Abstract

MARRERO, Rosario-Josefa et al. Effectiveness of a positive psychology intervention combined with cognitive behavioral therapy in university students. Anal. Psicol. [online]. 2016, vol.32, n.3, pp.728-740. ISSN 1695-2294.  https://dx.doi.org/10.6018/analesps.32.3.261661.

The aim of this study was to design and implement a positive intervention combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy to enhance subjective and psychological well-being and other positive functioning constructs in a convenience sample. Participants analysed were 48 university students (mean age 22.25), 25 assigned nonrandomized to intervention condition and 23 to no-treatment waiting-list control condition. All participants were assessed pre- and post-intervention to test the treatment program effectiveness. Repeated-measures ANCOVAs, controlling baseline differences between the two groups, indicated that the intervention group reported greater social support after the intervention period than the waiting-list control group. Within-group differences were found for happiness, selfacceptance, positive relations with others, optimism, and self-esteem in the intervention group; these differences did not appear in the waiting-list control group. These findings suggest the limited capacity of this intervention program for improving well-being through positive activities combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy. Future research should analyse what kind of activities could be more effective in promoting well-being depending on the characteristics of participants.

Keywords : positive intervention; subjective well-being; psychological wellbeing; optimism; self-esteem; social support.

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