Preventive Group Training Improves Children’s Outcomes after Divorce: A Dutch Quasi-experimental Study

Worldwide, many children experience parental separation and divorce. This has a significant impact on their well-being, and emotional and behavioral functioning, and calls for prevention. To assess the effects of the Children of Divorce Intervention Program in the Netherlands (CODIP-NL) on 6- to 8-year-olds, we performed a quasi-experimental effect study. The study compared children receiving CODIP-NL (intervention: I, n = 104), children not receiving CODIP-NL but having divorced parents (divorced control: DC, n = 37), and children belonging to non-divorced families (non-divorced control: NDC, n = 138). Outcomes pertained to children’s positive functioning, emotional and behavioral problems, and well-being. We assessed pre- to post-test differences in change in mother-reported outcomes between the intervention and control groups, and pre- to post-test differences in group leader reports. The intervention led to increases in mother-reported positive functioning (d = 0.97 I vs. DC; d = 1.04 I vs. NDC), and well-being (d = 1.00 I vs. DC; d = 0.84 I vs. NDC). Mother-reported child emotional and behavioral problems decreased after participation (total difficulties, d = 0.73 I vs. DC; d = 0.49 I vs. NDC). Group leader-reported pre- to post-test differences (p ≤ 0.001) pointed in the same directions. Findings support further implementation of CODIP to support children’s positive functioning and well-being, and to decrease emotional and behavioral problems after their parents’ divorce.

The salutogenic basis of an individual’s mental health and psychological well-being

Introduction. The stressfulness of modern society necessitates studying the factors in human positive functioning. As the practice of such research shows, the leading role in advancing toward an individual’s high-quality life belongs actually to his/her psychological resources, in particular his/her salutogenic orientation as a resource helping a personality remain stable in various circumstances of life. Aim. To identify salutogenic factors in an individual’s psychological well-being. Methods. J. Crumbaugh, L. Maholic’s Purpose-in-Life-Test; Maddi`s Hardiness Survey; the test-questionnaire of self-attitude proposed by V. Stolin, S. Pantileev; C. Riff’s model of psychological well-being; Wiesbaden Inventory (WIPPF) developed by N. Peseschkian and X. Deidenbach; R. Lazarus and S. Folkman method examining coping strategies of (the General Causality Orientation Scale of E. Deci, R. Ryan; A. Antonovsky’s Sense of Coherence scales. Results. Psychological resources maintaining and strengthening health and tolerance to stress, maintaining and developing personal opportunities are associated with the presence and awareness of life goals, positive self-acceptance, positive relationships with others and the ability to influence life events. An individual’s salutogenic orientation is based on a humanistic worldview, which is a sign of personal maturity, and such personal abilities as hope, love, trust, justice, politeness and others that are behavioural norms and ensure personal freedom and responsibility. Conclusions. From the standpoint of the salutogenic approach, human psychological health is considered as a state characterized by a certain position in the continuum between mental disorder and psychological well-being. An individual’s salutogenic orientation is the psychological basis for achieving the positive functioning states – psychological hardiness, life satisfaction and psychological well-being.

Exploring the Heterogeneity and Trajectories of Positive Functioning Variables, Emotional Distress, and Post-traumatic Growth During Strict Confinement Due to COVID-19

COVID-19 pandemic-related confinement may be a fruitful opportunity to use individual resources to deal with it or experience psychological functioning changes. This study aimed to analyze the evolution of different psychological variables during the first coronavirus wave to identify the different psychological response clusters, as well as to keep a follow-up on the changes among these clusters. The sample included 459 Spanish residents (77.8% female, Mage = 35.21 years, SDage = 13.00). Participants completed several online self-reported questionnaires to assess positive functioning variables (MLQ, Steger et al. in J Loss Trauma 13(6):511–527, 2006. 10.1080/15325020802173660; GQ-6, McCullough et al. in J Person Soc Psychol 82:112–127, 2002. 10.1037/0022-3514.82.1.112; CD-RISC, Campbell-Sills and Stein in J Traum Stress 20(6):1019–1028, 2007. 10.1002/jts.20271; CLS-H, Chiesi et al. in BMC Psychol 8(1):1–9, 2020. 10.1186/s40359-020-0386-9; SWLS; Diener et al. in J Person Assess, 49(1), 71–75, 1985), emotional distress (PHQ-2, Kroenke et al. in Med Care 41(11):1284–1292, 2003. 10.1097/01.MLR.0000093487.78664.3C; GAD-2, Kroenke et al. in Ann Internal Med 146(5):317–325, 2007. 10.7326/0003-4819-146-5-200703060-00004; PANAS, Watson et al. in J Person Soc Psychol 47:1063–1070, 1988; Perceived Stress, ad hoc), and post-traumatic growth (PTGI-SF; Cann et al. in Anxiety Stress Coping 23(2):127–137, 2010. 10.1080/10615800903094273), four times throughout the 3 months of the confinement. Linear mixed models showed that the scores on positive functioning variables worsened from the beginning of the confinement, while emotional distress and personal strength improved by the end of the state of alarm. Clustering analyses revealed four different patterns of psychological response: “Survival”, “Resurgent”, “Resilient”, and “Thriving” individuals. Four different profiles were identified during mandatory confinement and most participants remained in the same cluster. The “Resilient” cluster gathered the largest number of individuals (30–37%). We conclude that both the heterogeneity of psychological profiles and analysis of positive functioning variables, emotional distress, and post-traumatic growth must be considered to better understand the response to prolonged adverse situations.

Conceptualizing Thriving: An Exploration of Students’ Perceptions of Positive Functioning Within Graduate Education

The current wellness crisis among graduate students calls on institutions of higher education to act and advocate for student thriving. While existing research on human thriving provides insight into how this experience of positive functioning can be understood across the lifespan, what it means to thrive within graduate programs—and by extension, how to support students in their ability to thrive within these programs—remains understudied. To address this gap in the literature, this study examined how graduate students describe and understand thriving within their programs of study. We thematically and quantitatively analyzed 2,287 Canadian graduate students survey responses to the question “How would you describe a student who is thriving in your program.” Findings indicate that graduate students conceptualize thriving as a complex and multi-dimensional construct involving both academic and non-academic components. The six overarching themes of achieving, engaging, connecting, balancing, enjoying, and being provide foundation for further exploration and insight into the ways that universities and post-secondary institutions can support students’ positive functioning.

The Influence of Emotional Well-Being and Spiritual Wholeness on Midlife Positive Functioning of Middle-Aged Professionals

This descriptive-correlational study focused on the emotional well-being, spiritual wholeness, and positive functioning of middle-aged professionals. It aimed to measure the levels of emotional well-being, spiritual wholeness, and positive functioning; likewise, their difference when age, sex, civil and employment status, and job rank were considered. This research also intended to determine the relationship among the mentioned constructs. The study utilized tests on Emotional Well-being, Spiritual Wholeness, and Psychological Well-being Scale. Eighty-three participants from the university in Bacolod City were purposively chosen to answer these tests. Findings revealed that the levels of emotional well-being and spiritual wholeness of midlife adults were very high. Also, no significant differences in both constructs were found. The positive functioning of the respondents is high. However, an average positive functioning of single respondents was revealed when the civil status was considered. It was concluded that both emotional well-being and spiritual wholeness are significantly related to the positive functioning of midlife adults. The results of the study will be utilized for the creation of a wellness program, which aims to improve the employee’s psychological well-being.