In search of durable positive psychology interventions: Predictors and consequences of long-term positive behavior change
Michael Cohn, Barbara L. Fredrickson
The Journal of Positive Psychology September 1, 2010 DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2010.508883 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal follow-up survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Participants from a loving-kindness meditation intervention |
| Intervention | Loving-kindness meditation |
| Duration | 15-month follow-up |
| Citations | 302 |
| Key findings | Participants who continued meditating reported more positive emotions than those who stopped, but all maintained gains in resources made during the initial intervention. |
Abstract
A number of positive psychology interventions have successfully helped people learn skills for improving mood and building personal resources (e.g., psychological resilience and social support). However, little is known about whether intervention activities remain effective in the long term, or whether new resources are maintained after the intervention ends. We address these issues in a 15-month follow-up survey of participants from a loving-kindness meditation intervention. Many participants continued to practice meditation, and they reported more positive emotions (PEs) than those who had stopped meditating or had never meditated. All participants maintained gains in resources made during the initial intervention, whether or not they continued meditating. Continuing meditators did not differ on resources at baseline, but they did show more PE and a more rapid PE response to the intervention. Overall, our results suggest that positive psychology interventions are not just efficacious but of significant value in participants' real lives.