Abstract
Many factors are known to be associated with psychological well-being. However, it is much less clear whether those factors actually cause well-being and, hence, whether there is any practical value in trying to manipulate those factors to increase well-being. The proposed study addresses both the theoretical and practical issues by testing the effectiveness of an empirically-derived, brief psychological intervention to increase well-being in a non-clinical, unselected sample. The intervention focused on developing goal setting and planning (GAP) skills, which are known to be linked to well-being, potentially have widespread effects, and are amenable to intervention. Within a quasi-experimental design, participants received three, 1-h, group sessions (Study 1) or completed the programme individually in their own time (Study 2). Those taking part in the intervention, both individually and in a group, showed significant increases in subjective well-being, compared to their respective control groups not receiving the intervention. The results provide preliminary support for the view that (a) goal setting and planning skills have a causal link to subjective well-being and (b) that such skills can be learned to enhance well-being.
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Notes
Due to an administrative error, four participants did not complete the SWLS measure or the additional variables.
The lack of a significant group × time interaction on PA suggests that the significant change in PA in GAP participants is not reliably different from the change in the controls; however, it is reported here along with all the other comparisons for completeness.
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This research was supported by a grant from the Economic and Social Research Council of Great Britain to Andrew MacLeod (RES-000-22-0357).
Appendix: Outline of GAP sessions
Appendix: Outline of GAP sessions
1.1 Session 1:
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Introductions/Welcome/Explanation of the sessions and manual
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Explanation of key concepts (well-being, goals).
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Selecting and refining goals
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Envisaging goals
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Planning to achieve goals—what constitutes good plans and developing plans of action
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Summary and homework
1.2 Session 2 (1 week later)
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Review of plan implementation
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Putting goals in perspective
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Obstacles to goal progress—identifying obstacles and solutions
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Pros and cons of implementing plan steps
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Summary and homework
1.3 Session 3 (2 weeks later)
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Review of plan implementation
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Overview of material covered
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Maintaining progress
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pros and cons of using GAP approach
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dealing with black and white thinking
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focusing on the path rather than the goal
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MacLeod, A.K., Coates, E. & Hetherton, J. Increasing well-being through teaching goal-setting and planning skills: results of a brief intervention. J Happiness Stud 9, 185–196 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-007-9057-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-007-9057-2