ERIC Number: EJ1141265
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Mar
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0279-6015
EISSN: N/A
Improving Middle School Students' Subjective Well-Being: Efficacy of a Multicomponent Positive Psychology Intervention Targeting Small Groups of Youth
Roth, Rachel A.; Suldo, Shannon M.; Ferron, John M.
School Psychology Review, v46 n1 p21-41 Mar 2017
Most interventions intended to improve subjective well-being, termed "positive psychology interventions" (PPIs), have neglected to include relevant stakeholders in youth's lives and have not included booster sessions intended to maintain gains in subjective well-being. The current study investigated the impact of a multitarget, multicomponent (i.e., students plus parents), small group PPI on students' mental health (subjective well-being as well as symptoms of internalizing and externalizing forms of psychopathology) at postintervention and approximately two months follow-up. Forty-two seventh-grade students were randomly assigned either to immediately receive the PPI or to a wait-list control group. At postintervention, students who participated in the PPI evidenced significant gains in all indicators of subjective well-being (life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect), and there was a trend for practically meaningful reductions in internalizing and externalizing problems relative to the control group. At follow-up, gains in positive affect were maintained. Findings provide preliminary support for this multicomponent PPI as an evidence-based school-based intervention that causes long-lasting improvements in early adolescents' positive affect, a primary indicator of subjective well-being.
Descriptors: Middle School Students, Well Being, Intervention, Group Activities, Mental Health, Followup Studies, Grade 7, Program Effectiveness, Behavior Problems, Psychological Patterns, Life Satisfaction, Parents, Feasibility Studies
National Association of School Psychologists. 4340 East West Highway Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814. Tel: 301-657-0270; Fax: 301-657-0275; e-mail: publications@naspweb.org; Web site: http://www.nasponline.org/publications/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Middle Schools; Secondary Education; Junior High Schools; Grade 7; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A