Journal of Happiness and Health

University students constitute a vulnerable population regarding mental health challenges, a situation often exacerbated by systemic stressors during global crises. This mixed-methods study investigates the efficacy of Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) as a proactive positive health intervention to enhance self-regulation and psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conducted in accordance with institutional ethical standards and based on voluntary participation, this study utilized a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with 100 university students. During the initial lockdown, psychological distress was measured via the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), alongside the collection of written accounts to capture participants' subjective experiences. Quantitative analysis using Repeated Measures MANOVA revealed a statistically significant reduction in psychological distress with a large effect size following at least seven days of PMR practice. Complementing these results, thematic analysis elucidated that PMR fosters positive health through dual pathways; psychological relief via emotional and cognitive regulation, and physical restoration through improved sleep quality and somatic relaxation. Crucially, the qualitative findings identified specific cues of action related to the timing, consistency, and progressive structure of the exercise, which served as vital moderators for subjective well-being. The findings suggest a strong congruence between quantitative symptom reduction and qualitative pathways to resilience, concluding that PMR is an accessible self-regulation strategy that promotes sustainable psychological growth and positive health in university settings.

Online mood induction procedures (MIPs) for happiness have shown inconsistent and often modest effects, and the potential benefit of personalizing such inductions remains unclear. This study evaluated an online, film-based MIP that targeted three orientations to happiness: engagement, meaning, and pleasure. This study further investigated whether matching film clips to participants’ dominant orientations to happiness enhanced the effectiveness of the MIP. Data was collected via MTurk. Participants (N = 166) were randomly assigned to a matched condition, in which they watched a film clip that targeted their dominant orientation(s) to happiness, or an unmatched condition. Mixed ANOVA was used to test the hypothesis that happiness can be induced via an online, film-based MIP and that a matched film MIP would be more effective at inducing happiness than an unmatched film MIP.  Results indicated that happiness can be induced online, but the effect size is modest (d = 0.43). A sizeable proportion of the sample did not report an increase in happiness. In primary analyses including all participants, increases in happiness did not differ between matched and unmatched conditions. These results corroborate recent findings that online positive or happiness inductions are effective but underscore the importance of considering success rate in study analyses and sample size planning. These results also contribute to the growing database of film clips validated to induce positive affect in an online setting. Future research is needed to identify factors that may enhance the effect of positive affect MIPs.

The present study investigated the influences of student- and school-level factors on the mental well-being of Chinese primary and secondary school students (N = 6,612), in light of the 2023 Survey on Social and Emotional Skills (SSES) data. A hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analysis was adopted as the statistical approach. At student-level, the results indicated that body image, health behaviors, positive emotions at school, growth mindset, sense of belonging at school, peer relationships, engagement at school, and participation in extra-curricular activities are all positively related to mental well-being; whereas, negative emotions at school and academic anxiety are negatively linked to mental well-being; in addition, bullying victimization, disruptive behaviors, and teacher-student relationships have no significant association with mental well-being. At school-level, it was found that positive attitudes and relations in school, school’s offer of extra-curricular activities, and school safety situation are all positively associated with mental well-being; whereas, teachers’ views on discrimination and equity, school practices to combat bullying, social and emotional learning, and parent engagement in school have no significant association with mental well-being. The research findings were discussed in terms of Chinese cultural and educational context, which may provide potential policy implications for improving the mental well-being of Chinese primary and secondary school students.

The present study examined whether narrative coherence in emerging adults’ vicarious life stories of their parents was associated with psychological well-being. A total of 305 emerging adults between the ages of 18 and 30 (171 women, 134 men; M_age = 22.74, SD_age = 3.27) completed PERMA-Profiler and narrated vicarious high-point (a highly positive life event) and low-point (a highly negative life event) memories from the life of the parent to whom they felt closest. Narratives were coded for coherence using the Narrative Coherence Coding Scheme. Hierarchical regression analyses examined whether coherence predicted well-being beyond memory valence and demographic variables. Findings indicated that coherence of vicarious low-point memories significantly predicted higher psychological well-being even after controlling for memory valence, age, gender, and perceived income. In contrast, coherence of vicarious high-point memories did not remain a significant predictor after accounting for these variables. These findings suggest that the ability to coherently narrate parents’ difficult life experiences may contribute to emerging adults’ well-being by facilitating meaning-making and adaptive integration of intergenerational experiences. The study expands narrative identity research by emphasizing the psychological relevance of vicarious memories and highlighting the role of intergenerational storytelling in well-being during emerging adulthood.

Adolescents are experiencing rising rates of stress, anxiety, and depression worldwide. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have emerged as promising, low-cost strategies for improving mental health outcomes during this critical developmental period. Despite growing interest in mindfulness-based interventions, no recent review has synthesized evidence on their mental health effects among adolescent girls and young women, who experience disproportionately high rates of internalizing symptoms. This scoping review examined 21 studies evaluating the effects of MBIs on stress, anxiety, depression, emotion regulation, and overall well-being among adolescent girls and young women. The studies were analyzed by intervention type, study design, population characteristics, and outcomes. Findings showed MBIs consistently reduced stress, anxiety and depression, with strong effects among high-risk and trauma-exposed youth. Several studies reported greater gains in emotional regulation and well-being for girls than boys, and most mixed-gender studies formally tested gender as a moderator; findings on engagement and adherence were more mixed. Culturally adapted and somatic-based MBIs, such as mindfulness yoga, emerged as especially effective in improving accessibility and impact. Across the literature, outcomes varied based on gender, trauma history, intervention duration, and cultural relevance. Overall, our findings suggest that MBIs demonstrate strong potential for enhancing adolescent mental health, for girls and young women. To maximize effectiveness, gender-responsive, trauma-informed, and culturally tailored approaches are essential. Future research should aim to identify the mechanisms of change underlying MBIs, integrate neurobiological measures, and improve inclusivity through diverse samples and long-term follow-up. These findings support expanding access to mindfulness in schools and community settings as part of broader prevention and early intervention strategies with lasting impacts.