Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Long-term effects and impact of a positive psychology intervention for Brazilian retirees

  • Published:
Current Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Positive Psychology Interventions (PPIs) are useful tools for improving health and are suggested for the treatment of individuals in advanced ages or at risk for developing depression. This quasi-experimental study evaluated the three-month follow-up results of a PPI (six-weekly group sessions) of health promotion of retirees. Follow-up respondents (n = 81; experimental = 47, controls = 34) ages ranged from 49 to 83 years (M = 65.38, SD = 7.43), 79% female. The instruments were: sociodemographic questionnaire; Resilience Scale; Interpersonal Reactivity Index; Satisfaction with Life Scale; Life Orientation Test-Revised; General Health Questionnaire and Perceived Stress Scale. Multivariate Analysis of Variance and Mixed Anova results indicated main effects of the program on life satisfaction, depression, and anxiety symptoms. Interaction effects were found for depression, and anxiety symptoms improvement in the experimental group, when compared with controls. The findings suggest that gains in health indicators were maintained after the intervention ended. This pattern of intervention seemed to be beneficial for health improvements for older adults and may be a valuable practice for health professionals.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

References

  • Albuquerque, B. F. J., de Sousa, F. M., & Martins, C. R. (2010). Validação das escalas de satisfação com a vida e afetos para idosos rurais. Psico PUCRS, 41(1), 85–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Appelbaum, M., Cooper, H., Kline, R. B., Mayo-Wilson, E., Nezu, A. M., & Rao, S. M. (2018). Journal article reporting standards for quantitative research in psychology: The APA publications and communications board task force report. American Psychologist, 73(1), 3–25. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bandeira, M., Bekou, V., Lott, K. S., Teixeira, M. A., & Rocha, S. S. (2002). Validação transcultural do teste de orientação da vida (TOV-R). Estudos de Psicologia (Natal), 7(2), 251–258. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1413-294x2002000200006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barbosa, L. M., Monteiro, B., & Murta, S. G. (2016). Retirement adjustment predictors: A systematic review. Work, Aging and Retirement, 2(2), 262–280. https://doi.org/10.1093/workar/waw008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bastianello, M. R., Pacico, J. C., & Hutz, C. S. (2014). Optimism, self-esteem and personality: Adaptation and validation of the Brazilian version of the revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R). Psico-USF, BragançaPaulista, 19(3), 523–531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bolier, L., Haverman, M., Westerhof, G. J., Riper, H., Smit, F., & Bohlmeijer, E. (2013). Positive psychology interventions: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. BMC Public Health, 13, 119. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-119.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F. (2011). Optimism. In S. J. Lopez & C. R. Snyder (Eds.), Oxford handbook of positive psychology (2nd ed., pp. 231–243). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24(4), 385–396. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2010.508883.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cohn, M. A., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2010). In search of durable positive psychology interventions: Predictors and consequences of long-term positive behavior change. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 5(5), 355–366. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2010.508883.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, M. H. (1983). Measuring individual differences in empathy: Evidence for a multidimensional approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44(1), 113–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R., & Griffin, S. (1985). The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durgante, H. B. (2017). Methodological quality of strength-based intervention programmes in Latin America: A systematic review of the literature. Contextos Clínicos, 10(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.4013/ctc.2017.101.01.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durgante, H., & Dell’Aglio, D. D. (2019). Multicomponent positive psychology intervention for health promotion of Brazilian retirees: A quasi-experimental study. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, 32(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-019-0119-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durgante, H. B., Mezejewski, L. W., Navarine e Sá, C., & Dell’Aglio, D. D. (2019a). Positive PsychologyInterventionsforelderly in Brazil. Ciencias Psicológicas, 13(1), 106–118. https://doi.org/10.22235/cp.v13i1.1813.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durgante, H. B., Navarini e Sá, C., & Dell’Aglio, D. D. (2019b). Psicologia positiva para promoção de saúde em aposentados: Estudo de viabilidade. Avances en Psicologia LatinoAmericana, 37(2), 269–281. https://doi.org/10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/apl/a.6375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faro, A. (2015). Análise fatorial confirmatória das três versões da Perceived Stress Scale (PSS): Um estudo populacional. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, 28(1), 21–30. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-7153.201528103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Field, A. (2013). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (4th ed.). Sage: London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Formiga, N. S. (2015). Verificação do modelo fatorial hierárquico do Interpersonal Reactivity Test (IRI). [Verification of the factorial hierarchical model]. Boletim Academia Paulista de Psicologia, 35(88), 214–233.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox, E., & Booth, C. (2015). The heritability and genetics of optimism, spirituality and meaning in life. In M. Pluess (Ed.), Genetics of psychological well-being. The role of heritability and genetics in positive psychology (pp. 132–145). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Fredrickson, B. L., Tugade, M. M., Waugh, C. E., & Larkin, G. R. (2003). What good are positive emotions in crises? A prospective study of resilience and emotions following the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11th, 2001. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 365–376. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-3514.84.2.365.

  • Gander, F., Proyer, R. T., & Ruch, W. (2016). Positive psychology interventions addressing pleasure, engagement, meaning, positive relationships, and accomplishment increase well-being and ameliorate depressive symptoms: A randomized, placebo-controlled online study. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 686. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00686.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, D., & Williams, P. (1988). A user’s guide to the general health questionnaire. Windsor: NFER-Nelson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gouveia, V. V., da Chaves, S. S. S., de Oliveira, I. C. P., Dias, M. R., Gouveia, R. S. V., & Andrade, P. R. (2003). A utilização do QSG-12 na população geral: Estudo de sua validade de construto. Psicologia: Teoria e Pesquisa, 19(3), 241–248. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0102-37722003000300006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guise, J. M., Chang, C., Viswanathan, M., Glick, S., Treadwell, J., et al. (2014). Systematic reviews of complex multicomponent health care interventions. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 14(3), 1–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gustavson, K., von Soest, T., Karevold, E., & Roysamb, E. (2012). Attrition and generalizability in longitudinal studies: Findings from a 15-year population-based study and a Monte Carlo simulation study. BMC Public Health, 12, 918. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-918.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hair, J.F. Jr., Black, W.C., Babin, B.J., & Anderson, R.E. (2014). Multivariate data analysis. New International Edition. 7th Edition. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.

  • Han, S. M., & Ha, Y. (2016). Effectiveness of a positive psychology-based and character strengths-integrated activity program on depression, vitality, life satisfaction in elderly living alone in rural areas. Journal of Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing, 27(4), 299. https://doi.org/10.12799/jkachn.2016.27.4.299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hojat, M., Vergare, M., Isenberg, G., Cohen, M., & Spandorfer, J. (2015). Underlying construct of empathy, optimism, and burnout in medical students. International Journal of Medical Education, 6, 12–16. https://doi.org/10.5116/ijme.54c3.60cd.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ingersoll-Dayton, B., Campbell, R., & Ha, J. H. (2008). Enhancingforgiveness: A group intervention for the elderly. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 52(1), 2–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/01634370802561901.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kail, B., & Carr, D. C. (2016). Social integration and symptoms of depression during the retirement transition. The Gerontologist, 56(Suppl_3), 612–612. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnw162.2473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiken, L. G., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2017). Cognitive aspects of positive emotions: A broader view for well-being. In M. Robinson & M. Eid (Eds.), The happy mind: cognitive contributions to well-being (pp. 157–175). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58763-9_9.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Killen, A., & Macaskill, A. (2014). Using a gratitude intervention to enhance well-being in older adults. Journal of Happiness Studies, 16(4), 947–964. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-014-9542-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, E. S., Strecher, V. J., & Ryff, C. D. (2014). Purpose in life and use of preventive health care services. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(46), 16331–16336. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1414826111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knapp, P., & Beck, A. T. (2008). Cognitive therapy: Foundations, conceptual models, applications and research. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria, 30(Suppl II), 54–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luborsky, M. R., & LeBlanc, I. M. (2003). Cross-cultural perspectives on the concept of retirement: An analytic redefinition. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 18(4), 251–271. https://doi.org/10.1023/b:jccg.0000004898.24738.7b.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Luft, C. D. B., de Sanches, S. O., Mazo, G. Z., & Andrade, A. (2007). Versão Brasileira da Escala de Estresse Percebido: Tradução e validação para idosos. [Brazilian version of the perceived stress scale: Translation and validation for the elderly]. Revista de Saúde Pública, 41(4), 606–615. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0034-89102007000400015.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Macaskill, A. (2016). Review of positive psychology applications in clinical medical populations. Healthcare, 4(3), 66. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare4030066.

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • McDougall, G. J., Simpson, G., & Friend, M. L. (2015). Strategies for research recruitment and retention of older adults of racial and ethnic minorities. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 41(5), 14–23. https://doi.org/10.3928/00989134-20150325-01.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • McGrath, R. E. (2016). Measurement invariance in translations of the VIA inventory of strengths. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 32(3), 187–194. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miranda, R., Weierich, M., Khait, V., Jurska, J., & Andersen, S. M. (2017). Induced optimism as mental rehearsal to decrease depressive predictive certainty. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 90, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2016.11.011.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pasquali, L., Gouveia, V. V., Andriola, W. B., Miranda, F. J., & Ramos, A. L. M. (1994). Questionário de Saúde Geral de Goldberg (QSG): Adaptação brasileira. [Goldberg Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Brazilian adaptation]. Psicologia: Teoria e Pesquisa, 10(3), 421–438.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pesce, R. P., Assis, S. G., Avanci, J. Q., Santos, N. C., Malaquias, J. V., & Carvalhaes, R. (2005). Adaptação transcultural, confiabilidade e validade da escala de resiliência. [Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability and validity of the resilience scale]. Caderno de Saúde Pública, 21(2), 436–448. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0102-311x200500020001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Proyer, R. T., Gander, F., Wellenzohn, S., & Ruch, W. (2014). Positive psychology interventions in people aged 50–79 years: Long-term effects of placebo-controlled online interventions on well-being and depression. Aging & Mental Health, 18(8), 997–1005. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2014.899978.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, B. W., & DelVecchio, W. F. (2000). The rank-order consistency of personality traits from childhood to old age: A quantitative review of longitudinal studies. Psychological Bulletin, 126(1), 3–25. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.126.1.3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosa, T. E. C., Barroso, A. E. S., & Louvison, M. C. P. (2013). Velhices: experiências e desafios nas políticas do envelhecimento ativo. São Paulo: Núcleo de Documentação e Informação do Instituto de Saúde.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sampaio, L. R., Guimarães, P. R. B., Camino, C. P. S., Formiga, N. S., & Menezes, I. G. (2011). Estudos sobre a dimensionalidade da empatia: Tradução e adaptação do Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). Psico PUCRS, 42(1), 67–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarriera, J. C., Bedin, L. M., Strelhow, M. R. W., & Sarriera, J. M. (2018). Psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents: Intervention effect and impact evaluation. In J. C. Sarriera & L. M. Bedin (Eds.), Psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents in Latin America, Evidence-based interventions (pp. 193–216). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

  • Scheier, M. F., Carver, C. S., & Bridges, M. W. (1994). Distinguishing optimism from neuroticism (and trait anxiety, self-mastery, and self-esteem): A reevaluation of the life orientation test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67(6), 1063–1078. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.67.6.1063.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60, 410–421. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.60.5.410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seibel, B. L., DeSousa, D., & Koller, S. H. (2015). Adaptação brasileira e estrutura fatorial da Escala 240-item VIA Inventory of Strengths. [Brazilian adaptation and factor structure of the 240-item VIA Inventory of Strengths Scale]. Psico-USF, 20(3), 371–383. https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-82712015200301.

  • Sharpe, J. P., Martin, N. R., & Roth, K. A. (2011). Optimism and the big five factors of personality: Beyond neuroticism and extraversion. Personality and Individual Differences, 51(8), 946–951. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2011.07.033.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shin, L. J., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2016). Positive activity interventions for mental health conditions. In A. M. Wood & J. Johnson (Eds.), The Wiley handbook of positive clinical psychology (pp. 349–363). Oxford: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  • Sin, N. L., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2009). Enhancing well-being and alleviating depressive symptoms with positive psychology interventions: A practice-friendly meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65(5), 467–487. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20593.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sin, N. L., Della Porta, M. D., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2011). Tailoring positive psychology interventions to treat depressed individuals. In S. I. Donaldson, M. Csikszentmihalyi, & J. Nakamura (Eds.), Series in applied psychology. Applied positive psychology: Improving everyday life, health, schools, work, and society (pp. 79–96). New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, N., Young, A., & Lee, C. (2004). Optimism, health-related hardiness and well-being among older Australian women. Journal of Health Psychology, 9(6), 741–752. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105304045373.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Story Jovanova, O., Nedeljkovic, I., Spieler, D., Walker, R. M., Liu, C., Luciano, M., et al. (2018). DNA methylation signatures of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly persons. JAMA Psychiatry, 75(9), 949. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.1725.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sutipan, P., Intarakamhang, U., & Macaskill, A. (2016). The impact of positive psychological interventions on well-being in healthy elderly people. Journal of Happiness Studies, 18(1), 269–291. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-015-9711-z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Heide, I., van Rijn, R. M., Robroek, S. J., Burdorf, A., & Proper, K. I. (2013). Is retirement good for your health? A systematic review of longitudinal studies. BMC Public Health, 13(1), 1180. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-1180.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wagnild, G. M., & Young, H. M. (1993). Development and psychometric evaluation of the resilience scale. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 1(2), 165–178.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization, WHO. (2002). Active aging. A policy framework. Madrid: WHO.

  • World Health Organization, WHO. (2007). Global age-friendly cities: A guide. Library Geneva: Cataloguing-in-Publication Data.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization, WHO. (2015). World report on ageing and health. Geneva: WHO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zanon, C. I., Bardagi, M. P., Layous, K., & Hutz, C. S. (2013). Validation of the satisfaction with life scale to Brazilians: Evidences of measurement non invariance across Brazil and US. Social Indicators Research, 119(1), 443–453. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-013-0478.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This work was funded by The Brazilian National Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development, CNPq (doctoral grant to the first author), and The Research Support Foundation of Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS), under grant number 17/2551–001- Edital −2/2017 PqG.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Psychology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, sala 115, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP: 90035-003, Brazil

    Helen Bedinoto Durgante & Livia Maria Bedin Tomasi

  2. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Margarida M. Pedroso de Lima

  3. Graduate Programme in Education, UniLasalle/Canoas, RS, Brazil; Institute of Psychology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Débora Dalbosco Dell’Aglio

Authors
  1. Helen Bedinoto Durgante
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Livia Maria Bedin Tomasi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Margarida M. Pedroso de Lima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Débora Dalbosco Dell’Aglio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

All authors collaborated with the elaboration, design, material preparation, data collection and analysis, and review of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Helen Bedinoto Durgante.

Ethics declarations

The authors declare no conflict of interest. This research involves human participants and informed consent was obtained in accordance with Ethical Standards.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee (The Ethics Committee of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul – UFRGS – Brazil, approval number 1.899.368) and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

Approval was obtained by the Ethics Committee of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul – UFRGS (project number 1.899.368), Resolution 466/12, National Health Council / Brazil.

Consent for Publication

Signed and dated informed consent was obtained from all the participants of this study, who agreed with the publication of this information.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Durgante, H.B., Tomasi, L.M.B., Pedroso de Lima, M.M. et al. Long-term effects and impact of a positive psychology intervention for Brazilian retirees. Curr Psychol 41, 1504–1515 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00683-7

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00683-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation