Table 1 Session by session description of interventions
Session | Well-being therapy | Placebo control condition |
|---|---|---|
1 | Get to know each other. Introduce the Ryff’s multidimensional model of psychological well-being. Homework: record the circumstances surrounding the episodes of well-being in a structured diary, encompassing environmental mastery, personal growth, purpose in life, autonomy, self-acceptance and positive relations with others (e.g. I had a nice weekend with roommates and they brought me a lot of happiness). | Get to know each other. Students are encouraged to recall and share their early memories about environmental mastery. One occasion that students would become “much happier and satisfied with their lives” is introduced. Homework: write down something from their early memories about personal growth in a structured diary. |
2 | Students are encouraged to share the records of well-being episodes and their feeling about these things (e.g. Which kind of well-being components brought the greatest happiness experience?). Homework: record their interpretation of the well-being events (e.g. Just because I paid for the dinner). | Students are encouraged to share their records about personal growth. One occasion that students would become “much happier and satisfied with their lives” is introduced. Homework: write down something from their early memories about life purpose in a structured diary. |
3 | Students are encouraged to identify thoughts and beliefs leading to premature interpretation of well-being and challenge these thoughts with appropriate refute (e.g. They like me). Homework: implement the learned optimal thoughts and beliefs in daily life. | Students are encouraged to share their records about life purpose. One occasion that students would become “much happier and satisfied with their lives” is introduced. Homework: write down something from their early memories about autonomy and self-appraisal in a structured diary. |
4 | Each student’s particular impairments in well-being dimensions according to Ryff’s conceptual framework are discussed. Homework: reinforce positive activities that are likely to elicit well-being for a certain time each day | Students are encouraged to share their records about autonomy and self-appraisal. One occasion that students would become “much happier and satisfied with their lives” is introduced. Homework: write down something from their early memories about relations with others. |
5 | The concept of psychological well-being that integrates environmental mastery, personal growth, purpose in life, autonomy, self-acceptance and positive relations with others is discussed. Progress is reviewed, and gains and maintenance are discussed. Some advice from a therapist is given. | Students are encouraged to share their records about relations with others. One occasion that students would become “much happier and satisfied with their lives” is introduced. Progress is reviewed. |