Targeting writing interventions to emotional processing level: a factorial experimental design

The best possible self-intervention as a viable public health tool for the prevention of type 2 diabetes: A reflexive thematic analysis of public experience and engagement

Background

Public health initiatives seek to modify lifestyle behaviours associated with risk (e.g., diet, exercise, and smoking), but underpinning psychological and affective processes must also be considered to maximize success.

Objective

This study aimed to qualitatively assess how participants engaged with and utilized the best possible self (BPS)‐intervention specifically as a type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevention tool.

Design and Methods

Fourteen participants engaged with a tailored BPS intervention. Reflexive thematic analysis analysed accounts of participant's experiences and feasibility of use.

Results

All participants submitted evidence of engagement with the intervention. The analysis considered two main themes: Holistic Health and Control. The analysis highlighted several nuanced ways in which individuals conceptualized their health, set goals, and received affective benefits, offering insights into how people personalized a simple intervention to meet their health needs.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, this is the first study to tailor the BPS intervention as a public health application for the prevention of T2D. The intervention enabled users to identify their best possible selves in a way that encouraged T2D preventive behaviours. We propose that our tailored BPS intervention could be a flexible and brief tool to assist public health efforts in encouraging change to aid T2D prevention.

Public Contribution

The format, language and application of the BPS intervention were adapted in response to a public consultation group that developed a version specifically for application in this study.

No Impact? Long-Term Effects of Applying the Best Possible Self Intervention in a Real-World Undergraduate Classroom Setting

Positive psychology interventions (PPIs) improve students’ well-being in laboratory settings. Best possible self (BPS) is one of the most widely used PPIs shown in the laboratory to effectively improve participants’ well-being in both the short- and long-term, but limited research has been conducted in real-world contexts. This study applied BPS in an undergraduate classroom to examine its long-term effects. Students enrolled in an undergraduate education course were assigned to treatment and control groups. Three writing activities and four tests were integrated into the course as assignments in both groups. Data were analyzed using a \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$2\times 3$$\end{document}2×3 (group and time) mixed ANOVA. The results indicate that BPS did not significantly improve the participants’ well-being over time compared with the control group. In fact, the control group performed better than treatment at one month after the intervention. This aligns with recent findings of well-being during COVID-19. Potential implications and areas for future research are discussed.

Effects of the Best Possible Self intervention: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The Best Possible Self (BPS) exercise promotes a positive view of oneself in the best possible future, after working hard towards it. Since the first work that attempted to examine the benefits of this intervention in 2001, studies on the BPS have grown exponentially and, currently, this is one of the most widely used Positive Psychology Interventions. However, little is yet known about its overall effectiveness in increasing wellbeing outcomes. Thus, the aim of this meta-analysis is to shed light on this question. A systematic literature search was conducted, and 29 studies (in 26 articles) met the inclusion criteria of empirically testing the intervention and comparing it to a control condition. In addition, BPS was compared to gratitude interventions in some of the included studies. A total of 2,909 participants were involved in the analyses. The outcome measures were wellbeing, optimism, depressive symptoms, and positive and negative affect. Results showed that the BPS is an effective intervention to improve wellbeing (d+ = .325), optimism (d+ = .334) and positive affect (d+ = .511) comparing to controls. Small effect sizes were obtained for negative affect and depressive symptoms. Moderator analyses did not show statistically significant results for wellbeing, except for a trend towards significance in the age of the participants (years) and the magnitude of the intervention (total minutes of practice). In addition, the BPS was found to be more beneficial for positive and negative affect than gratitude interventions (d+ = .326 and d+ = .485, respectively). These results indicate that the BPS can be considered a valuable Positive Psychology Intervention to improve clients' wellbeing, and it seems that it might be more effective for older participants and with shorter practices (measured as total minutes of practice).

Efficacy of the Best Possible Self protocol in diabetes self-management: A mixed-methods approach

Recent research has demonstrated that positive affect may facilitate illness self-management. This study used a sequential exploratory mixed-methods typology to assess whether a brief writing task designed to boost positive affect (the Best Possible Self protocol) could improve aspects of diabetes self-management, specifically. A qualitative investigation explored people with diabetes' (n = 20) views regarding Best Possible Self feasibility and acceptability, while a subsequent quantitative investigation assigned people with diabetes (n = 50) to a Best Possible Self or non-Best Possible Self condition and assessed affect and self-management behaviours over a 4-week period. Findings indicated that individuals were receptive to the Best Possible Self and that it provided benefits for diabetes self-management.