The Foundational Constructs of Goal Focused Positive Psychotherapy

2017 ◽  
pp. 20-40
Author(s):  
Collie W. Conoley ◽  
Michael J. Scheel
Keyword(s):  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Brain Plasticity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Positive Psychotherapy ◽  
Change Mechanism ◽  
Personal Strengths ◽  
Broaden And Build Theory ◽  
Approach Goals ◽  
Client Values

Chapter 2 presents the theory behind Goal Focused Positive Psychotherapy (GFPP), a technique that facilitates clients’ thriving by creating a happier, meaningful life. Psychotherapy can help clients to enjoy a lifetime of well-being and growth toward their meaningful, virtuous goals through positive emotions. The Broaden-and-Build Theory of positive emotions serves as the change mechanism for GFPP. It is important to select goals for therapy based upon client values and personal meaning (approach goals and intrinsic goals). Using clients’ personal strengths (including their culture) is of central importance, as is the promotion of hope in usually demoralized clients. The implicit theory of personal change or the growth mindset includes the belief in neural or brain plasticity. Self Determination Theory sets out competence, relatedness, and autonomy as the three determinants of motivation and the fundamental psychological needs.

Goal Focused Positive Psychotherapy

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Collie W. Conoley ◽  
Michael J. Scheel
Keyword(s):  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Theory Of Change ◽  
Model Case ◽  
Positive Psychotherapy ◽  
Case Examples ◽  
Personal Strengths ◽  
Broaden And Build Theory

Goal Focused Positive Psychotherapy presents the first comprehensive positive psychology psychotherapy model that optimizes well-being and thereby diminishes psychological distress. The theory of change is the Broaden-and-Build Theory of positive emotions. The therapeutic process promotes client strengths, hope, positive emotions, and goals. The book provides the foundational premises, empirical support, theory, therapeutic techniques and interventions, a training model, case examples, and future directions. A three-year study is presented that reveals that Goal Focused Positive Psychotherapy (GFPP) was as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy and short-term psychodynamic therapies, which fits the meta-analyses of therapy outcome studies that no bona fide psychotherapy achieves superior outcome. However, GFPP was significantly more attractive to the clients. Descriptions are provided of the Broaden-and-Build Theory, therapy goals based upon clients’ values and personal meaning (i.e., approach goals and intrinsic goals), identification and use of clients’ personal strengths (including client culture), centrality of hope and hope theory, the implicit theory of personal change or the growth mindset, and finally Self-Determination Theory. The techniques and interventions of GFPP as well as the importance of the therapist’s intentions during therapy are presented. GFPP focuses upon the client and relationship while not viewing psychotherapy as a set of potent scripted treatments that acts upon the client. Goal Focused Positive Supervision is presented as a new model that supports the supervisee’s strength-based self-definition rather than a pathological one or deficit orientation. Training that includes the experiential learning of GFPP principles is underscored.

Introducing Goal Focused Positive Psychotherapy

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Collie W. Conoley ◽  
Michael J. Scheel
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Therapeutic Process ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Theory Of Change ◽  
Positive Psychotherapy ◽  
Broaden And Build Theory ◽  
Client Strengths

This chapter provides an overview of the philosophy and foundational premises of Goal Focused Positive Psychotherapy. Goal Focused Positive Psychotherapy is described as a comprehensive psychotherapy model built primarily upon positive psychology principles to optimize well-being, which diminishes the effects of psychological distress. The theory of change is the Broaden-and-Build Theory of positive emotions. The therapeutic process promotes client strengths, hope, and positive emotions in order to assist the client in attaining goals, making growth toward goals in psychotherapy and life more enjoyable. Issues of ethics, psychological metaphor, therapeutic alliance, client context, and a case example of a client with posttraumatic stress disorder are presented.

Positive Emotions

2009 ◽  
pp. 12-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Cohn ◽  
Barbara L. Fredrickson
Keyword(s):  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Future Success ◽  
Broaden And Build Theory ◽  
Mental And Physical Health ◽  
Very High ◽  
Future Growth

Positive emotions include pleasant or desirable situational responses, ranging from interest and contentment to love and joy, but are distinct from pleasurable sensation and undifferentiated positive affect. These emotions are markers of people's overall well-being or happiness, but they also enhance future growth and success. This has been demonstrated in work, school, relationships, mental and physical health, and longevity. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions suggests that all positive emotions lead to broadened repertoires of thoughts and actions and that broadening helps build resources that contribute to future success. Unlike negative emotions, which are adapted to provide a rapid response to a focal threat, positive emotions occur in safe or controllable situations and lead more diffusely to seeking new resources or consolidating gains. These resources outlast the temporary emotional state and contribute to later success and survival. This chapter discusses the nature of positive emotions both as evolutionary adaptations to build resources and as appraisals of a situation as desirable or rich in resources. We discuss the methodological challenges of evoking positive emotions for study both in the lab and in the field and issues in observing both short-term (“broaden”) and long-term (“build”) effects. We then review the evidence that positive emotions broaden perception, attention, motivation, reasoning, and social cognition and ways in which these may be linked to positive emotions' effects on important life outcomes. We also discuss and contextualize evidence that positive emotions may be detrimental at very high levels or in certain situations. We close by discussing ways in which positive emotions theory can be harnessed by both basic and applied positive psychology research.

scholarly journals The broaden–and–build theory of positive emotions

2004 ◽  
Vol 359 (1449) ◽  
pp. 1367-1377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara L. Fredrickson
Keyword(s):  
Close Relationships ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Social Bonds ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Resources ◽  
Form And Function ◽  
Broaden And Build Theory ◽  
And Function ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Action Tendencies

The broaden–and–build theory describes the form and function of a subset of positive emotions, including joy, interest, contentment and love. A key proposition is that these positive emotions broaden an individual's momentary thought–action repertoire: joy sparks the urge to play, interest sparks the urge to explore, contentment sparks the urge to savour and integrate, and love sparks a recurring cycle of each of these urges within safe, close relationships. The broadened mindsets arising from these positive emotions are contrasted to the narrowed mindsets sparked by many negative emotions (i.e. specific action tendencies, such as attack or flee). A second key proposition concerns the consequences of these broadened mindsets: by broadening an individual's momentary thought–action repertoire—whether through play, exploration or similar activities—positive emotions promote discovery of novel and creative actions, ideas and social bonds, which in turn build that individual's personal resources; ranging from physical and intellectual resources, to social and psychological resources. Importantly, these resources function as reserves that can be drawn on later to improve the odds of successful coping and survival. This chapter reviews the latest empirical evidence supporting the broaden–and–build theory and draws out implications the theory holds for optimizing health and well–being.

scholarly journals Reflections on Positive Emotions and Upward Spirals

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara L. Fredrickson ◽  
Thomas Joiner
Keyword(s):  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Report ◽  
Reciprocal Relations ◽  
Psychological Science ◽  
Spiral Dynamics ◽  
Broaden And Build Theory ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

We reflect on our 2002 article and the impact this research report has had both within and beyond psychological science. This article was both one of the first publications to provide empirical support for hypotheses based on the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions and a product of the genesis of positive psychology. We highlight empirical and theoretical advancements in the scientific understanding of upward spiral dynamics associated with positive emotions, with particular focus on the new upward spiral theory of lifestyle change. We conclude by encouraging deeper and more rigorous tests of the prospective and reciprocal relations associated with positive emotions. Such progress is needed to better inform translations and applications to improve people’s health and well-being.

How and when does humble leadership enhance newcomer well-being

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Kang ◽  
Jiyu Li ◽  
Yuanyuan Hua
Keyword(s):  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Proactive Personality ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Moderated Mediation Model ◽  
Broaden And Build Theory ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Humble Leadership

PurposeMany studies have examined the positive outcomes of humble leadership for employees. However, its impact on newcomers' well-being has been rarely investigated. In this paper, based on affective events theory and the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, the authors proposed a moderated mediation model to explore the effect of humble leadership on newcomer well-being. In the model, we identified newcomers' pride as a mediating variable and newcomers' proactive personality as a moderating variable.Design/methodology/approachThe data were from a two-wave sample containing 213 newcomers. The hypothesized model was tested using partial least squares structural equational modeling.FindingsThe results demonstrated that humble leadership was positively related to newcomers' well-being, and newcomers' pride medicated this relationship. Additionally, newcomers' proactive personality moderated the relationship between humble leadership and newcomers' pride.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors adopted a cross-sectional research design, rendering it difficult to derive causal relationships between variables. In addition, all data were from self-reports of newcomers which would suffer from common method variance.Originality/valueThis research examined the role of humble leadership in promoting newcomers' pride and well-being.

Impact of Gratitude on Resource Development and Emotional Well-Being

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 493-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chih-Che Lin
Keyword(s):  
Coping Style ◽  
Positive Emotion ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Avoidant Coping ◽  
Adaptive Coping ◽  
Psychological Resources ◽  
Broaden And Build Theory

Using the broaden-and-build theory, I examined whether or not gratitude can build social, cognitive, physical, and psychological resources, and whether or not gratitude induces other positive emotions that trigger upward spirals toward emotional well-being. I recruited participants (N = 375 undergraduates) to complete measures of the variables of interest. The results indicated that higher levels of gratitude significantly predicted increases in social support, adaptive coping abilities, and beneficial psychological outcomes (e.g., life satisfaction), as well as decreases in avoidant coping style and detrimental physical outcomes (e.g., negative emotions). Further, I found that gratitude could induce other positive emotions which partially mediated the effects of gratitude on emotional well-being. These findings provide empirical support for the idea that gratitude is, in essence, a positive emotion beneficial for positive functioning, as well as broadening and building other positive emotions, which, in turn, result in an increase in emotional well-being.

Positive Emotions Trigger Upward Spirals Toward Emotional Well-Being

2002 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara L. Fredrickson ◽  
Thomas Joiner
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Broaden And Build Theory ◽  
And Coping

The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions predicts that positive emotions broaden the scopes of attention and cognition, and, by consequence, initiate upward spirals toward increasing emotional well-being. The present study assessed this prediction by testing whether positive affect and broad-minded coping reciprocally and prospectively predict one another. One hundred thirty-eight college students completed self-report measures of affect and coping at two assessment periods 5 weeks apart. As hypothesized, regression analyses showed that initial positive affect, but not negative affect, predicted improved broad-minded coping, and initial broad-minded coping predicted increased positive affect, but not reductions in negative affect. Further mediational analyses showed that positive affect and broad-minded coping serially enhanced one another. These findings provide prospective evidence to support the prediction that positive emotions initiate upward spirals toward enhanced emotional well-being. Implications for clinical practice and health promotion are discussed.

scholarly journals Higher Education Teachers’ Subjective Well-being: An Achievement Goal Approach

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raven Rinas ◽  
Markus Dresel ◽  
Martin Daumiller
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Achievement Goals ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Achievement Goal ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
Approach Goals

Research suggests that higher education teachers worldwide experience high levels of stress, burnout, and other adverse experiences due to the challenging nature of their work. To better understand why, under similar conditions, some teachers struggle while others flourish, studies are needed which recognize multiple facets of their subjective well-being (SWB) and explain differences therein using comprehensive theoretical frameworks. From an achievement goal perspective, goals can be expected to underlie differences in one’s emotions, cognitions, and behaviours in achievement contexts. However, this theoretical notion remains largely uninvestigated when it comes to understanding differences in higher education teachers’ SWB. Our research thereby offers a comprehensive overview of the associations between higher education teachers’ achievement goals and, acknowledging the multifaceted nature of SWB, their positive emotions, negative emotions, job satisfaction, and life satisfaction. For international and institutional generalizability, we conducted a study in which 1,338 teachers from three countries (Germany, the USA, and India) and two higher education institution types (research- and teaching-oriented institutions), completed measures of their achievement goals and multifaceted SWB. We found that, invariant across the different countries and higher education institutions, achievement goals were meaningfully and differentially associated with facets of SWB. Notably, mastery approach goals (task approach goals) were adaptively associated with all facets of SWB, while the opposite was found for work avoidance goals. Our findings highlight the relevance of achievement goals for understanding and supporting higher education teachers’ SWB, as well as the importance of employing differentiated and comprehensive perspectives in achievement goal and SWB research.

scholarly journals Mitigating Academic Boredom and Increasing Well-Being Among Chinese College Students Based on a Positive Education Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 91
Author(s):  
Zheng Jie ◽  
Samsilah Roslan ◽  
Mohd.Mokhtar Muhamad ◽  
Mas Nida Md Khambari ◽  
Zeinab Zaremohzzabieh
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Intrinsic Motivation ◽  
Academic Outcomes ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Value Theory ◽  
Basic Psychological Needs ◽  
Positive Education ◽  
Chinese College Students

Academic boredom is negatively related to students’ academic outcomes like intrinsic motivation. Positive education is dedicated to improving both students’ academic outcomes and wellbeing. In this study, China’s “6+2” positive education model was adopted to develop an intervention program that aimed to reduce academic boredom and improve positive emotions, thought-action repertoires, and intrinsic motivation. Theoretically, this emotion-oriented treatment is expected to cultivate positive emotions to broaden students’ attention scope, widen their thought and action repertoires, facilitate intrinsic motivation and build up enduring psychological resources that help them better cope with negative emotions like academic boredom and trigger upward spirals toward emotional wellbeing. This proposed model fills a research gap in existing interventions and provides new theoretical knowledge in terms of reducing academic boredom and improving academic success as well as wellbeing among Chinese college students. The theoretical framework of this study consisted of the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, basic psychological needs theory, and the control-value theory of academic emotions.   Received: 11 August 2021 / Accepted: 3 October 2021 / Published: 5 November 2021

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document