Well-Being in the Batswana Cultural Context: Constructs and Measures

The dynamics of Appraisal II: a meta-analysis of the relationship between fortitude and the indices of psychological well-being

Identifying the factors that contribute to differential vulnerability in the face of adversity is key to psychology fulfilling its mandate as a helping profession. One such factor, fortitude, which is described as the psychological strength to manage adversity and to stay well, has consistently been linked to psychological well-being. The objective of the research was to statistically integrate studies examining the relationship between fortitude and the indices of psychological well-being by using a meta-analysis. We used a random-effects model for the meta-analysis. In addition to the overall effect size, we examined publication bias and the moderating role of age and methodological quality. We also performed a subgroup analysis to compare between studies with positive and negative indicators of psychological well-being. In addition, we used robust variance estimation to account for effect-size dependencies, as some studies have reported more than one correlation coefficient. A total of 13 studies reporting 35 correlation coefficients pertaining to the relationship between fortitude and the indices of psychological well-being were extracted. The meta-analysis revealed a significant overall effect ( r = .44, p < .001). The results also indicated that age and methodological quality did not influence the effect size. Subgroup analysis indicated that the overall effect size for studies that used positive indicators ( r = .49, p < .001) was higher than that for studies that used negative indicators ( r = .36, p < .001). In addition, no visual or statistical evidence of publication bias was observed. The robust variance estimation results also confirmed that the effect-size dependencies did not influence the overall effect size. The study results provide strong evidence regarding the association between fortitude and psychological well-being. This finding has several implications for promoting mental health and suggests that interventions aimed at building fortitude can be leveraged to mitigate psychological distress.

Effects of a Community-Based Multicomponent Positive Psychology Intervention on Mental Health of Rural Adults in Ghana

BACKGROUND

There is growing evidence that positive psychology interventions (PPIs) enhance positive mental health and lead to a decrease in symptoms of psychopathology. This study examines the effectiveness of a 10-week multicomponent PPI (the Inspired Life Program; ILP) in promoting positive mental health and reducing symptoms of depression and negative affect in a sample of rural poor adults in Ghana.

METHODS

Using a quasi-randomized controlled trial design, participants from four rural poor communities were randomly allocated to intervention (n = 40) or control (n = 42) conditions. The intervention group participated in the 10-week ILP. Both groups completed a battery of mental health measures, including the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, at pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and at 3 months follow-up. Hierarchical linear modeling was applied to evaluate whether the intervention was effective.

RESULTS

There was a greater improvement in positive mental health, with a marked reduction in symptoms of depression in the intervention group compared to the control group, immediately and 3 months after the intervention. There were also larger increases in the proportion of flourishers in the intervention group compared to the control group, immediately and three months after the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

The observed effects of the ILP intervention program suggest that group-based PPIs can promote positive mental health and buffer against psychopathology among people living in rural poor communities in sub-Saharan Africa.