IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0216896.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Qualitative analysis of the Best Possible Self intervention: Underlying mechanisms that influence its efficacy

Author

Listed:
  • Alba Carrillo
  • Marian Martínez-Sanchis
  • Ernestina Etchemendy
  • Rosa M Baños

Abstract

Background: The Best Possible Self is a Positive Psychology Intervention which asks participants to write down about themselves in their best possible future. Previous studies have shown its efficacy to enhance wellbeing, but the mechanisms that underlie its efficacy are still unknown. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the content of the essays of the BPS intervention and to examine how this content was related to the efficacy of the intervention to increase positive affect. Method: Participants (N = 78) were randomized to either the Best Possible Self condition, or one of two variants of the intervention: one’s best self in the present, and one’s best self in the past. Qualitative analyses of the texts were carried out to explore the main themes and features of the essays. Then, a mixed-methods approach with quantitative and qualitative data was followed, in order to analyze the relationship between the content of the texts and the change in positive affect produced by the interventions. Results: Significant differences between conditions were found in the content of the compositions. Regression analyses showed that different variables predicted the change in positive affect depending on the condition. Mediation analyses also found differences among conditions. Conclusions: These findings suggest that these interventions respond to different underlying mechanisms which influence their efficacy. This study contributed to a better understanding of how Positive Psychology Interventions work, and how to increment their efficacy.

Suggested Citation

  • Alba Carrillo & Marian Martínez-Sanchis & Ernestina Etchemendy & Rosa M Baños, 2019. "Qualitative analysis of the Best Possible Self intervention: Underlying mechanisms that influence its efficacy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(5), pages 1-15, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0216896
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216896
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0216896
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0216896&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0216896?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David Newman & Louis Tay & Ed Diener, 2014. "Leisure and Subjective Well-Being: A Model of Psychological Mechanisms as Mediating Factors," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 555-578, June.
    2. Natasha Odou & Dianne Vella-Brodrick, 2013. "The Efficacy of Positive Psychology Interventions to Increase Well-Being and the Role of Mental Imagery Ability," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(1), pages 111-129, January.
    3. Eric Hill & Heather Terrell & Andrea Arellano & Blake Schuetz & Craig Nagoshi, 2015. "A Good Story: Using Future Life Narratives to Predict Present Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(6), pages 1615-1634, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Amelia Dennis & Jane Ogden, 2022. "Nostalgia, Gratitude, or Optimism: The Impact of a Two-Week Intervention on Well-Being During COVID-19," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2613-2634, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Piotr Próchniak, 2022. "Profiles of Wellbeing in Soft and Hard Mountain Hikers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-13, June.
    2. Philipp Schulz & Julian Schulte & Sven Raube & Hala Disouky & Christian Kandler, 2018. "The Role of Leisure Interest and Engagement for Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1135-1150, April.
    3. Joschka Gellmers & Nanxi Yan, 2023. "Digital Leisure Engagement and Positive Outcomes in the Workplace: A Systematic Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-16, January.
    4. Saeid Abbasian, 2022. "Disparate Emotions as Expressions of Well-Being: Impact of Festival Participation from the Participants’ Subjective View," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-12, December.
    5. Piotr Próchniak & Agnieszka Próchniak, 2023. "Adventure Recreation in Blue Spaces and the Wellbeing of Young Polish Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-16, March.
    6. Michael Mutz, 2019. "Life Satisfaction and the UEFA EURO 2016: Findings from a Nation-Wide Longitudinal Study in Germany," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(2), pages 375-391, April.
    7. L. Lambert & H.-A. Passmore & N. Scull & I. Al Sabah & R. Hussain, 2019. "Wellbeing Matters in Kuwait: The Alnowair’s Bareec Education Initiative," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(2), pages 741-763, June.
    8. KangJae Jerry Lee & Seonghee Cho & Eui Kyung Kim & Sunhwan Hwang, 2020. "Do More Leisure Time and Leisure Repertoire Make Us Happier? An Investigation of the Curvilinear Relationships," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(5), pages 1727-1747, June.
    9. Nuria Codina & José V. Pestana, 2019. "Time Matters Differently in Leisure Experience for Men and Women: Leisure Dedication and Time Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-11, July.
    10. Orúzar, Harry & Miranda, Rafael & Oriol, Xavier & Montserrat, Carme, 2019. "Self-control and subjective-wellbeing of adolescents in residential care: The moderator role of experienced happiness and daily-life activities with caregivers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 125-131.
    11. Tiia Kekäläinen & Alexandra M. Freund & Sarianna Sipilä & Katja Kokko, 2020. "Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations between Leisure Time Physical Activity, Mental Well-Being and Subjective Health in Middle Adulthood," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(4), pages 1099-1116, September.
    12. Miika Kujanpää & Christine Syrek & Dirk Lehr & Ulla Kinnunen & Jo Annika Reins & Jessica Bloom, 2021. "Need Satisfaction and Optimal Functioning at Leisure and Work: A Longitudinal Validation Study of the DRAMMA Model," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 681-707, February.
    13. Long Yang & Haiyang Lu & Meng Li, 2023. "Multidimensional Inequality and Subjective Well-Being in China: A Generalized Ordered Logit Model Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 165(3), pages 1021-1052, February.
    14. Po-Ju Chang & Rui Song & Yeqiang Lin, 2019. "Air Pollution as a Moderator in the Association Between Leisure Activities and Well-Being in Urban China," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(8), pages 2401-2430, December.
    15. Xinyu (Judy) Hu & Larissa K. Barber & Alecia M. Santuzzi, 2021. "Does Active Leisure Improve Worker Well-Being? An Experimental Daily Diary Approach," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 2003-2029, June.
    16. Xiangyou Shen & Megan MacDonald & Samuel W. Logan & Colby Parkinson & Lydia Gorrell & Bridget E. Hatfield, 2022. "Leisure Engagement during COVID-19 and Its Association with Mental Health and Wellbeing in U.S. Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-22, January.
    17. Naiara Berasategi Sancho & Gorka Roman Etxebarrieta & Israel Alonso Saez & Nahia Idoiaga Mondragon, 2023. "Leisure as a Space for Inclusion and the Improvement of Life Satisfaction of Immigrants," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 425-439, March.
    18. M. Joseph Sirgy & Muzaffer Uysal & Stefan Kruger, 2017. "Towards a Benefits Theory of Leisure Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 12(1), pages 205-228, March.
    19. Laing, Jennifer H. & Frost, Warwick, 2017. "Journeys of well-being: Women's travel narratives of transformation and self-discovery in Italy," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 110-119.
    20. Gill, Chelsea & Packer, Jan & Ballantyne, Roy, 2019. "Spiritual retreats as a restorative destination: Design factors facilitating restorative outcomes," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0216896. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.