In search of durable positive psychology interventions: Predictors and consequences of long-term positive behavior change
The Journal of Positive Psychology September 1, 2010 Michael A. Cohn, Barbara L. Fredrickson 302 citations
A 15-month follow-up of a loving-kindness meditation intervention found that many participants continued meditating, and those who did reported more positive emotions than those who stopped or never meditated. All participants maintained gains in psychological resources like resilience and social support made during the initial intervention, regardless of continued practice. Continuing meditators did not differ in resources at baseline but showed more positive emotions and a faster emotional response to the intervention. The results suggest that positive psychology interventions have lasting value beyond the intervention period.