Symposium Summary:
If we really want to enhance the wellbeing of the next generation growing up, we need to work substantively not only with the wellbeing of children, but also with the wellbeing of their parents and other important adults in their lives, i.e. school staff. Strengths, happiness and compassion is a new, innovative and comprehensive set of RCT interventions aimed at enhancing psychological wellbeing and mental resources in children, parents and school staff. Interventions focus on scientifically proven methods from positive psychology, mindfulness and cognitive behaviour therapy. The interventions are planned to be broad enough to serve different needs in participant wellbeing, and substantive enough to ensure lasting change. The interventions are evaluated with a broad range of measures to ensure validity and reliability: questionnaires, experience sampling, heart rate variability, saliva samples of cortisol and oxytocin as well as focus groups. In the Strength, happiness and compassion project wellbeing was enhanced successfully for children, but also for parents, and other important adults in the lives of children. The project forms a holistic approach not only in enhancing wellbeing in multiple groups around children, but also in extensive intervention- and evaluation methods.
Symposium Presentation 1 Proposal:
Title: Flourishing students - Enhancing wellbeing in Finnish children
Presenter: Åse Fagerlund
Abstract:
Background: Meta-analyses from school studies point to better effects from studies lasting a whole school year compared to shorter studies [1]. Traditional forms of evaluation like questionnaires can pose a challenge for children in reliably describing changes in mood over a period of time.
Aim: The main aim of the Strength, happiness and compassion project is to enhance child wellbeing through an extensive positive psychology intervention.
Method: A whole school year project aimed at students in middle school (11-12 year olds, N=154) with a clustered RCT design. All participants were evaluated before and after the intervention with an extensive set of measures including a web-based questionnaire, experience sampling of daily life as well as with physiological measures (heart rate variability and salivary samples of cortisol) and focus groups interviews. A shorter follow-up was performed 5 months after the intervention.
Results: Children in the intervention group showed significantly higher levels of overall wellbeing, positive emotions and hope. Correspondingly, negative emotions diminished significantly. In addition, there were selective significant effects on depressive symptoms and behavior problems. Physiological measurements revealed significant effects on stress levels among groups. Results were maintained at follow-up.
Conclusions: The intervention showed significant effects on wellbeing among middle school students as measured through a broad array of measurements.
References
The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions Child Development, 82(1), 405-432.
Symposium Presentation 2 Proposal:
Title: Flourishing Schools: Enhancing Wellbeing in Teachers and School Staff
Presenter: Pehr Jakobsson
Abstract:
Background: Through enhancing the wellbeing of important adults such as teachers and other school staff in the direct environment of children by teaching them methods on how to enhance wellbeing, we can affect the wellbeing of the next generation.
Hypothesis/aim: Our aim was to enhance lasting wellbeing in the entire school staff, and consequently, to enhance wellbeing of students.
Sample characteristics and sample size: Participating in the study were teachers and school staff (N=245) working with students aged 6-15 in four Swedish-speaking public schools in Finland.
Design: Flourishing Schools is an intervention program for school staff based on methods from positive psychology, mindfulness, and cognitive behavior therapy. School staff participated in eight sessions (26 hours theory, active practice and small-group work) over one school year with practical wellbeing assignments scheduled between each session. The study was designed as a clustered RCT with control schools receiving corresponding training material in writing. Measurements were performed at baseline, post-intervention and at a 6-month follow-up.
Results: Results from the questionnaires showed a significant increase over time in the intervention group’s self-compassion and ability to cope effectively with life challenges (coping self-efficacy).The results furthermore showed a significant increase in interest and engagement within the intervention group over time. A decrease in stress within the intervention group compared to an increase in the control group indicate the intervention over time had a buffering effect on stress.Stress and loneliness decreased when teachers where in the company of students and stress decreased while working.
Scientific contribution: Flourishing schools shows how the wellbeing of the entire school staff can be enhanced. The study was designed to be engaging, long enough and with practical work in between sessions to enable lasting change.
Symposium Presentation 3 Proposal:
Title: Flourishing Families program: Enhancing wellbeing in children
and parents
Presenter: Mari Laakso
Abstract:
Background: The family is one of the most essential contributors to, and predictors of, children’s wellbeing and life satisfaction [1]. In order to increase the wellbeing of children it is thus important to develop interventions that engage parents. There is a clear lack of positive psychology studies in the parenting context [2].
Aims: The main aim of the Flourishing Families program is to enhance parental wellbeing and, as a consequence, the wellbeing of their children through methods in positive psychology.
Methods: The program consisted of an eight-week parental group (N=62 parents) using a wait-list RCT design. Multiple methods were used in data collection: the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) to assess in-the-moment experiences, physiological measures on stress and health (cortisol, heart rate variability), and questionnaires for parents and children. The data was gathered at pre-, post-intervention and 3-month follow-up (questionnaire).
Results: The Flourishing Families program significantly increased parental wellbeing (eg. positive relationships, meaning, and health), self-compassion and compassion for the child, as well as mindfulness and self-regulation in parenting. Parents reported increased experiences of flow in daily life while being with their child/children. Parents also noticed and used their own strengths more after the intervention. A majority of the parents described a positive change in the atmosphere at home and in their own wellbeing. More than one third reported increases in the wellbeing of their child/children.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that positive psychology interventions can enhance parental wellbeing, parent-child interaction and wellbeing of the children as well.
References
Symposium Presentation 4 Proposal:
Title: Tweens. A positive psychology program to enhance wellbeing in troubled youth
Presenter: Åse Fagerlund
Abstract:
Adolescents suffering from depression, anxiety and loneliness is a widespread problem in today’s world. Resources for efficient and timely interventions may be scarce, increasing the risk of problems perpetuating. Positive psychology offers an array of potentially effective methods and tools to enhance both youth and parental wellbeing. Still, there is a paucity of research and interventions for families and troubled youth in the field of positive psychology.
In Tweens, we invited both parents and youth to a joint pilot intervention aimed towards increased wellbeing in youth and parents. Inclusion criteria were families with troubled adolescents aged 11-14 suffering from depressive symptoms, anxiety, loneliness or stress. Tweens is built as an 8-week program, where parents and youth gather in separate groups with corresponding content thus enabling a common language and work towards the same goals. Structured this way both parents and youth receive peer support as well as a possibility to work together towards enhanced family wellbeing. Content is based on science-based practical tools and applications from positive psychology, mindfulness and cognitive behavior therapy. Between sessions, parents and youth work together on practical homework tasks (e.g. mapping strengths). In the first two pilot groups conducted 17 parents and 15 adolescents participated. Evaluation was performed through semi-structured interviews with all participating families. Results showed 1) an increased sense of belonging, 2) ability to handle difficulties with appreciation, hope and compassion, 3) an increase in present moment awareness.
The Tweens study forms an important contribution to the fields of clinical positive psychology and positive psychology interventions for families.