Positive Psychology in the Middle East/North Africa

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xxvi

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2. Introduction: Musings on a Regional Positive Psychology

   • Louise Lambert, Nausheen Pasha-Zaidi

   Pages 1-7

3. Government and Policy

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 9-9

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   2. The Pursuit of National Wellbeing Policies Across the GCC: The What, How, and Why?

      • Louise Lambert, Aziz Mulay-Shah, Meg. A. Warren, Yara Younis

      Pages 11-35

   3. Commercial Life: The Private Sector’s Contribution to Wellbeing

      • Aziz Mulay-Shah, Louise Lambert, Yara Younis, Bronwyn P. Wood

      Pages 37-70

   4. Happiness and the Built Environment

      • Aubrilyn Reeder, Louise Lambert, Nausheen Pasha-Zaidi

      Pages 71-90

4. Education and the Workplace

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 91-91

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   2. Coming Full Circle: Taking Positive Psychology to GCC Universities

      • Louise Lambert, Rehman Abdulrehman, Cameron Mirza

      Pages 93-110

   3. Saudi Arabia’s Road to Positivity: Positive Psychology Education and Research

      • Saddiga Jaber Al-Ghalib, Shaden Abdul-Hakeem Al-Khalifah, Afeefah Y. Salim, Rana Abdulrahman Hafed Dahlawi

      Pages 111-131

   4. Positivity at Work: It’s Not a Contradiction!

      • Louise Lambert, Elizabeth Topolskaya, Meg A. Warren, Mansoor Anwar Habib

      Pages 133-156

5. Measurement: Research Trends and Challenges

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 157-157

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   2. Big Data and Wellbeing in the Arab World

      • Aamna Al-Shehhi, Ian Grey, Justin Thomas

      Pages 159-182

   3. Because a Citation and a Contribution are Not the Same: A Path for (Positive) Psychology Research

      • Louise Lambert, Nausheen Pasha-Zaidi, Annie E. Crookes

      Pages 183-205

   4. Measuring Wellbeing: How and Why?

      • Louise Lambert, Lauren Hotchkiss, Holli-Anne Passmore

      Pages 207-234

6. Culture and Religion

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 235-235

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   2. Islamic Perspectives on Wellbeing

      • Mohsen Joshanloo, Dan Weijers

      Pages 237-256

   3. The Life of PII: Developing a Positive Islamic Identity

      • Nausheen Pasha-Zaidi, Muna Odeh

      Pages 257-284

   4. Advances in Wellbeing in the MENA Region: Accentuating the Positive

      • Richard J. Estes, M. Joseph Sirgy

      Pages 285-309

7. Physical and Psychological Health

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 311-311

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   2. “It Brings Out the Best”: Incorporating Positive Health into Health Promotion Initiatives from the UAE’s Physically Active

      • Louise Lambert, Lily O’Hara

      Pages 313-332

This volume looks at positive psychology from a culturally-responsive, empirically-driven perspective to avoid a descent into pseudoscience. Through evidence-based, regionally relevant topics in the field of well-being, this volume shows how increasing levels of excellence in the GCC region enhance upon business, education, research, and social innovations. Grounded in the empirical research literature, each chapter applies psychological concepts to locally relevant considerations, such as culture, religion, and socio-political contexts, making this book an essential tool for understanding positive psychology and well-being in the GCC nations and beyond. 

• Positive Psychology in Gulf Region
• Positive Psychology from a Cultural Perspective
• Levels of Excellence in GCC Region
• Islamic Identity and Well-being
• Character Strengths in Higher Education
• Culturally-responsive Positive Psychotherapy
• Well-being and the Built Environment
• Organizational Strategies Increasing Positivity
• Positive Social Development

“I am a strong believer and supporter of Positive Psychology mainly because I have seen how useful and successful it has been for my clients in the Middle East. This book provides a much needed and well deserved positive view of the MENA/GCC region and I highly recommend it as a book everyone must read.” (Dr. Joanne Hands, PhD, LPC, LMFT, President of the Middle East Psychological Association, Kuwait.)

“This book is one of its kind in the region and entire Arab World. It involves a broad and exhaustive review of the many applications of positive psychology across education, organizations, health care, and government policy. The Middle Eastern perspective is refreshing and will help the region flourish.” (Dr. Zakeya Al Rasbi, Ph.D., Director of the Emirates Center for Happiness Research, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, UAE) 

“I have been fortunate to read many of Dr. Louise's articles, papers and books and always find her writing profound, insightful yet, simple to understand. This book is another great accomplishment for Dr. Louise, all of her collaborators and the Arab world as a whole. Bravo everyone!” (Her Excellency, Sheikha Intisar AlSabah, Director and Founder of Alnowair, Kuwait’s first and only dedicated national positivity engine)

“This insightful book provides a unique blend of Positive Psychology with Middle Eastern science and culture. A first for the field of positive psychology and a truly ground breaking book for the region. I learnt a lot!” (Professor Lea Waters, PhD, Director for the Centre for Positive Psychology, University of Melbourne (Australia). President of the International Positive Psychology Association)

• Editor in Chief, Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

  Louise Lambert

• Department of Social Science, Houston Community College, University of Houston-Downtown, Houston, USA

  Nausheen Pasha-Zaidi

Dr. Louise Lambert, PhD, teaches university-level courses in introduction to psychology, positive psychology in the workplace, happiness and wellbeing, ethical reasoning, workplace psychology and business ethics. She is a Canadian Registered Psychologist with almost 20 years of counselling practise in the non-profit, education, mental health and primary healthcare sectors, as well as the Editor-in-Chief and founder of the Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, a peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to uncovering excellence in the Middle East region. A published researcher in the field of happiness, she also works to teach the skills of wellbeing and character to community individuals, university and high school students, as well as organizations. She is currently working with the Emirates Center for Happiness Research at the United Arab Emirates University.   

Dr. Nausheen Pasha-Zaidi, PhD, has degrees in Communications, Education, and Psychology. She has worked as an international educator for almost 20 years focusing on language development and cultural studies with an emphasis on Muslim populations. Her articles have appeared in a number of professional journals including the Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, Ethnicities and The Journal of International Women’s Studies. She is the author of The Colour of Mehndi, a novel that explores acculturation, family values and mental illness within the Pakistani-American community and the lead editor of Mirror on the Veil: a Collection of Personal Narratives on Hijab and Veiling.

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