Journal of Happiness and Health

Beyond happiness: The three waves of positive psychology and the future of wellbeing

2025-07-03T12:40:16+03:00

This editorial explores the evolving landscape of positive psychology by tracing its development through three major waves and outlining emerging discussions toward a potential fourth. The first wave, launched in the late 1990s, emphasized individual strengths, positive emotions, and subjective wellbeing—largely shaped by Western epistemologies and dominated by quantitative, empirical methodologies. While foundational to the field, this wave has been critiqued for neglecting complexity, cultural diversity, and ethical concerns. In response, the second wave introduced a more dialectical understanding of wellbeing, integrating both positive and negative experiences and recognizing the transformative potential of adversity. This phase embraced contextual sensitivity, methodological pluralism, and cross-cultural considerations, fostering a more nuanced view of human flourishing. Building on these earlier developments, the third wave of positive psychology adopts a systems-level and interdisciplinary approach. It emphasizes interconnectedness, ecological and cultural contexts, spiritual dimensions, and social justice. This wave views wellbeing as a dynamic, relational, and ethically grounded phenomenon that transcends individual psychological states. Researchers increasingly engage in post-disciplinary collaborations, employing diverse methods to understand how flourishing unfolds across individuals, communities, and ecosystems. The editorial also highlights initial proposals for a fourth wave that aligns wellbeing science with global challenges such as sustainability, equity, and public health—framing flourishing as a shared responsibility in an interconnected world. Ultimately, this editorial calls for a reimagining of positive psychology as a science not just of personal happiness but of collective and sustainable wellbeing. By embracing complexity, humility, and global perspectives, future directions in the field can better serve the diverse needs of humanity and foster flourishing at both individual and societal levels.

Addressing mental health and wellbeing among older adults in communities of color: A scoping review of community-based participatory research approaches

2024-12-10T21:59:03+03:00

This research explores how community-based participatory approaches can address the challenges faced by older adults in communities of color through a scoping review of 23 studies which focus on the emotional health of this population. The authors show how an increase in older adults in communities of color is expected in the years to come, highlighting the mental health disparities faced by people in those communities and the requirement for appropriate research frameworks to address their needs. The authors utilize a systematic review protocol (PRISMA-P) to explore the primary research question “What is the coverage of the mental health needs of older adults from communities of color using community-based participatory research (CBPR) over the last 15 years?”. The research includes an introduction to CBPR as carried out by counselors and a consideration of how CBPR can enhance equity in mental health outcomes through collaborative efforts. The researchers share methodological trends, publication trends, and recurring themes regarding barriers to mental health among older adults in communities of color as well as themes regarding benefits to using CBPR with this population. The authors also discuss implications for counseling practice, future research, and counselor educators.

Mapping the positive path to moral courage: Through belongingness, meaning in life, and moral disengagement

2025-05-10T11:59:48+03:00

Numerous studies have explored the factors that influence moral cognition and morally desirable behavior. Yet, that remains doubtful whether the beneficial effects of psychological need satisfaction on individual and social functioning extend to moral processes. To bridge this gap, the current study examined the psychological mechanisms through which a general sense of belongingness may foster morally courageous behavior, focusing on the mediating role of moral disengagement and the moderating role of meaning in life. A cross-sectional design was employed with 290 university students (68% women; Mean age= 22.18), who completed self-report measures assessing belongingness, meaning in life, moral disengagement, and moral courage. Results from a conditional process analysis indicated that moral disengagement had a mediating role in the association between belongingness and moral courage. Specifically, a higher sense of general belongingness was associated with lower levels of moral disengagement, which strengthened moral courage in return. Moreover, this indirect effect varied by levels of perceived meaning in life: the negative association between belongingness and moral disengagement was stronger among individuals with higher levels of meaning. These findings highlight the role of existential meaning in strengthening the moral benefits of social connectedness by reducing tendencies to morally disengage. Practically, the results suggest that interventions aimed at enhancing belonging and life meaning may help cultivate moral courage in academic, organizational, and civic contexts.

Feeling connected, feeling less anxious: Self-esteem, social connectedness, and social anxiety in adults

2025-07-04T21:25:14+03:00

How individuals evaluate themselves and to what extent social ties play an important role in their lives may show differences across cultures. The present study examined whether social connectedness mediated the relationship between self-esteem and social anxiety symptoms, controlling for anxiety disorder diagnosis, gender, and age in a Turkish sample, who reflect combination of both individualistic and collectivistic cultural characteristics. A sample of 402 adults (78.1% female, 21.9% male), aged 18 to 65 years (M = 28.72, SD = 8.07), participated in the study. Correlational analyses revealed that self-esteem was negatively associated with social anxiety and positively associated with social connectedness. Social connectedness was also negatively associated with social anxiety. Mediation analyses indicated that self-esteem significantly predicted both social connectedness (b = 0.96, p < .001) and social anxiety (b = −1.41, p < .001). Additionally, social connectedness significantly predicted lower social anxiety (b = −0.56, p < .001). Social connectedness partially mediated the relationship between self-esteem and social anxiety, as shown by a significant indirect effect (b = −0.54, 95% CI [−0.78, −0.32]). Together, self-esteem and social connectedness accounted for 32% of the variance in social anxiety symptoms. These findings underscore the importance of interventions aimed at enhancing both self-esteem and social connectedness to reduce social anxiety, with implications for psychological counseling and mental health services.

Paths to well-Being: Trauma, rumination, creativity, and growth

2025-08-28T00:03:35+03:00

A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was used to investigate the parallel-serial mediating roles of deliberate and intrusive rumination and cognitive and emotional creativity in the relationship between trauma history and posttraumatic growth among young adults. Specifically, the direct and indirect pathways through which individuals with a history of trauma can experience positive changes were investigated. Five-hundred and eleven emerging adults were recruited through crowdsourcing. Structural equation modeling was utilized to assess the measurement portion of the model, the relationship among latent variables and indicators, the relationship among latent variables, and model fit as evidence of mediation. A method of bootstrapping was also implemented to assess indirect effects. The results indicated deliberate rumination, and cognitive creativity sequentially mediated the relationship between trauma history and posttraumatic growth. Findings of the study also revealed both deliberate and intrusive rumination mediated the relationship between trauma history and emotional creativity. However, the relationship between emotional creativity and posttraumatic growth was not statistically significant. Overall, the findings elucidate the dynamic interplay between trauma, rumination, creativity, and growth. By distinguishing between the roles of different rumination styles and types of creativity, this study contributes to the broader literature on posttraumatic growth and offers practical implications for interventions aimed at promoting recovery and growth.

Exploring family resilience in parent caring for children with special needs

2025-08-07T00:15:31+03:00

This qualitative study explores how couples raising a child with special needs manage caregiving-related stress and sustain their psychological and relational well-being. While prior research has predominantly focused on the psychological burden and dysfunction experienced by such families, this study adopts a resilience-oriented perspective grounded in the Family Resilience Framework. Using phenomenological research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 married individuals from 10 different couples to uncover the lived experiences and adaptive strategies employed in the face of ongoing caregiving challenges. Thematic analysis revealed three overarching themes: 1) Mutual Spousal Support, including shared caregiving responsibilities and emotional responsiveness; 2) Social Network, comprising support from extended family, community, and social media; and 3) Religious Belief in Coping, which involved framing hardship through spiritual narratives and deriving strength from worship. Findings highlight the internal and external resources that foster resilience and underscore the significance of meaning-making, relational rituals, and community-based support in enhancing family well-being. This study contributes to the literature by shifting the focus from pathology to strength, offering practical insights for family-centered interventions, mental health services, and policy frameworks that aim to empower caregiving couples.