Intervention Be Your Best You

 

Title: Be Your Best You

Contributor: Katerina Kotsoni, Anastassios Stalikas

Purpose: Prevention and early intervention of symptoms of depression, anxiety or stress. 

PS variables: Wellbeing, Gratitude, Goal setting, Character strengths, Positive emotions, Savouring, Meaning of life, Kindness, Positive relationships

Target group: General population, at risk population for development of depression, anxiety or stress 

Intervention content: It is a psycho-educational six-weeks group programme. In each session, a concept of Positive Psychology and corresponding positive interventions are presented. Briefly, in the first session, we introduce the ground rules and create a positive team atmosphere through experiential exercises. In the second meeting, participants talk about ways to flourish their character strengths and set goals. In the third meeting, an introduction is made to the concept of savouring and ways to achieve it through experiential exercises. In the next session, we focus on the meaning of life that is explored by the participants through the exercise of the best self. In the fifth session, we focus on ways to strengthen interpersonal relationships. The last meeting aims at summarizing, evaluating each individual’s progress and preparing the participants for the future.

Main results: The material used in the intervention was developed in the pilot study of Kotsoni, Kannelakis and Stalikas (2020). Two studies have been conducted (Kotsoni et al., 2020a, b) in a general population with symptoms of depression, anxiety or stress and it was found that compared to the control group, participants in the psycho-educational program show a decrease. in depression, anxiety, stress, and negative emotions and increase in well-being, life satisfaction and positive emotions. The findings are according to the international literature to date and are the first such comprehensive effort made in Greece.

 

Link/Indicative bibliography/publication

Kotsoni, A., Kanellakis, K., & Stalikas, A. (2020). Be Your Best You: A Pilot Study of a Positive Psychology Programme for People with Depression, Anxiety or Stress in Greece. Psychology, 11(01), 13-29. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2020.111002

Kotsoni, A., Mertika, A., Stalikas, A. (2020). Be Your Best You: An evaluation of a Positive Psychology Intervention Programme in Greece. Psychology, 11(7), 1021-1036. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2020.117067