Online positive psychology interventions based on pleasure, engagement, meaning, positive relationships, and accomplishment : measurement, validation of interventions, and exploration of working mechanisms

This thesis aims at extending the knowledge on positive psychology interventions based on Seligman’s (2011) Well-Being Theory that suggested five elements of well-being (i.e., pleasure/positive emotions, engagement, meaning, positive relationships, and accomplishment). The three main aims of the thesis were: (1) Constructing and validating a measure for the endorsement of positive relationships and accomplishment that could be used along existing measures of pleasure, engagement, and meaning; (2) testing the effectiveness of online interventions based on each of the five components of the Well-Being Theory separately, and examining for whom they work best; and (3) exploring the impact of potential working mechanisms by comparing the effects of interventions that focus on cognitive or emotional components of an intervention. Results showed that positive relationships and accomplishment can be assessed independently, and that they explain additional variance in well-being above pleasure, engagement, and meaning. Further, all interventions lead to an increase in well-being, while the interventions work best for those in the middle range of the well-being continuum. Finally, the thesis provides initial findings on the importance of both, emotional and cognitive components in interventions. In summary, the findings suggest that the Well-Being Theory is a useful framework for developing interventions, and provides further insights in how, and for whom, such interventions work best