Effects of best possible self, Effects of best possible self, strengths and gratitude strengths and gratitude interventions on SWBinterventions on SWB

1010thth Annual Australian Quality of Life Conference, Annual Australian Quality of Life Conference, Melbourne, 20Melbourne, 20thth November 2008 November 2008

Elizabeth M. Clancy and Dianne A. Vella-BrodrickMonash University, Australia

AgendaAgenda

BackgroundBackground Aims & hypothesesAims & hypotheses Research designResearch design ResultsResults Findings Findings Further research questionsFurther research questions

Background – Positive PsychologyBackground – Positive Psychology Subjective well-being and measurementSubjective well-being and measurement Predictors of SWBPredictors of SWB SWB and personality (Keyes, Schmotkin & Ryff, 2002)SWB and personality (Keyes, Schmotkin & Ryff, 2002) Orientation to happiness (Peterson, Park & Seligman, 2005)Orientation to happiness (Peterson, Park & Seligman, 2005) Architecture of sustainable change (Lyubomirsky, Sheldon & Architecture of sustainable change (Lyubomirsky, Sheldon &

Schkade, 2005)Schkade, 2005) Self-concordant motivation (Sheldon & Elliot, 1999)Self-concordant motivation (Sheldon & Elliot, 1999) Interventions developed to increase positive affectInterventions developed to increase positive affect

– Best Possible Self (King, 2001)Best Possible Self (King, 2001)– Gratitudes (Emmons & McCullough, ?)Gratitudes (Emmons & McCullough, ?)– Strengths (Peterson and Seligman, 2004)Strengths (Peterson and Seligman, 2004)

Broaden and build theory (Fredrickson)Broaden and build theory (Fredrickson)

Research designResearch design

ParticipantsParticipants– 68 adults, 77.9% female, Mean age 40.06 years68 adults, 77.9% female, Mean age 40.06 years

Measures Measures – Ten Item Personality InventoryTen Item Personality Inventory– Orientations to happinessOrientations to happiness– PANAS – state and traitPANAS – state and trait– Satisfaction with Life ScaleSatisfaction with Life Scale– MotivationMotivation

ProcedureProcedure– Questionnaires administered through online survey toolQuestionnaires administered through online survey tool

Return rateReturn rate– 38%38%

MeasuresMeasures

ScaleScale # # itemsitems

αα coefficient coefficient SubscalesSubscales

Personality (TIPI)Personality (TIPI) 1010 0.720.72 ““Big 5” Personality Big 5” Personality traitstraits

Orientation to Orientation to HappinessHappiness

1818 .82/.72/.82.82/.72/.82 Pleasure, Pleasure, Engagement, Engagement, MeaningMeaning

PANAS – 2 versions, PANAS – 2 versions, state and traitstate and trait

1818 0.82/0.870.82/0.87 Positive & negative Positive & negative affectaffect

Satisfaction with Satisfaction with LifeLife

55 0.870.87 NilNil

Motivation Motivation (7 pt. (7 pt. Likert scale)Likert scale)

11 N/AN/A N/AN/A

InterventionsInterventions

Best Possible Self (BPS)Best Possible Self (BPS)– Multiple administrationsMultiple administrations

GratitudesGratitudes Strengths (VIA)Strengths (VIA) Life detailsLife details

HypothesesHypotheses1.1. That completing a best-possible self exercise is expected That completing a best-possible self exercise is expected

to produce an increase in SWB from baseline to produce an increase in SWB from baseline measurements.measurements.

2.2. That completing a gratitudes or strengths exercise is That completing a gratitudes or strengths exercise is expected to deliver an additional increase in SWB during expected to deliver an additional increase in SWB during the study, when compared with a life details placebo the study, when compared with a life details placebo exercise.exercise.

3.3. Changes in motivation are expected to moderate the Changes in motivation are expected to moderate the effectiveness of any of the interventions performed, effectiveness of any of the interventions performed, reflecting the “personal fit” of the exercise for the reflecting the “personal fit” of the exercise for the individual. individual.

4.4. A further aim of the study was to explore the influence of A further aim of the study was to explore the influence of personality and orientations to happiness on the personality and orientations to happiness on the effectiveness of the best-possible self exercise. effectiveness of the best-possible self exercise.

ResultsResults

Hypothesis 1 not supported with no overall change across the whole sample.Significant differences for gender

Results – intervention groupsResults – intervention groups

SWL: Interaction between group and gender: Females

SWL: Interaction between group and gender: Males

Results – Gender and interventionResults – Gender and intervention

Motivation changes across study and groups

Results – MotivationResults – Motivation

DiscussionDiscussion

Overall findingsOverall findings PersonalityPersonality

Trait linkages confirmed but no Trait linkages confirmed but no significant differences with regard significant differences with regard to groupsto groups

Orientations to happinessOrientations to happiness No significant differencesNo significant differences

MotivationMotivation

Further researchFurther research

Larger sample sizeLarger sample size More prolonged studyMore prolonged study GenderGender Personality Personality Orientations to happinessOrientations to happiness Other interventionsOther interventions

Lots of ways to Lots of ways to

C’Mon Get HappyC’Mon Get Happy