POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS

*Habits of happy people.

a) Relationships
*People who have one or more close friendships appear to be happier.
*The sharing of personal feelings (self-disclosure) plays a major role in the relief of stress and depression. Not
holding grudge within the self, because it makes it worst for the self.
*Listening wholeheartedly and responding genuinely is a very effective way to cultivate positive emotions and
deepen relationships.
In 2002, two pioneers of Positive Psychology, Ed Diener and Martin Seligman, conducted a study at the
University of Illinois on the 10% of students with the highest scores recorded on a survey of personal happiness.
They found that the most salient characteristics shared by students who were very happy and showed the
fewest signs of depression were "their strong ties to friends and family and commitment to spending time with
them." ("The New Science of Happiness," Claudia Wallis, Time Magazine, Jan. 09, 2005).
b) Act of kindness
*Most people who care for others in a selfless manner do so because of a genuine desire to help and improve
the world around them (being ALTRUISTIC) such as, developing communal relationships. They seem to be
happier and less depressed.
Modern psychological research has shown that caring has benefits for all involved; people who volunteer
or care for others on a consistent basis tend to have better psychological well-being, including fewer
depressive symptoms and higher life-satisfaction. Caring behavior even has physiological benefits, as current
research shows that individuals who receive social support (a form of caring behavior) are more protected
from disease and even death (e.g., Broadhead et al., 1983)
c) Physical Well-being
*bundant scientific research demonstrates the close connection of the mind and body. Positive lifestyle factors
including exercise, nutrition, sunlight, and sleep are associated with improved mental well-being and
lower incidence of depression and anxiety. Physical wellness is an indication of genuine happiness due to the
balance of the physiological state of the self.
d) Flow or Mindfulness
* If we are actively involved in trying to reach a goal, or an activity that is challenging but well suited to our
skills, we experience a joyful state called flow. The experience of flow in both professional and leisure
activities leads to increased positive effect, performance, and commitment to long-term, meaningful goals.
One may find still greater happiness working towards long-term, meaningful goals. Viktor Frankl, who
survived a Nazi concentration camp, once said What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather
the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him. (Frankl, 1992)
e) Discovering Meaning and spiritual engagement
*People follow spiritual paths and join religious organizations for a variety of reasons, including faith, prayer,
social support, community service, cultural tradition, friendship, commitment to the community and
more. Interestingly enough, studies demonstrate a close link between religious and spiritual engagement
(practice) and happiness.
*Religious organizations provide strong social support from like-minded people, providing various opportunities
for socializing, community service and making friends with individuals from a common network.
*Spirituality and prayer also provide people with an opportunity to engage in a meditative act. Meditation has
been shown to have a strong link with well-being because it calms the body, reduces stress and anxiety, and
also supports positive thinking.
f) Discovering Strengths
*the work of positive psychologists like Martin Seligman appears to show that the happiest people are those
that have discovered their unique strengths (such as persistence and critical thinking) and virtues (such as
humanity or justice) and use those strengths and virtues for a purpose that is greater than their own personal
goals.
g) Gratitude
*Martin Seligman defines optimism as reacting to problems with a sense of confidence and high personal
ability. Specifically, optimistic people believe that negative events are temporary, limited in scope (instead of
pervading every aspect of a persons life), and manageable. Of course, optimism, like other psychological
states and characteristics, exists on a continuum. People can also change their levels of optimism depending
on the situations they are in.
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY INTERVENTIONS.
Positive Psychological Interventions (also known as Positive Psychology Interventions-PPIs) are theoretically-grounded
and empirically-validated instructions, activities, and recommendations that are designed to enhance wellbeing (Lomas,
Hefferon & Ivtzan, 2014). Moreover, PPIs focus on using positive emotions and strengths to achieve and/or boost wellbeing.
Numerous research projects have shown that concentration on positive characters and strengths are linked to health
benefits and the wellbeing of people in various domains of their lives (Kobau, et al., 2011).
Kobau and her colleagues (2011) asserted that working on positive emotions (and character strengths) could be
considered as an independent technique for improving (or restoring) our mental health and wellbeing. They point to the
fact that the strength-based (asset-based, or abundance-based) approaches of positive psychology offer new
opportunities for promoting mental health, and boosting psychological resilience.
Another important aspect of PPIs is the idea that we can work with our mind (or on the mind) to make our lives better
and enhance our wellbeing (Lomas, Hefferon & Ivtzan, 2014). An example is the concept of dealing with pain in a non-
reactive way which was the basis of the first mindfulness intervention (MBSR) that was designed for people with chronic pain
(Kabat-Zinn, 1982).
Scope and Flexibility of Positive Psychology Interventions
Before positive psychology (1998), there were hardly any scientifically scrutinised therapies for increasing happiness (both in
a hedonic and eudaemonic sense) as a vital health-giving concept. But after the turn of the century, research in the field of
positive psychology gave rise to a flurry of empirically validated PPIs that were designed to enhance personal qualities, as
well as promoting recovery and relief from pain, discomfort, and agony (Parks & Schueller, 2014).
In 2005, Duckworth, Steen, and Seligman declared the existence of at least a hundred positive psychological interventions.
Later, Sin and Lyubomirsky (2009) conducted a meta-analysis of fifty-one PPIs that were studied scientifically.

Nowadays, there are hundreds of positive psychological interventions available to practitioners and therapists.
PPIs can easily be adopted by therapists and practitioners working in other areas of psychology, and by professionals such
as coaches, counsellors, and social-workers to enhance personal qualitiesand strengths of their clients. Increasingly, PPIs are
also used in clinical settings with remarkable results. Examples can be found in using PPIs as assistive interventions in helping
to treat mental illnesses (Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009). They can also be used by people who prefer to follow scientifically-based
self-help recommendations.
In the next section, you find a list of most frequently used groups of PPIs that practitioners can choose (based on suitability
assessment) for their clients

*Interventions

a) Gratitude Interventions

These include instructions for increasing gratitude such as; grateful self-reflection, counting blessings, and gratitude

visits. Gratitude interventions have consistently produced psychological benefits that appeared to last for several

months (Emmons & McCullough, 2003; Lyubomirsky, Sheldon, & Schkade, 2005).

b) Forgiveness Interventions
Forgiveness is useful for healing minds and bringing reconciliation to couples, families, groups, and communities. It
helps people broaden their scope and build new resources and promote flourishing. Forgiveness benefits physical
health (Worthington, Witvliet, Pietrini, & Miller, 2007), mental health (Toussaint & Webb, 2005), relationships (Fehr,
Gelfand, & Nag, 2010), and spirituality (for a meta-analysis, see Davis, Worthington, & Hook, 2013).

c) Savouring Interventions
Finding happiness in life is not always easy. Nonetheless, scientists have just recently started to develop strategies that
enhance peoples ability to savour their positive experiences through exploring the memories of their past positive
experiences; by valuing their ongoing positive experiences; or by anticipating future positive events. (Bryant, 2003;
Bryant & Veroff, 2007; Bryant, Ericksen, & DeHoek, 2008; Bryant, Chadwick, & Kluwe, 2011).

d) Strengths Interventions
A strengths approach starts with discovering and acknowledging our mental, physical, and social resources. It also
uses the fact that building and using our strengths produce wellbeing, success, and personal growth. These
interventions create confidence, optimism, and hope. (Frey, Jonas, & Greitemeyer, 2003; Lopez & Louis, 2009; Park &
Peterson, 2009; Biswas-Diener, 2010; Linley & Burns, 2010).

e) Meaning Oriented Interventions

Meaning in life has been described as a sense of coherence; an understanding of our relationships; the pursuit of
valuable goals; and a general sense of being appreciably useful. Meaning and purpose in life are associated with
psychological and spiritual strengths and wellbeing, and are known to be facilitators of resilience and growth. They
are also linked to professional success and life satisfaction. (Thompson, Coker, Krause & Henry, 2003; Steger, Kashdan,
Sullivan & Lorentz, 2008; Steger, Oishi & Kashdan, 2009; Wong, 2010, 2012).

f) Empathy Related Interventions

Regardless of how we define empathy, it involves an internal response to what we see or learn, happen to another
person, and it generates understanding and compassion. In that sense, empathy is a psychological process that at
least temporarily unites self and others, and as such can be considered one of the most positive emotions that we
have. Empathy related interventions aim to enhances our understanding of other people which in turn generates
compassion, forgiveness, and acts of kindness. (Staub, Pearlman, Gubin & Hagengimana, 2005; Bunn & Terpstra, 2009;
Soble, Spanierman & Liao, 2011; Reilly, Trial, Piver & Schaff, 2012).
 g) Creativity Interventions
Creativity is defined as the formation of new and useful ideas and/or the production of original artefacts. It has been
one of the main phenomenon responsible for the advancement of our technology and culture. Positive psychology is
interested in creativity as it is related to the process of human flourishing, and the factors that help individuals to thrive
and live a better life.

h) Patience Interventions
Being patient and calmly wait for better opportunities, in times of adversity and suffering is a character strength which
leads to resilience and grit. Change, personal growth, and recovery from illness or adversities often take longer than
people expect. People withdraw early or fail to complete a therapy because they cannot wait longer to see the
results. Patience interventions are often used as an adjunct or add-on to traditional therapies to help people stay with
their treatment and successfully finish their therapy. (Kunz, 2002; Tangney, et al., 2004; Barrett, et al., 2008; Schnitker,
2010).

i) Courage Interventions
Although courage has been praised for centuries, but like many of the virtues studied by positive psychology, it has
not received adequate empirical attention.
Courage is a) a wilful, intentional act; b) executed after mindful deliberation; c) fraught with substantial risk to the
actor; d) primarily motivated to bring about a noble, good, or worthy end; and e) acted despite the presence of the
emotion of fear (Rate, Clarke, Lindsay, & Sternberg, 2007, p. 95).
Courage can enable people to do great things, but it can also be misapplied to allow people make terrible mistakes.
So, any courage interventions must be applied with care and caution to avoid unnecessary risks. (Finfgeld, 1999;
Lopez, OByrne & Petersen, 2003; Woodard & Pury, 2007; Hannah, Lopez et al., 2010; Pury & Starkey, 2010; Sweeney &
Lester, 2010).

j) Humour Interventions
Research supports that humour is trainable and that it leads to a number of desirable outcomes (e.g. increased
positive emotions, decreased negative emotions, and increased coping ability). In addition to improving wellbeing,
humour could positively affect peoples interactions with others, prolong their positive moods, and boost their
popularity.
Those who score high on the sense of humour, often show less negative emotion in stressful situations; enjoy greater
wellbeing; and experience lower levels of depression and anxiety. (Martin, et al., 2003; Ruch, Proyer & Weber, 2010;
McGhee, 2010; Ruch, Rodden & Proyer, 2011; Ruch, 2012; Lyubomirsky & Layous, 2013).

k) Engagement and Flow Interventions

Flow is a peak mental state of full immersion in an activity, characterised by a feeling of energised focus, full
involvement, and enjoyment in the process (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990). Flow includes a perception of being in control,
loss of self-consciousness, and a distorted awareness of time. Flow is one of the fundamental concepts of positive
psychology which is strongly linked to happiness, wellbeing, and life-satisfaction.
Often interventions designed to increase flow and engagement provide a sense of control; a clear goal for the
activity; a challenge which demands variety of skills and require focused concentration; and, interactivity, or
feedback to the individual. (Csikszentmihalyi, Abuuhamdeh & Nakamura, 2005; Wilhelm, 2008; Shernoff &
Csikszentmihalyi, 2009; Froh, et al., 2010).

l) Mindfulness and Meditative Interventions

Nowadays, expecting mothers participate in pregnancy meditation, stressed employees meditate to relax, athletes
meditate to improve their performance, and people undergoing therapy meditate to improve their health (Ivtzan,
2015). The main reason is a body of scientific research that shows the effectiveness of meditative interventions, and
their positive effect on the cardiovascular system, pain relief, decreasing anxiety and stress, and many more.
Mindfulness interventions have been used both in clinical and non-clinical settings to promote wellbeing. (Zindel et al.,
2002; Kabat-Zinn, 2003; Shapiro et al., 2006; Walach et al., 2007; Shonin et al., 2013)
There are many more PPIs that are introduced under the categories of; Wisdom Interventions, Resilience Interventions,
Life Satisfaction Interventions, and so on.

POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY TEST

*tests and assessments
The Happiness Measures The Happiness Measures (HM) (Fordyce, 1988), also known as the Fordyce Emotion
Questionnaire, is a measure of emotional wellbeing that provides an indication of a persons perceived happiness, and
measures the affective component of SWB. The HM consists of two questions on happiness. The first item measures
happiness on a happiness/unhappiness scale. Respondents choose from 11 descriptive phrases on a 0 to 10 scale. These
descriptors range from (0) extremely unhappy, to (5) neutral, to (10) extremely happy, and measure perceived quality
of general happiness. The second item is an estimate of the percentages of time respondents feel happy, unhappy, and
neutral. With both items, the HM assesses both intensity and frequency of affect; the first question measuring intensity, and
the second items percentage estimates measuring frequency.

The Satisfaction with Life Scale The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SwLS) (Diener et al., 1985) is a five item measure that
assesses an individuals global judgement of life satisfaction as a whole. The SwLS measures the cognitive component of
SWB, and provides an integrated judgement of how a persons life as a whole is going. In completing the SwLS, participants
rate five statements (In most ways my life is close to my ideal, the conditions of my life are excellent, I am satisfied with
my life, so far I have gotten the important things I want in life, and If I could live my life over, I would change almost
nothing) on a seven point Likert scale, ranging from (1) strongly disagree, to (4) neither agree nor disagree, to (7)
strongly agree.
Subjective Happiness Scale The Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) (Lyubomirsky & Lepper, 1999) is a four item measure of
global subjective happiness. Whilst other measures assess the affective (e.g., the HM) and cognitive (e.g., the SwLS)
components of SWB, the SHS measures SWB as a whole. Lyubomirsky and Lepper claim that the SHS reflects a broader and
more molar category of wellbeing and taps into more global psychological phenomena (1999, p. 139). In completing the
SHS, respondents rate four items on different Likert scales, each ranging from 1 to 7. Participants are asked to circle the
point on the scale that you feel is most appropriate in describing you. The first item asks respondents whether, in general,
they consider themselves to be (1) not a very happy person to (7) a very happy person. The second item asks if,
compared to their peers, they consider themselves to be (1) less happy to (7) more happy. Both the third and fourth
items give descriptions and ask to what extent does this characterization describe you?, with responses ranging from not
at all to a great deal. For item three, the description is some people are generally very happy. They enjoy life regardless
of what is going on, getting the most out of everything, and item four is some people are generally not very happy.
Although they are not depressed, they never seem as happy as they might be.

Gratitude Questionnaire The Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6) is a short, self-report measure of the disposition to experience
gratitude. Participants answer 6 items on a 1 to 7 scale (1 = "strongly disagree", 7 = "strongly agree"). Two items are
reverse-scored to inhibit response bias. The GQ-6 has good internal reliability, with alphas between .82 and .87, and there
is evidence that the GQ-6 is positively related to optimism, life satisfaction, hope, spirituality and religiousness, forgiveness,
empathy and prosocial behaviour, and negatively related to depression, anxiety, materialism and envy. The GQ-6 takes
about 2 minutes to complete.

Meaning in Life Questionnaire The Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) assesses two dimensions of meaning in life using 10
items rated on a seven-point scale from Absolutely True to Absolutely Untrue. The Presence of Meaning subscale
measures how full respondents feel their lives are of meaning. The Search for Meaning subscale measures how engaged
and motivated respondents are in efforts to find meaning or deepen their understanding of meaning in their lives.

Scale of Positive and Negative Experience The Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) consists of a 12-item
questionnaire which includes six items to assess positive feelings and six items to assess negative feelings. For both the
positive and negative items, three of the items are general (e.g., positive, negative) and three per subscale are more
specific (e.g., joyful, sad). Permission for Using the Scales: Although copyrighted, the SPANE and Flourishing Scale may be
used as long as proper credit is given. Permission is not needed to employ the scales and requests to use the scales will not
be answered on an individual basis because permission is granted here. This article (ref below) should be used as the
citation for the scales, and this note provides evidence that permission to use the scales is granted

Life Orientation Test-Revised The Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R) assesses individual differences in generalized
optimism versus pessimism. This measure has been used in a good deal of research on the behavioural, affective, and
health consequences of this personality variable (as well as its predecessor, the LOT). The LOT was revised because its
original items did not all focus as explicitly on expectations for the future as theory dictated.