The effect on mental wellness, life attitude and depression levels of positive psychology program applied to patients diagnosed with depression

Positive feelings decrease, whereas negative feelings increase in depression. Positive psychology interventions are 'treatment methods or intentional activities aiming to develop positive feelings, positive behaviors or positive cognitions'. This study was conducted to determine the effect on mental well-being, life attitude and depression levels of positive psychology program applied to patients diagnosed with depression. The pre-test, post-test and follow-up test were conducted as a quasi-experimental study with a control group. Patients who applied to the psychiatry outpatient clinic of a university hospital with diagnosis of depression for at least 6 months constituted the population of the study, and a total of 53 patients, 26 of which met the research criteria, were in the experimental group and 27 in the control group. Data were collected using 'Personal Information Form', 'Beck Depression Inventory','Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWS)' and 'Life Attitude Profile Scale (LAPS)'. After the analysis, no significant difference was observed between the pre-test scale scores before the program and the experimental and control groups (p>0.05). In the post and follow-up test scale scores, it was determined that the mean BDI score of the patients in the experimental group compared to the patients in the control group, while the mean scores of WEMWS and LAPS increased significantly (p<0.05). It has been determined that the positive psychology program is effective in reducing the level of depression, increasing mental well-being and developing a positive life attitude. It is recommended that the positive psychology program be used by psychiatric nurses in the treatment of depression.