Positive Psychology Course: A Way to Improve Well-Being

Abstract

Today many universities provide courses on positive psychology. Previous studies have showed that the positive psychology course may serve to improve well-being of students. However, previous studies had limitations in sample size and sample characteristics. In the current study, we aimed to assess the beneficial effect of a compulsory positive psychology course on well-being, happiness, emotional expressiveness, life satisfaction, emotional intelligence and social intelligence in addition to experiences in close relationships. In total 308 undergraduate students (Mean age = 20, SD = 3; 237 female, 71 male) who took the positive psychology course volunteered to participate and filled in self-report questionnaires before and after the course (14 weeks later). The results showed that the participants’ overall happiness and emotional expressiveness increased after taking the positive psychology course. We conclude that positive psychology course is not only instructive, but it may also serve to increase happiness and emotional abilities of students.