Effects of a Positive Psychology Intervention on Mental Health and Well-Being Among Mothers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Concerns over women's mental health have intensified globally, especially among mothers managing dual careers and family responsibilities. Positive Psychology Interventions (PPIs), such as gratitude journaling and well-being workshops, have demonstrated promise in enhancing mental health; however, their applicability in Arab contexts remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of PPIs on mothers' well-being, gratitude, depression, anxiety, and stress in Saudi Arabia. This quasi-experimental, one-group pretest-posttest study assessed the effects of a four-week PPI on 37 Saudi working mothers (aged 21-50 years) employed at a private school in Riyadh. The intervention included guided gratitude journaling thrice weekly and two workshops on positive psychology and gratitude. Pre- and post-intervention assessments used validated Arabic versions of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), WHO-5 Well-being Index, and Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6). Significant improvements were found post-intervention: depression, anxiety, and stress scores decreased ( < 0.001), while well-being and gratitude increased ( = 0.001). However, participants with lower household income (<50,000 SAR) showed less improvement, indicating a potential moderating effect of socioeconomic status. The intervention demonstrated promising short-term improvements in mental health and well-being among Saudi mothers. The findings underscore the importance of culturally appropriate PPIs and highlight the need for further research using controlled, long-term designs. Limitations include the small, non-random sample, absence of a control group, and restriction to a single geographic region.