Application of positive psychology intervention to ex-patients with mental health problems

As opposed to a pathological orientation, positive psychology advocates the use of individuals’ own strength and resources to combat against life challenges. Integrating the experiential learning theory and the positive education framework, positive psychology is applied to the ex-patients with mental health problems in half-way houses.

The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the positive psychology intervention in promoting character strengths, positive emotions, relationship, accomplishment and purpose of life of the ex patients with mental health problems in half-way houses. Intervention follows the learning pedagogy of “learning, living, reflecting, conceptualizing, applying, and embedding”.

Training sessions were delivered for the staff of the houses to familiarize them with the concepts and application of positive psychology. A quasi-experimental pre-post comparison research design was adopted. Qualitative study was conducted to understand the project effectiveness more in-depth. Positive psychology groups aiming to promote character strengths, growth mindset, positive relationship, self-compassion and gratitude, sense of hope were conducted for 38 ex-mental patients in four half-way houses. A total of eight sessions was run for each group, while each group session lasted for about one hour.

The session plans will be introduced in the presentation. Each group consisted of about eight to ten members. Positive psychology programs were also integrated in the House activities, e.g. game booth, family workshop, house meetings, house decoration, character strength theme activities, video clip production, mutual guessing of character strengths.

Results indicated that the ex-patients with mental health problems showed improvement in character strength use and gratitude. Positive psychology intervention is thus supported to be effective for the ex-patients in half-way houses. The reasons behind were analyzed and implications were discussed. Direction for future application is also proposed.