Effects of an intervention to improve the psychological strengths in early childhood education, assessed through the Family Drawing Test

Abstract

Positive psychology aims to improve the quality of life and prevent the occurrence of mental disorders and pathologies. Focus of interest is prevention and thus avoid traditional and exclusive concern for repairing the negative aspects of life. It looks for the construction of positive qualities (Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi, 2000), in base of the positive psychological features we all have. The objective of this study is to improve the psychological strengths in early childhood education trought the use of activities. Sample is composed by 52 preschool students at 2nd cycle of Pre-primary Education in Caravaca de la Cruz, north west of Murcia (Spain). Strengths and psychological virtues were evaluated though the use of the Family Drawing Test (Corman, 1967), to assess if there were differences or improvements after the intervention.