Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, making it a major public health problem. Positive psychological constructs, such as optimism and positive affect, have been found to be associated with reduced mortality in patients with pre-existing cardiac disease and fewer re-hospitalizations in patients with heart failure (Konstam et al., 1996).
Positive psychology interventions (PPIs) aim to cultivate positive psychological states (e.g., optimism, gratitude, positive affect) through structured exercises, such as performing kind acts, writing a letter of gratitude, or using personal strengths (Bolier et al., 2013;
Click here to read the full article). An intervention designed to boost positive psychological well-being may also improve outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease.
In a study by Gholam and colleagues (2016), enrolled participants were randomly assigned to one of three 6-week PPIs (one designed to enhance optimism based on the work of Seligman; one designed to enhance positive emotions based on the work of Lyubomirsky; and one designed to enhance social connections based on the work of Fordyce) or a wait-list control. Results found the PPIs were associated with improvements in hope/optimism, happiness, and depression compared to the control group. Given the potential cardiovascular benefits of increasing optimism and positive affect, further study is warranted to assess effects of PPIs on important cardiac and other health outcomes.
References:
Bolier L., Haverman, M., Westerhof G., Riper H., Smit, & Bohlmeijer, E. (2013). Positive psychology interventions: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies.
BMC Public Health, 13, 119. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-119
Gholam, R.N., Suarez, L., Asgari, K., Beach, S.R., Celano, C.M., Mehrdad, K., et al. (2016). Positive psychology interventions for patients with heart disease: A preliminary randomized trial.
Psychosomatics, 57(4), 348-358. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psym.2016.03.003
Konstam V., Salem D., Pouleur H., Kostis, J., Gorkin, L., Shumaker, S., et al. (1996)
. Baseline quality of life as a predictor of mortality and hospitalization in 5,025 patients with congestive heart failure.
American Journal of Cardiology, 78, 890–895.
Contributor:
Natalie Dattilo, Ph.D., HSPP
Indiana University School of Medicine
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