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 - Funding Information: The first author is thankful to the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (South Africa) for the award of the African Pathways NIHSS‐CODESRIA Doctoral Scholarship towards his doctoral studentship at the North‐West University (NWU). The scholarship source did not have any influence on the design of the study, data collection, and analysis or writing of the manuscript. The first author is also grateful to the NWU for the receipt of Doctoral and International Students’ Bursaries during the period of his studentship. The authors wish to thank the community leaders and participants in all four communities involved in this study, field surveyors, and particularly David Ajedewe, Charles Dakorah, Lydia Aziato, Angela Ofori‐Atta, Christelle Liversage, Joana Yendork, and Suria Ellis for their assistance at different times of the study.
PY - 2020/11/1
Y1 - 2020/11/1
N2 - BackgroundThere 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.MethodsUsing 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.ResultsThere 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.ConclusionsThe 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 - BackgroundThere 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.MethodsUsing 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.ResultsThere 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.ConclusionsThe 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 - community-based mental health intervention
KW - Ghana
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 -
