relevance of positive psychology

Question 1

pp is RELEVANT due to its application in the WORKPLACE

Answer 1

mindfulness has been found to increase emotional intelligence, particularly empathy and self regulation.
MIRABAI BUSH- mindfulness allows colleagues to ‘navigate through difficult, trying and stressful situations with more ease, comfort and grace.’

OXFORD MINDFULNESS CENTRE- stated that evidence to support mindfulness is embryonic and that more research needs to be undertaken before conclusions can be drawn on its effectiveness

early research suggests its relevant but strong statements can’t be made without more systematic research

Question 2

pp is NOT RELEVENT due to its application in the WORKPLACE

Answer 2

having a negative impact

GROUPTHINK RISK- some workplaces are enforcing 10-15mins mindfulness sessions several times a week, purpose was to reduce stress but has ended up increasing it, workers resistant to take part, dreading sessions, many feel awkward and believe that mindfulness should be done in private rather than in a group setting.

economic implications- workers dreading to go to work, calling in sick to avoid sessions, sick pay= financial impact on company

social implications= impacts productivity of workers if they are developing negative feelings towards work due to the sessions

becoming more of an imposition rather than an effective way to manage stress

Question 3

pp is RELEVANT due to its application in EDUCATION

Answer 3

STUDY BY UNI OF CAMBRIDGE- sample of 616 students, randomised across 2 groups, both groups offered comprehensive centralised support at uni, one group also offered the mindfulness skills for students course, 8 face to face group sessions also encouraged to practice at home, assessed impact of mindfulness training on stress during the main annual exam period, led to lower distress scores, scores fell below baseline scores recorded at the start of study

less stressed students= better education/ grades, less pressure on MH services

Question 4

pp is NOT RELEVANT due to its application in EDUCATION

Answer 4

only proven to help some groups not the majority

MYRIAD PROJECT- investigated the impact of mindfulness training on the mental wellbeing of 11 to 14yr olds in school, when comparing schools based mindfulness training with regular social- emotional teaching there was no evidence found that mindfulness was more effective in improving young peoples mental health, was also found that this form of mindfulness training helps some groups yet is unhelpful for others

schools spending money on training that isn’t proving beneficial to students

Question 5

pp is RELEVANT due to its application to HEALTHCARE-

Answer 5

application to cancer patients

CEREZO ET AL- assessed the effects of a psychological group intervention based on pp in women with breast cancer, 175 women randomly assigned to experimental group receiving the 14 session intervention or a waitlist group, intervention based on improving psychological strengths and enhancing positive psychology based ways of coping, assessed before and after, experimental group showed higher scores on all the study variables

improves psychological wellbeing of ill patients

Question 6

pp is NOT RELEVENT due to its application in HEALTHCARE

Answer 6

lack of scientific evidence

COYNE AND TENNEN- examined critically, 4 widely accepted claims in the positive psychology literature regarding adaptational outcomes among individuals living with cancer, found that claims of research do not fit with available evidence, particularly the implausibility of claims that interventions that enhance benefit finding improve the prognosis of cancer by strengthening the immune system

lead to more research being conducted

claims cant be proven

Question 7

conclusion

Answer 7

in conclusion positi9ve psychology demonstrates considerable relevance in todays society particularly in education healthcare and the workplace. pp offers valuable tools and frameworks for enhancing wellbeing resilience and overall life satisfaction. however the application of pp must be grounded in robust empirical evidence and implemented with cultural and individual sensitivity. while pp has made significant strides in recent years, it must continue to evolve and adapt to address the complexities of contemporary mental health challenges