Positive Psychology in Clinical Practice

Positive psychology, or well-being, can be defined as the science of the study and promotion of happiness, meaning, and strengths. Well-being is often the preferred term because it is interdisciplinary and therefore encompasses any and all academic disciplines studying the topic of happiness. Happiness consists of three elements: (1) high positive affect, (2) low negative affect, and (3) contentment (satisfaction with life). Individuals are considered happy to the extent that they feel generally satisfied and content with life. In addition, positive affective or emotional experience greatly predominates over the daily experience of negative affects (e.g., depression, anger, or anxiety). This entry discusses the origins of positive psychology, happiness as a focus for research, positive psychology interventions, and the four key well-being interventions in clinical practice.