Download - Does Happiness Matter?
Does Happiness Matter?Applying Positive Psychology to Advising
Teri DueverOregon State UniversitySchool of Psychological Science
What is the best thing that has happened to you since you left for this conference?
Why do you think it happened that way?
Pair Share
Psychology Mental Illness
Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, etc.
Psychology Mental Health
Harmony, comfort, gladness, fun, thrill, euphoria, wisdom,
courage, love, justice, temperance, etc.
Does Happiness Matter?
Self-Reported Mental Health across 5,689 students in13 colleges.
The Relationship of Level of Positive Mental Health With Current Mental Disorders in Predicting Suicidal Behavior And Academic Impairment in College Students
Corey L. M. Keyes, PhD, et al., Journal of American College Health, 2012
Flourishing:
51%2,947 Students
Moderate:
44.6%2,537 Students
Languishing:
3.6%204 Students
Series10
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
FlourishingModerateLanguishing
Depression and Anxiety
Percentage of Students with Mental Disorders by Mental Health Category
Flourishing: 2897 Students
1.7% Mental Health Disorders
Moderate: 2537 Students
11.6% Mental Health Disorders
Languishing: 294 Students
49% Mental Health Disorders
Flourishing Moderate Languishing0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Mental Disorders
Mental Disorders
Without Mental Disorders
Percentage of students without Mental Disorders who experienced Suicidal Behaviors or Academic Impairment
Flourishing2,897 students
Suicidal Behaviors: 1.3%37 students
Academic Impairment: 2.4% 70 students
Moderate2,243 students
Suicidal Behaviors: 3.9%87 students
Academic Impairment: 5.6%126 students
Languishing104 students
Suicidal Behaviors:15.4%15 students
Academic Impairment: 17.0%18 students
Flourishing Moderate Languishing0
5
10
15
20
Suicidal Behaviors
Academic Impairment
With Mental Disorders
Percentage of students with Mental Disorders who experienced Suicidal Behaviors or Academic Impairment
Flourishing50 students
Suicidal Behaviors: 7% (up from 1.3%)
4 students
Academic Impairment: 20.4% (up from 2.4%)
10 students
Moderate294 students
Suicidal Behaviors: 18% (up from 3.9%)
53 students
Academic Impairment: 34% (up from 5.6%)
100 students
Languishing100 students
Suicidal Behaviors:28.3% (up from 15.4%)
28 students
Academic Impairment: 52% (up from 17.0%)
52 students
Flourishing Moderate Languishing0
102030405060
Suicidal Behaviors
Academic Impairment
Does Happiness Matter?
Findings (paraphrased):
• Lots of college students experience depression and anxiety.
• Depressed and anxious students are at a greater risk of suicidal behavior and academic impairment.
• Flourishing students are at the lowest risk of suicidal behavior and academic impairment among students.
Conclusion:
Flourishing protects against suicidal behavior and academic impairment.
What is Flourishing?Flourishing: a theory of Happiness and Well-Being by Martin Seligman, Ph.D.
Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Achievements
Positive Emotions
More than just a good mood.
Positive Emotions
Pair Share
Think of a meaningful kindness that somebody did toward you for no reason at all.
Share what that kindness was, and how it made you feel.
Plot a kindness you could do toward somebody this week.
“You can’t lead somebody to a place you’ve never been.”
Positive Emotions:
What do students look like on the far negative end of this continuum?
What might be a clue that a student was too far into the negative emotion section of this continuum? What resources would you refer this student to?
Engagement
Getting “lost” in something.
Engagement
Pair Share
Think of an activity that you enjoy so much you lose track of time.
Try to describe how it feels to be lost in that activity.
What could you change in your life in order to be able to experience it more often?
“You can’t lead somebody to a place you’ve never been.”
Engagement:
What are clues that a student is not engaging in their school work or anything else for that matter?
What are some unhealthy engagements? What resources would you refer this student to?
Relationships
Joy is often best when shared.
Relationships
Pair Share
Is there somebody you could call at 3:00 am if you really needed to?
Who is it?
Share a little about that relationship?
“You can’t lead somebody to a place you’ve never been.”
Relationships:
What are some situations where you see students who do not have the relationship supports that they need? What resources would you refer this student to?
Meaning
Why do you get up every morning?
Meaning
Pair Share
What is it that makes you want to get out of bed every morning?
What gives your life purpose or meaning?
What would you do if you could spend more of your life pursuing that purpose?
“You can’t lead somebody to a place you’ve never been.”
Meaning:
When does this subject come up in advising?
What are the comments of students who seem to lack meaning? What resources would you refer this student to?
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• Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Vivamus et magna. Fusce sed sem sed magna suscipit
Reward for not giving up.
Accomplishments
Pair Share
What accomplishment are you preparing for, practicing for, and anticipating?
Or, what is something you would like to accomplish, even if you are not currently preparing for it?
What is one step you could take toward it this week?
“You can’t lead somebody to a place you’ve never been.”
Achievement:
What are some examples of typical achievements for college students?
What can you do for the student who is not experiencing any of these?
Happiness Homework
• What went well? And why?
• Kindness Exercise
• Letter and/or Visit of Gratitude
• Spending Exercise
• Strengths Identification and Exercise
Detailed Instructions for these exercises are provided in the handout.
Resources Cited
Buettner, D. (2008). Blue Zones. Washington DC: National Geographic
Corey L. M. Keyes PhD, Daniel Eisenberg PhD, Geraldine S. Perry DrPH, Shanta R. Dube PhD, MPH, Kurt Kroenke MD & Satvinder S. Dhingra MPH (2012): The Relationship of Positive Mental Health With Current Mental Disorders in Predicting Suicidal Behavior and Academic Impairment in College Students, Journal of American College Health, 60:2, 126-133
Seligman, Martin E.P.(2002). Authentic Happiness. New York, NY: Free Press
Seligman, Martin E.P. (2011) Flourish. New York: Free Press
Snowdon, D. (2002). Aging with Grace. New York: Bantam Books
Valliant, George E. (2003). Aging Well. Boston: Little Brown and Company
Does Happiness Matter? Yes!
Choose Happiness! It does matter.
