including Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, British Nursing Index, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Applied Health, and Cochrane registers (CENTRAL), and completed complementary hand and citation searches. Narrative synthesis was used for analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 12 papers (from 9 studies) widely applied some PPT components (e.g., blessings journal, character strengths) and scarcely applied others (e.g., satisficing plan or family strengths tree). However, papers poorly described the intervention and rationale for applying components.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the lack of rationale for applying PPT, further research is needed to establish which components are acceptable and feasible for use in different patient groups and settings.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health Services Development, Queen Mary University of London.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health Services Development, Queen Mary University of London.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cassidy
authors.affiliation: Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health Services Development, Queen Mary University of London.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Priebe
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*