Positive activities as protective factors against mental health conditions

May combine two claims.

Promoting well-being leads to positive outcomes in work, love, and health, which can help people manage and weather the conditions that may amplify the adverse effects of risk factors.

“Second, promoting well-being leads to positive outcomes in work, love, and health, which can help people manage and weather the conditions that may amplify the adverse effects of risk factors.”

May combine two claims.

Positive activities can mitigate two particular proximal risk factors (rumination and loneliness) and counteract environmental triggers that might amplify them.

“we outline examples of how positive activities can mitigate two particular proximal risk factors (rumination and loneliness) and counteract environmental triggers (i.e., moderators) that might amplify them (e.g., through adaptive coping).”

May combine two claims.

Intentionally cultivating well-being can reduce the frequency of negative emotions, negative behaviors, and negative thoughts that are characteristic of multiple risk factors for disorder, and thereby intervene in the process by which risk factors lead to psychopathology.

“First, intentionally cultivating well-being can reduce the frequency of negative emotions, negative behaviors, and negative thoughts that are characteristic of multiple risk factors for disorder, and thereby intervene in the process by which risk factors lead to psychopathology.”

May combine two claims.

Even when pleasant feelings fade, social, physical, and intellectual resources may linger, continuing to enhance life and bolster resilience against future mental health difficulties and general life challenges.

“Even when the pleasant feelings fade, such social, physical, and intellectual resources may linger, continuing to enhance her life and bolster her resilience against future mental health difficulties and general life challenges.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Positive activities can directly mitigate proximal risk factors (e.g., rumination or pessimism) for psychological disorders.

“Specifically, we theorize that positive activities can (a) directly mitigate proximal risk factors (e.g., rumination or pessimism) for psychological disorders;”

May combine two claims.

Positive emotions broaden people's thinking and attention, encouraging creative solutions to problems and an urge to approach, act, play, and explore.

“Positive emotions broaden people's thinking and attention, encouraging creative solutions to problems and an urge to approach, act, play, and explore.”

• cites Fredrickson, 1998Not checked yet

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• cites Fredrickson, 2001Not checked yet

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Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Individual differences in happiness are theorized to be influenced by individual differences in both genetics and life circumstances.

“Individual differences in happiness are theorized to be influenced by individual differences in both genetics and life circumstances (Lyubomirsky, Sheldon, & Schkade, 2005).”

• cites Lyubomirsky, Sheldon, & Schkade, 2005Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Increasing happiness may help dampen the acute pain of a negative life event or foster adaptive coping with acute stress, thus preventing a downward spiral into clinical levels of depression, anxiety, substance use, or other mental health conditions.

“Increasing happiness may also help dampen the acute pain of a negative life event (e.g., bereavement, unemployment) or foster adaptive coping with acute stress, thus preventing a downward spiral into clinical levels of depression, anxiety, substance use, or other mental health conditions.”

May combine two claims.

Both the increased resources and the positive outcomes associated with greater well-being can mitigate the mechanisms by which distal risk factors give rise to proximal risk factors, as well as preempt or temper the conditions that increase the likelihood that proximal risk factors result in disorder.

“Both the increased resources (e.g., social support) and the positive outcomes (e.g., fulfilling job) associated with greater well-being can mitigate the mechanisms by which distal risk factors give rise to proximal risk factors (e.g., low self-esteem or inability to cope), as well as preempt or temper the conditions that increase the likelihood that proximal risk factors result in disorder (e.g.,”

• cites Nolen-Hoeksema & Watkins, 2011Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Positive activities (e.g., thinking gratefully or acting prosocially) have been shown to reinforce happiness in naturally happy people and to lead to greater happiness in those not advantaged by their circumstances or chromosomes.

“The intermediary processes that we introduce here are”

• cites Lyubomirsky, 2001Not checked yet

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• cites Lyubomirsky, Sheldon et al., 2005Not checked yet

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• cites Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Happiness is associated with, precedes, and likely actually causes positive outcomes in the domains of work, relationships, and physical health.

“A metaanalysis of 225 cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental studies demonstrated that happiness is associated with, precedes, and likely actually causes positive outcomes in the domains of work, relationships, and physical health (Lyubomirsky, King et al., 2005).”

• cites Lyubomirsky, King et al., 2005Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Happy people exhibit positive habits such as thinking optimistically about their futures, being grateful for life's blessings, savoring positive experiences, and doing kind acts for others.

“For example, happy people have been found to exhibit such positive habits as thinking optimistically about their futures (Scheier & Carver, 1993), being grateful for life's blessings (McCullough, Emmons, & Tsang, 2002), savoring positive experiences (Jose, Lim, & Bryant, 2012), and doing kind acts for others (Krueger, Hicks, & McGue, 2001).”

• cites Scheier & Carver, 1993Not checked yet

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• cites McCullough, Emmons, & Tsang, 2002Not checked yet

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• cites Jose, Lim, & Bryant, 2012Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

People can intentionally and successfully raise their happiness levels.

“Converging theoretical (Lyubomirsky, 2008;Lyubomirsky, Sheldon et al., 2005) and empirical (Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009) evidence persuasively suggests that people can intentionally and successfully raise their happiness levels.”

• cites Lyubomirsky, 2008Not checked yet

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• cites Lyubomirsky, Sheldon et al., 2005Not checked yet

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• cites Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Performing acts of kindness can distract chronic ruminators and interrupt their maladaptive self-focus.

“For example, performing acts of kindness is an other-focused positive activity that could distract chronic ruminators and interrupt their maladaptive self-focus.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

The same mechanisms that mediate the relationship between positive activities and well-being (positive emotions, positive thoughts, positive behaviors, and psychological need satisfaction) may protect against mental health conditions.

“Applying our work to the clinical domain, we posit that the same mechanisms that have been shown to mediate the relationship between positive activities and well-being (positive emotions, positive thoughts, positive behaviors, and psychological need satisfaction) may protect against mental health conditions.”

May combine two claims.

Acting prosocially engenders positive thoughts and strengthens relationships, and can alleviate both the mechanisms and moderators of the process by which rumination can devolve into psychopathology.

“Because acting prosocially also engenders positive thoughts (e.g., I am a caring person) and strengthens relationships, it can alleviate both the mechanisms (e.g., negative self-views) and moderators (e.g., social stress) of the process by which rumination can devolve into psychopathology (see Table 1, Columns B & C and Rows 2 & 3).”

May combine two claims.

Positive activities can interrupt ruminative processes while providing other benefits.

“If neutral distraction tasks are effective in thwarting rumination and its adverse effects, we reason that positive activities can also interrupt ruminative processes while providing a wealth of other benefits (see Table 1, Column A, Row 1).”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Rumination is a pivotal transdiagnostic proximal risk factor that predicts multiple disorders.

“Nolen-Hoeksema and Watkins (2011) proposed that rumination is a pivotal transdiagnostic proximal risk factor that predicts multiple disorders.”

• cites Nolen-Hoeksema & Watkins, 2011Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Positive activities constitute a set of skills that one can summon to mitigate proximal risk factors for mental illness, as well as the processes that trigger and amplify them.

“We argue that positive activities constitute a set of skills that one can summon to mitigate proximal risk factors for mental illness, as well as the processes that trigger and amplify them.”

May combine two claims.

Affirming one's most important values can improve self-view and reduce threatening self-doubts that could trigger ruminative episodes.

“Another validated positive activity-affirming one's most important values-could improve Jim's self-view of being unable to cope to seeing himself instead as competent, good, capable, and in control of his life (Sherman & Cohen, 2006;Steele, 1988), which might, in turn, reduce threatening self-doubts that could trigger ruminative episodes.”

• cites Sherman & Cohen, 2006Not checked yet

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• cites Steele, 1988Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Self-affirmation reduces negative emotions and relatively increases need satisfaction, flow, and meaning in life, buffers physiological responses to stressful situations, and boosts academic outcomes.

“Self-affirmation has also been found to reduce negative emotions and relatively increase need satisfaction, flow, and meaning in life (Nelson et al., 2013), as well as buffer physiological responses to stressful situations (Creswell et al., 2005;Sherman, Bunyan, Creswell, & Jaremka, 2009), and boost academic outcomes (Cohen, Garcia, Apfel, & Master, 2006;Cohen, Garcia, Purdie-Vaughns, Apfel, & Brz”

• cites Nelson et al., 2013Not checked yet

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• cites Creswell et al., 2005Not checked yet

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• cites Cohen et al., 2006Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Positive activities such as practicing gratitude and optimism lead to increases in connectedness, which fosters subsequent increases in well-being over time.

“As mentioned earlier, positive activities such as practicing gratitude and optimism lead to increases in connectedness, which fosters subsequent increases in well-being over time (Boehm et al., 2012).”

• cites Boehm et al., 2012Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Expressing gratitude boosts feelings of connectedness and promotes relationship maintenance behaviors and satisfaction with existing relationships.

“Furthermore, multiple studies have shown that expressing gratitude not only boosts feelings of connectedness but promotes relationship maintenance behaviors and satisfaction with existing relationships (Algoe, Gable, & Maisel, 2010;Algoe, Haidt, & Gable, 2008;Lambert & Fincham, 2011;Wood, Maltby, Gillett, Linley, & Joseph, 2008).”

• cites Algoe et al., 2010Not checked yet

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• cites Algoe et al., 2008Not checked yet

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• cites Lambert & Fincham, 2011Not checked yet

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Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Doing acts of kindness can reduce or prevent social stress directly and decrease the likelihood of work or relationship problems indirectly through its impact on overall well-being.

“For example, doing acts of kindness can reduce or prevent social stress (directly) and decrease the likelihood of work or relationship problems (indirectly, though its impact on overall well-being).”

May combine two claims.

Practicing positive thoughts and behaviors over time can make them habitual, thus replacing a maladaptive ruminative response style with a positive one.

“Lastly, research suggests that practicing such positive thoughts and behaviors over time can make them habitual (Ouellette & Wood, 1998), thus replacing a maladaptive ruminative response style with a positive one.”

• cites Ouellette & Wood, 1998Not checked yet

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Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Feelings of closeness and connectedness with others protect against psychopathology by preempting loneliness from precipitating disorder.

“Thus, feelings of closeness and connectedness with others (the conceptual foil of loneliness) conceivably protect against psychopathology by preempting this risk factor from precipitating disorder.”

May combine two claims.

Positive activities promote positive relationships with others, which may mitigate interpersonally relevant risk factors like loneliness-either directly or indirectly-thereby protecting people from mental disorders.

“In sum, research suggests that positive activities promote positive relationships with others, which may mitigate interpersonally relevant risk factors like loneliness-either directly (e.g., by reducing feelings of being unloved and alone) or indirectly (e.g., by boosting well-being and its associated benefits, which can allay both the internal beliefs and the environmental conditions that can”

May combine two claims.

Environmental stressors can give rise to proximal risk factors and also aggravate them, thus engendering psychopathology.

“Nolen-Hoeksema and Watkins (2011) note that environmental stressors can give rise to proximal risk factors (i.e., the distal risk factor of childhood trauma can trigger rumination) and also aggravate them (i.e., the recent loss of a job might intensify a ruminative pattern), thus engendering psychopathology.”

• cites Nolen-Hoeksema & Watkins, 2011Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Greater life satisfaction at baseline in middle and high school students moderated the effect of stressful situations and decreased the likelihood of later externalizing behaviors, thus serving as a protective factor.

“In a longitudinal study of middle and high school students, greater life satisfaction at baseline (M Age ϭ 14.2 years) moderated the effect of stressful situations and decreased the likelihood of later externalizing behaviors, thus serving as a protective factor (Suldo & Huebner, 2004).”

• cites Suldo & Huebner, 2004Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Higher levels of life satisfaction in adolescents are related to lower likelihood of poor mental health, contemplation of suicide, and substance abuse.

“Studies have found that higher levels of life satisfaction in adolescents are related to lower likelihood of poor mental health (Valois, Zullig, Huebner, & Drane, 2004), contemplation of suicide (Valois et al., 2004), and substance abuse (Zullig, Valois, Huebner, Oeltman, & Drane, 2001).”

• cites Valois et al., 2004Not checked yet

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• cites Zullig et al., 2001Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

The practice of gratitude is likely to stimulate positive emotions, which can foster adaptive coping to other ongoing or future stressful life events, thus possibly forestalling a downward spiral into clinical symptoms.

“The practice of gratitude is also likely to stimulate positive emotions, which can foster adaptive coping to other ongoing or future stressful life events, thus possibly forestalling a downward spiral into clinical symptoms (see Columns B & C, Row 2 of Table 1).”

May combine two claims.

People who express gratitude might be able to temper a negative event, decreasing the likelihood that the event triggers or exacerbates proximal risk factors.

“Thus, people who express gratitude might be able to temper a negative event, therefore decreasing the likelihood that the event triggers or exacerbates proximal risk factors (e.g., see Columns B & C, Row 1 of Table 1).”

May combine two claims.

Positive affect is consistently associated with personal growth after traumatic or stressful experiences, which in turn is associated with less subsequent distress.

“Indeed, positive affect is consistently associated with personal growth after traumatic or stressful experiences (e.g., adversarial growth), which in turn is associated with less subsequent distress (Linley & Joseph, 2004).”

• cites Linley & Joseph, 2004Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Prompting people to engage in positive activities while undergoing a stressful experience might stimulate positive emotions that aid in productive coping and possibly avert downward spirals into clinical symptomatology.

“This work suggests that prompting people to engage in positive activities while undergoing a stressful experience might stimulate positive emotions that aid in productive coping and possibly avert downward spirals into clinical symptomatology.”

May combine two claims.

Positive emotions elicited by positive activities can be a key ingredient in the coping process, as they allow people to construe stressful situations more as a challenge than a threat, grant emotional wherewithal to sustain coping efforts over time, and provide a needed time-out from an emotionally aversive situation.

“Evidence from the coping literature suggests that the positive emotions elicited by positive activities can be a key ingredient in the coping process, as they allow people to construe stressful situations more as a challenge than a threat, grant people the emotional wherewithal to sustain their coping efforts over time, and provide a needed time-out from an emotionally aversive situation (Folkman,”

• cites Folkman, 2008Not checked yet

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• cites Folkman & Moskowitz, 2000Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Gratitude positively relates to adaptive coping and negatively relates to maladaptive coping.

“For example, gratitude in particular has been found to positively relate to adaptive coping (emotional and instrumental social support, positive reinterpretation, active coping, and planning) and negatively relate to maladaptive coping (disengagement, self-blame, substance abuse, and denial; Wood et al., 2007).”

• cites Wood et al., 2007Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Happy children and adolescents are prone to practice positive activities, and these habits protect them from developing risk factors and eventual disorders.

“We argue that, like their grown-up counterparts, happy children and adolescents are prone to practice positive activities, and these habits protect them from developing risk factors and eventual disorders.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Positive activities can be practiced deliberately by anyone.

May combine two claims.

People put more effort into goals that match their interests and values and are more likely to reap benefits from attaining them.

“People put more effort into goals that match their interests and values (e.g., self-concordant goals) and are more likely to reap benefits from attaining them (Sheldon & Elliott, 1999).”

• cites Sheldon & Elliott, 1999Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Features of the person, features of the activity, and the interaction between person and activity (person-activity fit) impact how much well-being the activity produces.

“features of the person (e.g., amount of effort mustered or her initial affective state), the activity (e.g., its dosage or inherent social support), and the interaction between person and activity (i.e., person-activity fit) impact how much well-being the activity produces (Lyubomirsky & Layous, 2013)”

• cites Lyubomirsky & Layous, 2013Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

In the 4-week classroom study, both the kind-acts and the whereabouts-tracking groups showed increases in life satisfaction, happiness, and positive affect.

“Both groups showed increases in life satisfaction, happiness, and positive affect”

• cites Layous et al., 2012Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Practicing positive activities can benefit well-being and relationships among youth.

“Randomized controlled trials suggest that practicing positive activities can benefit well-being (Froh et al., 2008;Layous et al., 2012) and relationships (Layous et al., 2012) among youth.”

• cites Froh et al., 2008Not checked yet

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• cites Layous et al., 2012Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Participants who indicated a preference for certain positive activities were more likely to adhere to those activities and to show greater gains in well-being.

“participants who indicated a preference for certain positive activities (i.e., they enjoyed them, benefited from them, and did not find them difficult to perform) were more likely to adhere to those activities and to show greater gains in well-being (Schueller, 2010; see also Parks & Szanto, 2013)”

• cites Schueller, 2010Not checked yet

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• cites Parks & Szanto, 2013Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Optimal person-activity fit will be associated with more intrinsic motivation and thus greater effort toward the activity.

“we posit that optimal person-activity fit will be associated with more intrinsic motivation-and, thus, greater effort-toward that activity”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Positive activities represent one type of goal pursuit, namely the goal of improving well-being.

May combine two claims.

Positive interventions have shown success in increasing well-being and alleviating a range of clinical symptoms such as depressive mood, body dissatisfaction, and anxiety.

“positive interventions have shown success in increasing well-being and alleviating a range of clinical symptoms (e.g., depressive mood, body dissatisfaction, anxiety)”

• cites Geraghty et al., 2010Not checked yet

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• cites Seligman et al., 2005Not checked yet

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• cites Fava et al., 1998Not checked yet

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Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Individuals high in negative affectivity or prone to ruminate could be helped by loving-kindness meditation because it redirects their negativity and tendency to dwell on problems into positive directions.

“individuals who are high in negative affectivity or prone to ruminate could be helped by loving-kindness meditation because it redirects their negativity and tendency to dwell on problems into positive directions”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Self-administered positive activities can scale up to address the needs of populations that would otherwise require the training and licensing of new mental health professionals and paraprofessionals.

“self-administered positive activities can”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Self-administered positive activities can play a crucial role in population prevention strategies because they are relatively nonthreatening and inexpensive.

“Selfadministered positive activities, in contrast, can play a crucial role in population prevention strategies because they are relatively nonthreatening and inexpensive (Layous, Chancellor, Lyubomirsky, Wang, & Doraiswamy, 2011).”

• cites Layous, Chancellor, Lyubomirsky, Wang, & Doraiswamy, 2011Not checked yet

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Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Certain positive activities may be uniquely effective in mitigating specific risk factors.

“Certain positive activities may be uniquely effective in mitigating specific risk factors.”

May combine two claims.

Participants who reported that an activity felt natural and enjoyable were more likely to practice it after the intervention period and to maintain their increases in happiness.

“participants who reported that an activity felt natural and enjoyable to them were more likely to practice the activity after the prescribed intervention period had lapsed, and were more likely to maintain their increases in happiness (Dickerhoof, 2007)”

• cites Dickerhoof, 2007Not checked yet

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May combine two claims.

Narcissistic individuals have been found to become more ungrateful after a gratitude exercise, perhaps because acknowledging others' contributions feels threatening.

“narcissistic individuals have actually been found to become more ungratefulperhaps because acknowledging others' contributions feels threatening (Kruse, Chancellor, Ruberton, & Lyubomirsky, 2013)”

• cites Kruse, Chancellor, Ruberton, & Lyubomirsky, 2013Not checked yet

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Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Given the unique concerns of individuals at risk for mental health conditions, optimal risk factor-activity fit might be particularly important.

“Given the unique concerns of individuals at risk for mental health conditions-for example, those with biological vulnerabilities or childhood trauma-optimal risk factor-activity fit might be particularly important.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

An individual high in reassurance-seeking might doubt her ability to accomplish her life goals when asked to visualize her dreams coming true.

“when asked to visualize her dreams coming true (an activity designed to rehearse optimism), an individual high in reassurance-seeking might doubt her ability to accomplish her life goals”