The effect of positive thinking training program on the adolescents? level of optimism for the future, depression and cognitive distortion

In this research, the effect of the Positive Thinking Training Program on the level of adolescents? optimism for the future, depression and cognitive distortion was investigated.The study about the effect of the Positive Thinking Training Program on the level of adolescents? optimism for the future, depression and cognitive distortion was carried out by the participation of the 30 students being educated in Antalya Kumluca İmam Hatip High School in the 2010- 2011 educational and instructional year. Life Orientation Inventory, Beck Depression Scale, Automatic Thoughts Scale and the positive thinking training program were used as tools of gathering the data. The data of the study based on pre-test, post-test, experimental design involving control group were analyzed by two factor variance analysis for correlation and repeated measurements.The independent variable of the research is the Positive Thinking Training Program and the dependent variable is the level of adolescents? optimism fort he future, depression and cognitive distortion.The Positive Thinking Training Program having 12 sessions was applied for the students in the experimental group; for the placebo group, a study of 12 sessions about introduction of jobs and choose of jobs was applied. On the other hand, there was no process with the control group.As a result of the research, it has been seen that there has been a meaningful increase in the point of optimism for the future of the students in the experimental group, on the other hand, there has been a meaningful decrease in the point of depression and cognitive distortion of the students in the control group.Furthermore there hasn't found any meaningful correlation between the levels of optimism for the future and depression. There is a slight, reverse directional correlation between the levels of optimism and cognitive distortion related to the future. There is a positive directional and strong correlation between the levels of depression and cognitive distortion.Key Words: Positive Thinking, Optimism For The Future, Depression, Cognitive Distortion.