BACKGROUND
There is burgeoning interest in applying positive psychology to enhance individual wellbeing. Few studies have looked at positive psychology interventions in pediatric populations with chronic diseases.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to critically review studies of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) in pediatric populations with chronic conditions, and highlight potential application for clinical and research settings.
METHODS
We identified 8 studies evaluating PPIs on subjective and objective outcomes in children with chronic conditions.
RESULTS
Most studies used multicomponent interventions with three to four positive psychology interventions that fall under more than one PERMA (Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationship, Meaning, Accomplishment) category. Participants demonstrated significant improvement on various self-reported outcomes; results of objective measures, such as HbA1C, were not significantly improved.
CONCLUSIONS
Children with chronic conditions may benefit from positive psychology interventions to enhance resiliency and improve quality of life. Further research with large-scale randomized controlled trials is needed.