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Enhancing social relationships through positive psychology activities: a randomised controlled trial
Open accessAbstract
Despite the robust relationship between well-being and social relationships, the latter has received little examination within positive psychology activities (PPAs). This study aimed to test whether kindness- and gratitude-based PPAs, through positive social interaction with peers, enhanced relationship satisfaction. Using a longitudinal randomised controlled design, 225 participants were assigned to one of three conditions (relationship-focused, self-focused or control) and completed measures of relationship satisfaction, social support and happiness on three occasions (baseline, post-intervention and six weeks). The experimental PPAs were relationship-focused (involving social interaction) or self-focused (no social interaction). Those who completed relationship-focused PPAs had greater increases in relationship satisfaction than the self-focused and active control activities at six-week follow-up. Additionally, only those in the relationship-focused condition felt their existing friendships had improved at intervention cessation. Regardless of participants’ initial levels of social support, the intervention effects remained. In conclusion, PPAs fostering social kindness and gratitude significantly strengthened relationship satisfaction.
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“Moreover, relationally focused positive activities (e.g., doing kind acts for others) tend to generate stronger effects than engaging in self-focused positive activities (i.e., engaging in kind acts for oneself; Nelson et al., 2016; O’Connell et al., 2016).”
From Enhancing social connectedness in anxiety and depression through amplification of positivity: Preliminary treatment outcomes and process of change (2020) · cites this paper as O’Connell et al., 2016
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Metadata
- Authors
- O’Connell, B. H., O’Shea, D., & Gallagher, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Limerick (IE)
- Corresponding author
- O’Connell, Brenda H.
- Venue
- The Journal of Positive Psychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2015-05-06
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 149-162
- ISSN
- 1743-9760 (ISSN-L)
- 1743-9779
- OpenAlex
- W1606894546
- Cited by
- 121
- References
- 75
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 38 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 2
- FWCI
- 28.98
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-sa
- Locations
- The Journal of Positive Psychology (publishedVersion)
- University of Limerick Institutional Repository (University of Limerick) (acceptedVersion)
- Arrow@dit (Dublin Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Keywords
- relationship satisfaction, kindness, gratitude, interpersonal relationships, social support, happiness, friendship, peer interaction, well-being
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