Positive psychology in racial and ethnic groups: A second call to action!

Abstract

In 1999, renowned psychologist Martin Seligman invited several rising junior researchers to join him and a few senior colleagues in Akumal, Mexico, to engage in conversation about a new scientific discipline devoted to understanding and applying knowledge about positive psychological phenomena. the first author was one of those fortunate to have been selected to participate in what was the "first conference" on positive psychology, a key moment in this discipline's development. Seligman's aim was for us to collectively outline the theoretical contours and scope of action of the new field of positive psychology (Seligman & csikszentmihalyi, 2000). to put it simply, positive psychology can be defined as the application of scientific methods to identifying key antecedents, correlates, and consequences associated with living a good, full, and meaningful life. thus, for example, positive psychology would be distinct from traditional positive philosophies that also focused on good living

The positive role of hope on the relationship between loneliness and unhappy conditions in Hungarian young adults: How pathways thinking matters!

“…be anxious and dysphoric, but also less likely to harbor thoughts involving lethal self-harm. Overall, these findings underscore a central point, namely, the importance of considering multiple factors, both negative and positive, that may be associated with unhappy conditions in adults (Chang, Downey, Hirsch, & Lin, 2016).…”

Feasibility of a culturally adapted positive psychological intervention for Hispanics/Latinos with elevated risk for cardiovascular disease

“…Our purposeful design of a culturally appropriate psychological intervention recognizes inherent variation in the conception of well-being in adults of Hispanic/Latino heritage and the need for customization of content and mode of delivery. Issues of diversity in the field of positive psychology [15] prompted curricular adaptation as evidence to-date is largely derived from populations characterized as Western, highly educated, industrialized, and economically advantaged. If a prescriptive approach is to be taken to boost psychological well-being, it appears erroneous to assume a shared universal positive psychological model or overarching theory where identical antecedents, correlates, and influences of well-being are ascribed across all racial/ethnicity groups.…”

“…Unfortunately, the AHA reports that currently available CVD prevention efforts are relatively sparse and ineffectual in minority populations, highlighting the need for new and more effective disease prevention strategies [13,14]. Positive psychological interventions that align with cultural values and perspectives may be particularly useful for reaching populations who show less service utilization in medical settings [15].…”

Attachment and Wellness Among Latinx Immigrants: Meaning in Life, Belonging, and Hope as Mediators

“…Our study also offers several meaningful implications for research on positive psychology and cross-cultural attachment. Over 20 years since Seligman's (1998) APA address calling for more research on positive aspects to life and well-being, researchers have only recently begun to systematically explore these constructs among minority groups (Chang et al, 2016). A content analysis indicated a relative scarcity of non-White samples and evaluation of intersectionality of gender, race, and ethnicity in positive psychology studies since 1998 (Rao & Donaldson, 2015).…”