The effect of positive psychology interventions on hope and well-being of adolescents living in a child and youth care centre

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) on hope and well-being among adolescents living in a child and youth care centre (CYCC) in South Africa. Adolescents (n = 29) were allocated to either the experimental or control group through matched sampling. The experimental group engaged in one-hour intervention sessions weekly for six weeks. Measures of well-being and hope were recorded at three time intervals. Independent- and paired-sample t-tests were conducted to establish group differences. There were no statistically significant differences in well-being and hope between the two groups after the interventions. We discuss moderating factors and offer a qualitative reflection to better understand these outcomes. With this understanding, preliminary guidelines are proposed for implementing PPIs in CYCCs.