Pourdavarani Anis, Farokhzadian Jamileh, Forouzi Mansooreh Azizzadeh, Shahraki Sedigheh Khodabandeh
Nursing Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology Kerman University of Medical Science, Kerman, Iran.
J Educ Health Promot. 2024 Feb 26;13:65. doi: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_1799_22. eCollection 2024.
Anxiety and depression are the most prevalent mental disorders associated with aging. Positive thinking training is a way to help older adults cope with anxiety and depression and increase their happiness. This study aimed to determine the effect of positive thinking training on anxiety and happiness among older adults.
This quasi-experimental study was conducted with 48 older adults referred to two comprehensive health service facilities in the southeastern Iranian province of Kerman. The intervention ( = 24) and control ( = 24) groups were randomly assigned from a convenience sample of older adults. The intervention group attended eight two-hour training sessions on positive thinking. Data were collected before and one month after the positive thinking training using Beck Anxiety Inventory and Oxford Happiness Inventory. All statistical procedures were performed in SPSS software (version 22), with the significance level set to = 0.05.
Before the positive thinking program was delivered, the mean anxiety scores in the intervention and control groups were 13.98 ± 8.61 and 19.25 ± 11.67, respectively. After the intervention was completed, the mean scores for the intervention and control groups were 4.50 ± 4.07 and 15.54 ± 9.04, indicating a significant reduction in anxiety among intervention group participants ( = -5.45, < 0.001). The mean baseline happiness scores in the intervention and control groups were 26.58 ± 12.40 and 37.91 ± 5.57, respectively, which changed to 62.91 ± 4.66 and 35.62 ± 10.62 at the post-test. Positive thinking training improved happiness in a significant manner ( = -4.08, < 0.001).
Results revealed that positive thinking training decreased anxiety and enhanced happiness among older adults. Given the growing elderly population, clinical managers, clinical specialists, nurses in health care centers, and those involved in elderly care facilities can benefit from this non-pharmacological treatment program for older adults suffering from anxiety and depression. It is suggested that preventive programs based on positive psychology be developed to aid in the prevention of people's declining happiness and increasing anxiety as they age.
焦虑和抑郁是与衰老相关的最常见精神障碍。积极思维训练是帮助老年人应对焦虑和抑郁并提升幸福感的一种方式。本研究旨在确定积极思维训练对老年人焦虑和幸福感的影响。
本准实验研究对转至伊朗东南部克尔曼省两家综合健康服务机构的48名老年人进行。干预组（n = 24）和对照组（n = 24）从老年人便利样本中随机分配。干预组参加了八次每次两小时的积极思维训练课程。在积极思维训练前和训练后一个月，使用贝克焦虑量表和牛津幸福感量表收集数据。所有统计程序均在SPSS软件（版本22）中进行，显著性水平设定为α = 0.05。
在实施积极思维计划前，干预组和对照组的平均焦虑得分分别为13.98 ± 8.61和19.25 ± 11.67。干预完成后，干预组和对照组的平均得分分别为4.50 ± 4.07和15.54 ± 9.04，表明干预组参与者的焦虑显著降低（t = -5.45，p < 0.001）。干预组和对照组的平均基线幸福得分分别为26.58 ± 12.40和37.91 ± 5.57，在测试后分别变为62.91 ± 4.66和35.62 ± 10.62。积极思维训练显著提高了幸福感（t = -4.08，p < 0.001）。
结果显示，积极思维训练降低了老年人的焦虑并增强了幸福感。鉴于老年人口不断增加，临床管理人员、临床专家、医疗保健中心的护士以及参与老年护理机构的人员可以从这个针对患有焦虑和抑郁的老年人的非药物治疗方案中受益。建议制定基于积极心理学的预防方案，以帮助预防人们随着年龄增长幸福感下降和焦虑增加。
