Abstract

The last 10–15 years have witnessed a growing interest in the science around wellbeing (e.g., Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999; Kahneman, Diener, & Schwarz, 1999; Keyes, Schmotkin, & Ryff, 2002; Seligman, 2011; Stratham & Chase, 2010). Seligman (1998, p. 538) gave the field a boost during his 1998 speech as the president of the American Psychological Association, when he said:

The field of Psychology has, since World War 2, become a science and practice of healing. It concentrates on repairing damage within a disease model of human functioning. I proposed changing the focus of the science and the profession from repairing the worst things in life to understanding and building the qualities that make life worth living. I call this new orientation Positive Psychology.

Positive psychology has been defined as “the study of the conditions and processes that contribute to the flourishing or optimal functioning of people, groups, and institutions” (Gable & Haidt, 2005, p. 103).