The Art of Happiness: An Explorative Study of a Contemplative Program for Subjective Well-Being.
Clara Rastelli, Lucia Calabrese, Constance Miller, Antonino Raffone, Nicola De Pisapia
Frontiers in Psychology February 11, 2021 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.600982 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal intervention study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | General population |
| Interventions | meditations two retreats |
| Duration | 9 months, with two retreats (one midway and one at the end) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Happiness Wisdom Well–being |
| Key findings | Several psychological well-being measures increased gradually across the nine-month program, with the strongest improvements in life satisfaction, self-awareness, and emotional regulation; the authors report both short-term retreat-related and longer-term course effects and suggest the program has potential for supporting well-being. |
Abstract
In recent decades, psychological research on the effects of mindfulness-based interventions has greatly developed and demonstrated a range of beneficial outcomes in a variety of populations and contexts. Yet, the question of how to foster subjective well-being and happiness remains open. Here, we assessed the effectiveness of an integrated mental training program The Art of Happiness on psychological well-being in a general population. The mental training program was designed to help practitioners develop new ways to nurture their own happiness. This was achieved by seven modules aimed at cultivating positive cognition strategies and behaviors using both formal (i.e., lectures, meditations) and informal practices (i.e., open discussions). The program was conducted over a period of 9 months, also comprising two retreats, one in the middle and one at the end of the course. By using a set of established psychometric tools, we assessed the effects of such a mental training program on several psychological well-being dimensions, taking into account both the longitudinal effects of the course and the short-term effects arising from the intensive retreat experiences. The results showed that several psychological well-being measures gradually increased within participants from the beginning to the end of the course. This was especially true for life satisfaction, self-awareness, and emotional regulation, highlighting both short-term and longitudinal effects of the program. In conclusion, these findings suggest the potential of the mental training program, such as The Art of Happiness, for psychological well-being.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Sufistic Meditation as a Form of Happiness Transformation el Harakah Jurnal Budaya Islam July 12, 2023
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Procrastination (MBCT-P) to Reduce Muslim University Students’ Academic Procrastination: Mixed Methods Research Psikis: Jurnal Psikologi Islami January 22, 2026
- Quadrato Motor Training (QMT) is associated with DNA methylation changes at DNA repeats: A pilot study. PLoS One 2023
Cites 15
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology October 27, 2008
and 10 more in the library