ioe 11 17 2012

Dr. Kate Hefferon, PhD

London Festival of Education

November 17th, 2012

“Positive psychology is the scientific study of optimal human functioning [that] aims to discover and promote the factors that allow individuals and communities to thrive.”

(Seligman, 1999)

Positive psychology focuses on well-being, happiness, flow, personal strengths, resilience, wisdom, creativity etc. as well as characteristics of positive groups and institutions

Unprecedented increase in childhood and adolescent depression

2% of children aged 11–15 and 11% of youth aged 16–24 in the UK suffer a major depressive disorder

Childhood and adolescent depression linked to higher rates of academic and interpersonal difficulties, smoking, use of drugs and alcohol and attempted suicide

(Green, McGinnity, Meltzer, Ford, & Goodman, 2005; Covey, Glassman, & Stetner, 1998; Garrison, Jackson, Addy, McKeown, & Waller, 1989).

Subjective well being (Deiner, 2009)

Psychological well being (Ryff, 2012)

Positive emotions (Fredrickson, 2003; 2004; 2009)

Character strengths (Peterson & Seligman, 2004)

Resilience and flourishing (Reivich & Shatte, Seligman, 2011)

“In one or two words, what do you most want for your children?

In one or two words, what do schools teach?” (Seligman, 2011)

“…aims to develop the skills of well-being, flourishing and optimal functioning in children, teenagers and students, as well as parents and educational institutions”.

Preventative and enabling developmental approaches

Underpinned by empirical validation and evidence based practice

Time limited approaches (3 months- 1 year)

Stand alone programmes

Curriculum embedment

School ethos

Primary and secondary

University (Gokcen, Hefferon & Aitree, 2012)

Penn Resiliency Programme (USA; UK) (Gillham, Reivich, Seligman & Silver, 1995)

Bounce Back! (Australia) (McGrath & Noble, 2003)

Making Hope Happen (Lopez et al, 2004)

Wisdom Curriculum (Reznitskaya & Sternberg, 2004)

Focus on social competence, emotional competence, resilience, optimism, moral and intellectual development

16 years ; 13 RCT’s, 1000’s of participants (Seligman, 2002, 2007; Reivich & Shatté, 2002; Reivich et al, 2007)

Reductions in depressive symptoms, anxiety and behavioural problems

Reduce the incidence of depression and anxiety by 50% at the three-year follow-up period (Gillham, Reivich & Freres, 2007)

https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DCSF-RR094.pdf

Embed in ethos

School-wide programmes (involving all staff and pupils) to promote psychological well-being are more likely to be effective than class-based interventions (Wells, Barlow & Stewart-Brown, 2003; Waters, 2011)

A positive climate in the school as a whole is associated with teacher and student satisfaction, lower stress levels, and better academic results (Sangsue & Vorpe, 2000)

Increased levels of well-being

Fewer conduct problems and emotional issues

Enhanced pro-social behaviors

Higher academic performance

School personnel best to implement rather than outsider

Must be well executed and accordingly

Need more follow up studies (beyond 6 months)

(Durlak et al. 2011)

Relatively new area of psychology

Costly to schools

Need to be careful not to ‘prescribe’

Only use evidence based interventions

Research further into:

a) Age

b) Culture

c) Special needs

Positive psychology is the science of optimal human functioning

Significant amounts of research supporting importance of SWB, positive emotions and strengths

Positive psychology is being used in education for stand alone and/or ongoing interventions

These are showing positive results in reducing depression and enhancing well being

More research needed in areas of secondary school, university and special needs education

University of East London http://www.uel.ac.uk/psychology/

Action for happiness http://www.actionforhappiness.org/

The Well-Being Institute http://www.cambridgewellbeing.org/

CAPP http://www.cappeu.org/

The Young Foundationhttp://www.youngfoundation.org.uk/

New Economics Foundation http://www.neweconomics.org

Centre for Confidence and Well-Being http://www.centreforconfidence.co.uk

Hefferon, K. & Boniwell, I. (2011). Positive Psychology: Theory, research and applications. London: Open University Press.

Waters, L. (2011). A Review of School-Based Positive Psychology Interventions. The Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 28, 2, 75-90.

Gokcen, N., Hefferon, K., & Attree, E.A. (2012). University students’ constructions of ‘flourishing’ in British higher education: an inductive content analysis. International Journal of Wellbeing, 2(1), 1-21.

K.hefferon@uel.ac.uk

www.katehefferon.com