TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of a Community-Based Multicomponent Positive Psychology Intervention on Mental Health of Rural Adults in Ghana
AU - Appiah, Richard
AU - Wilson-Fadiji, Angelina
AU - Schutte, Lusilda
AU - Wissing, Marié P.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 International Association of Applied Psychology
PY - 2020/11/1
Y1 - 2020/11/1
N2 - Background: There is growing evidence that positive psychology interventions (PPIs) enhance positive mental health and lead to a decrease in symptoms of psychopathology. This study examines the effectiveness of a 10-week multicomponent PPI (the Inspired Life Program; ILP) in promoting positive mental health and reducing symptoms of depression and negative affect in a sample of rural poor adults in Ghana. Methods: Using a quasi-randomized controlled trial design, participants from four rural poor communities were randomly allocated to intervention (n = 40) or control (n = 42) conditions. The intervention group participated in the 10-week ILP. Both groups completed a battery of mental health measures, including the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, at pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and at 3 months follow-up. Hierarchical linear modeling was applied to evaluate whether the intervention was effective. Results: There was a greater improvement in positive mental health, with a marked reduction in symptoms of depression in the intervention group compared to the control group, immediately and 3 months after the intervention. There were also larger increases in the proportion of flourishers in the intervention group compared to the control group, immediately and three months after the intervention. Conclusions: The observed effects of the ILP intervention program suggest that group-based PPIs can promote positive mental health and buffer against psychopathology among people living in rural poor communities in sub-Saharan Africa.
AB - Background: There is growing evidence that positive psychology interventions (PPIs) enhance positive mental health and lead to a decrease in symptoms of psychopathology. This study examines the effectiveness of a 10-week multicomponent PPI (the Inspired Life Program; ILP) in promoting positive mental health and reducing symptoms of depression and negative affect in a sample of rural poor adults in Ghana. Methods: Using a quasi-randomized controlled trial design, participants from four rural poor communities were randomly allocated to intervention (n = 40) or control (n = 42) conditions. The intervention group participated in the 10-week ILP. Both groups completed a battery of mental health measures, including the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, at pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, and at 3 months follow-up. Hierarchical linear modeling was applied to evaluate whether the intervention was effective. Results: There was a greater improvement in positive mental health, with a marked reduction in symptoms of depression in the intervention group compared to the control group, immediately and 3 months after the intervention. There were also larger increases in the proportion of flourishers in the intervention group compared to the control group, immediately and three months after the intervention. Conclusions: The observed effects of the ILP intervention program suggest that group-based PPIs can promote positive mental health and buffer against psychopathology among people living in rural poor communities in sub-Saharan Africa.
KW - Ghana
KW - community-based mental health intervention
KW - inspired life program
KW - positive psychology intervention
KW - quasi-randomized controlled trial
KW - rural poor adults
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088400503&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/aphw.12212
DO - 10.1111/aphw.12212
M3 - Article
C2 - 32706933
AN - SCOPUS:85088400503
SN - 1758-0846
VL - 12
SP - 828
EP - 862
JO - Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being
JF - Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being
IS - 3
ER -