Objectives: A 6-week multicomponent positive psychology intervention (PPI) was assessed with the primary aim of determining its effects on affective variables including anxiety, depression and psychological distress, as well as processual ones, such as mindfulness and emotion regulation. Exploratory investigations were conducted to consider changes in individual differences according to baseline characteristics. Method: Participants were from a community sample of the French population. They were assigned to the control (n = 43) or intervention group (n = 59). Self-assessment measures included the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory and the General Health Questionnaire. Results: Trait anxiety, depressive symptoms and psychological distress significantly decreased over the course of the PPI in comparison to the control group. Regarding processual variables, mindfulness increased with a large effect size, acceptance and positive reappraisal increased, and scores for other-blame strategy significantly decreased. Exploratory analyses showed that mindfulness and positive reappraisal tended to increase even more when participants’ initial levels were low. Conclusion: Future clinical interventions should account for baseline characteristics to ensure that participants are referred to the most effective, suitable programs for their own needs.

Introduction

In recent years, conducting promising controlled interventions intended to reduce unpleasant feelings and enhance positive attributes has been a priority of the positive psychology field as part of efforts to promote mental health and well-being (Donaldson, Dollwet, & Rao, 2015; Rashid, 2015; Schueller & Parks, 2014). Obtaining a better understanding of how to promote the experience of positive emotions is a fundamental aspect of positive psychology (Kobau et al., 2011). Individuals’ responses to life events involve self-regulatory and conscious cognitive coping strategies. Affective experiences are greatly influenced by the emotion regulation strategies employed, and emotions can also influence the subsequent emotion regulation strategies used (Garnefski, Kraaij, & Spinhoven, 2001; Pavani, Le Vigouroux, Kop, Congard, & Dauvier, 2016). According to Fredrickson’s (2001) Broadenand-Build model, negative emotions narrow the thought-action repertoire and promote reactions that rely on known patterns. Rumination might therefore be a consequence of a narrowed thought-action repertoire that creates the experience of negative affect (Pavani et al., 2016). On the other hand, positive emotions broaden individuals’ attentional field and thought-action repertoire. New ideas and actions build resources that can be implemented in various situations (Fredrickson, Cohn, Coffey, Pek, & Finkel, 2008). Thus, positive emotions might counter negative ones through an “undoing effect” (Fredrickson, Mancuso, Branigan, & Tugade, 2000). The positive reappraisal coping strategy, which involves reframing negative events by recalling their positive components, has been shown to prevent the incidence of affective disorders and to trigger positive affect (Garnefski et al., 2002; Levine, Schmidt, Kang, & Tinti, 2012; Pavani et al., 2016). Therefore, conducting and examining interventions that aim to enhance cognitive emotion regulation strategies (Garnefski et al., 2001) appears worthwhile. Meta-analyses of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) have shown moderate effects on depression and well-being (Bolier et al., 2013; Mitchell, Vella-Brodrick, & Klein, 2010; Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009). Specific findings have indicated a lower level of depression (Fava, Rafanelli, Cazzaro, Conti, & Grandi, 1998; Proyer, Gander, Wellenzohn, & Ruch, 2016b; Roepke et al., 2015; Schueller & Parks, 2012; Seligman, Rashid, & Parks, 2006; Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson, 2005) and negative affectivity (Moskowitz et al., 2012) and increases in well-being (Fava et al., 1998; Proyer et al., 2016b; Seligman et al., 2005), positive affectivity (Emmons & McCullough, 2003; Moskowitz et al., 2012) and life satisfaction (Lyubomirsky, Sousa, & Dickerhoof, 2006), as well as better physical and mental health (Lyubomirsky et al., 2006). The effectiveness of PPI in terms of affective variables has received substantial support; however, clarifying the underlying processes remains of interest. The positive psychotherapy theory synthesizes the underlying mechanisms of several PPIs: attention and memory re-education, changes in behavioral aspects and strength promotion (Walsh, Cassidy, & Priebe, 2016). For example, present-focused attention would allow for the identification of individuals’ potential strengths (Shapiro, Schwartz, & Santerre, 2002) and therefore contribute to reducing psychological disorders, including anxiety and depression (Khoury et al., 2013). According to the positive psychotherapy theory (Walsh et al., 2016), personal characteristics (e.g., motivation, beliefs, affective state, personality, social support, and cognitive abilities; Proyer, Gander, Wellenzohn, & Ruch, 2016a) and intervention features (e.g., dosage, support, and variety; Walsh et al., 2016) moderate the effects of PPI on affective states.