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Home , Happiness

Barbara Cherry CSUF, Department of Psychology Academic Program

2016 OLLI Retirement Boot Camp Positive Psychology: What is it?

• Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000

• The Science of

• The study of – Positive – Positive character traits – Enabling institutions

In other words….

• Create a practice of making people lastingly happier Background Carstensen’s The Nun Study Socio-Emotional Selectivity Theory Six

• Wisdom • • Humanity • • Temperance • Transcendence Six Virtues: 24 Character Strengths (Peterson & Seligman, 2004) • Wisdom/Knowledge • Courage – Creativity – Authenticity – – Bravery – Open-mindedness – Persistence – of learning – Zest – Perspective

Character Strengths

• Humanity • Justice – – Fairness – Love – Leadership – Social Intelligence – Teamwork Character Strengths (con’t.)

• Temperance • Transcendence – – Appreciation of beauty – Modesty and excellence – Prudence – – Self-regulation – – Humor – Religiousness

The Research

• Happiness defined (Seligman, 2002; Peterson et al., 2005) – Positive and (the pleasant life)

– Engagement (the engaged life)

– Meaning (the )

• “Happy people are healthier, more successful, and more socially engaged.” (Seligman et al., 2005, p.414)

Initial Study

• Randomized controlled trial – 577 adult participants (42% male) – 64% between 35 and 54 years of age

• Internet study – 5 happiness exercises – 1 placebo exercise

• Measured happiness at pre-test, post-test, 1 week and 1, 3 and 6 months

Measuring Happiness

• Steen Happiness Index

• Adapted from Beck Inventory – 20 questions – Three kinds of happy life: pleasant, engaged, meaningful – Range of scores for each statement: 1 5 Bored Fascinated STEEN HAPPINESS INDEX INSTRUCTIONS: Please read each group of statements carefully. Then pick the one statement in each group that best describes the way you have been for the past week, including today. Be sure to read all of the statements in each group before making your choice.

• Question 1 • A. I dislike my daily routine. (1) • B. I neither enjoy nor dislike my daily routine. (2) • C. I enjoy my daily routine, but I do like to get away from it. (3) • D. I enjoy my daily routine so much that I rarely take breaks from it. (4) • E. I enjoy my daily routine so much that I almost never take breaks from it. (5)

Happiness Exercises

• Gratitude visit – Write and deliver a letter of gratitude

• Three things in life – Write down 3 things each day that went well and why

• You at your best – Write about when you were at your best and reflect on personal strengths in the story. Review story each day. Happiness Exercises (con’t.)

• Identifying signature strengths (top five) – www.authentichappiness.org – www.viacharacter.org – Use one of these each day in a new and different way.

• Using signature strengths – Use five highest strengths more often during the next week. Placebo Exercise

• Early memories – Write about your early memories every night for one week. Results Gratitude 66

64

62

60 Gratitude Placebo 58

56

54 Pre-test Post-test One week One month Results Three good things

62

61

60

59 Three things Placebo 58

57

56 One week One month 3 months 6 months Results Using signature strengths 60.5

60

59.5

59

58.5 Strengths Placebo 58

57.5

57

56.5 One week One month 3 months 6 months Conclusions

• Gratitude -- highest increase in happiness

• “Lasting” happiness – Three good things – Using signature strengths

• Those who persisted with exercises showed highest gain

Considerations

• Benefits without on-the-ground treatment

• Cost-effective

• Health benefits in an easy-to-deliver way CSUF Positive Psychology Research Fibromyalgia & Chronic Center Study

• Jessie Jones, Health Science • Dana Rutledge, School of Nursing • Laura Zettel-Watson, Psychology; Gerontology • Debbie Rose, Kinesiology • Jordan Aquino, Health Science • Jennifer Piazza, Health Science • Phyllis Talarico, FM support group leader

• http://fmcp.fullerton.edu/

Longitudinal Study Overview • Participants – 2008 70 FM 76 non-FM – 2010 64 FM 51 non-FM – 2012 46 FM 57 non-FM – 2014 49 FM 45 non-FM – 2016 … …

• Measures – Medical history, medications, BMI, physical activity level (RAPA), MOS social support survey – 19 symptoms (NFMAQ), Composite Physical Function, Beck Depression Inventory – Cognitive, physical performance

Cognitive Assessments CERAD 10-item word list

• Immediate recall – Trials 1, 2, 3

• Delayed recall

• Recognition Physical Performance Physical Performance--Balance Cognitive and Physical Questions

• Describe your experience with concentration problems over the past week.

• Describe your experience with forgetfulness over the past week.

• Functional limitations: – How well can you perform tasks such as dressing, bathing, going up and down stairs, light housekeeping, walking two blocks…. Current Research Q • 2014 • Positive Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) – 10 statements ask about positive – 10 statements ask about positive mood – Rate statements from 1 (not at all) to 5 (extremely) • Does higher positive affect predict better cognitive and physical health? Table 1.Participant characteristics by group

. Healthy Controls FMa Group

(n = 44 ) (n = 50) Variable/Group M/% (SD) M/% (SD) Age (years) 72.4 (9.0) c 63.6 (7.4) Gender (% female) 66.0b - 88.0 - Education (years) 16.2 (1.9) 15.4 (2.1) Positive Affect (PANAS) a 35.1 (7.5) 32.2 (7.7)

Negative Affect (PANAS) a 12.4 (3.0) c 16.0 (6.0)

aFM: Fibromyalgia; PANAS: Positive and Negative Affect Scale; CERAD: Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease. bp < .01; cp < .001.

Table 1. Participant characteristics by group Healthy Controls FMa Group

(n = 44 ) (n = 50) Variable M/% (SD) M/% (SD) CERADa Immediate Recall 19.6 (3.7) 21.2 (4.8) CERADa Delayed Recall 5.9 (2.4) 6.5 (2.5) CERADa Delayed 19.2 (1.4) 19.3 (1.3) Recognition Concentration Problems 1.6 (2.5) c 5.2 (3.0) 30s Chair Stand (# stands) 13.3 (4.9) 12.0 (4.8)

aFM: Fibromyalgia; PANAS: Positive and Negative Affect Scale; CERAD: Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease. bp < .01; cp < .001.

Results

• Regression Analyses • Enter – Age – FM or not – Positive Affect • Do these influence – objective cognitive and physical performance – Self-report cognitive and physical function

Immediate Recall

Age

FM or not

Positive affect Delayed Recognition

Age FM or not Positive Affect Concentration Problems

Age

FM or not

Positive affect 30s Chair Stand Lower Body Strength

Age

FM or not

Positive Affect Trends for Positive Affect and….

• Delayed Recall • Balance

• Problems Forgetting • 30 ft walk

• Composite Physical Function Conclusions

• Positive affect makes a difference in both cognitive and physical health

• Both performance and self-report

• Provides an easy and cost-effective means for staying healthy

Cognitive Aging How to Build a Better Brain

Road Map

• Cognition • Cognitive Reserve • Telomeres • Epigenetics • Building a better brain – Engage in meaningful activities – Get moving – Learn something new – Be happy

Cognition Cognitive and Neural Reserve Cognitive Reserve

Activity Levels SES Employment Neurobiology Culture Health Behaviors Genetics Diet Telomeres Social Race Gender Support Patterns Education Telomeres Epigenetics Building Cognitive Reserve

 Engage in meaningful activities

 Get moving

 Learn something new

 Be happy

Robot & Frank

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jZlSfsE730

The USC Well Elderly Study Research Program • Randomized clinical trials of an activity-based intervention • Well Elderly 1—1994 to 1997 – 9 month intervention – Delivered in English/Mandarin • Well Elderly 2—2004 to 2008 – 6 month intervention – Delivered in English/Spanish

Well Elderly Studies I and II Lifestyle Redesign® Intervention

• Lifestyle focused (activity based) – group and individual sessions

• Lifestyle Redesign® is the process of infusing healthy and meaningful activities into day- to-day routines Well Elderly 1 Design

Month 1 15

Occupational Therapy Intervention 9 Follow

Social Group Control Follow No Treatment Control

Health Care Utilization Data Collection Well Elderly Study II Pre-Post Intervention All Participants Receiving Intervention

Month 1 6 12 18 24

Group A Intervention

Group B Group B Control Intervention Well Elderly Study II: Pre-Post Intervention All Participants Receiving Intervention (n = 326)

Health-Related - LSI-Z ** - SF36V2 *** Depression - CES-D ** Social Function * Vitality ** Cognition Bodily Pain *** Memory - CERAD Composite: Mental ** Immediate Recall ** Composite: Physical ** Delayed Recall ** General Health * Recognition ns Physical Function ** Visual Search *** Role Emotional * Psychomotor Speed * Role Physical ns Well Elderly Study II Conclusions • No significant direct effects of the intervention • Effects on physical and cognitive health were indirect—due to increases in activity – Activity-related measures • Activity frequency • Activity purpose Path Analysis Activity Frequency LSI-Z Activity Purpose CES-D

Program SF-36v2 Physical

Active Coping SF-36v2 Mental

Social Support

Covariates Age Education Perceived Non-significant Relationships Gender Ethnicity Control Significant Relationships Meaningful Activities

• Activities that can be done in one hour or less

• Activities that can be done in one day or less

• Activities that require more than one day

Building Cognitive Reserve

 Engage in meaningful activities

 Get moving

 Learn new things

 Be happy

“Sitting is the new smoking”

Keep moving! • Take the stairs

• Park farther from the door

• Walk a dog – borrow a dog – walk a cat

Building Cognitive Reserve  Engage in meaningful activities

 Get moving

 Learn new things!

 Be happy Brain Games • Nifty after Fifty

• Posit Brain Fitness Program

• Wii

• Or.…… visit your computer – Google: “free brain exercises”

Brain Exercises

• https://stayingsharp.aar p.org/games?campaign URL=KNC&cmp=KNC- ADOBE-Bing-DSO-BRN- LAUNCH- GAMES&s_kwcid=AL!45 20!10!12472421352!11 8504068674&ef_id=Utbl ZAAAAHGuqES6:201609 14212815:s

Building Cognitive Reserve  Engage in meaningful activities

 Get moving

 Learn something new

 Be happy Be Happy

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv- sUYtM