BENEFFICE designed (eco-)system aims to reduce wasted electricity by incentivizing long-term consumption savings. It leverages Internet of Things enabled, low cost devices, which capture electricity use patterns at the level of clusters of devices and of each individual consumer. An energy behavior model correlates these patterns with optimal, personalized comfort levels and geographic and energy use contexts to determine optimal energy use behavior to reduce wastage of energy and to increase the use of renewable resources. Personalised, real-time motivational paths and challenges are contributing to deliver sustainable reductions of electricity consumption. Voluntarily engagement is achieved by the provision of monetary rewards -CO2 credits-in return of electricity savings and successful challenges. A novel ecosystem of like-minded actors of businesses who pay in CO2 credits and consumers who act for earning them is established.
The current study aimed to test the hypothesis that a newly developed multi-component 8-week Positive Psychology Intervention (PPI) programme for children could lead to a significant decrease in negative emotion, state anxiety, trait anxiety, and a significant increase in hope and positive emotions. Participants were recruited online and assigned randomly to the experimental and control groups with equal sample sizes (N = 8) groups for this study. Each participant completed a battery of self-reported questionnaires before and after the completion of the programme. Measurements included Hope, STAI, PANAS and demographic self-reported questionnaires. Hope and positive emotions increased, whereas negative emotions, trait anxiety and state anxiety decreased. The results supported our hypothesis that PPIs could be considered a successful alternative intervention or prevention for children.
This pilot study aimed to design a Positive Psychology programme for depression, anxiety or stress and test its effectiveness among Greek Psychology students. Twenty-six participants with severe or very severe symptoms of depression, anxiety or stress were assigned to the intervention and control groups. Participants in the intervention group attended six weekly sessions of the Be Your Best You Programme. All participants completed self-report questionnaires (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale) when the programme started and on the completion of the six-week intervention programme. The results indicated significant decreases in depression, anxiety, stress, and negative emotions, as well as increases in satisfaction with life among the people who attended the programme. Our findings suggest that a programme consisted of evidence-based Positive Psychology interventions could be offered to people suffering from depression, anxiety or stress to managing their difficulties. Further studies are required in this field to establish Positive Psychology intervention as a treatment of choice.
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