The Feasibility of Positive Psychotherapy based on “Belief in Good” on Positive and Negative Affects in Individuals with Depression Symptoms: A Single-subject Multiple – baseline Study

The purpose of the present study is to examine the effectiveness of positive psychotherapy based on belief in good upon the increase in positive affect and decrease in negative affect in individuals with symptoms of depression.

To do this research, a single-subject multiple-baseline with a follow up period was used. At first, three people from among those with symptoms of depression who attended at a center of psychology and counseling in Tehran were chosen by purposeful sampling. For each of the participants 3 to 7 week baseline sessions were randomly assigned. The evaluations (or ratings) were carried out by the researcher by making use of Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression-17, Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), the scale of orientation of happiness in the baseline phase, treatment sessions and four months after the completion of therapy (following up).

The findings of this research indicate thatafter commencement of treatment all the three participants showed decreasing trend in Hamilton Rating Scale (74%) and negative affect (32%), and increasing trend in positive affect (41%), positive emotion (72%), engagement (70%) and meaning sensation (128%). A major part of these results also remained at the end of following up phase.

It seems that positive psychotherapy based on belief in good is a short-term effective treatment for decreasing the symptoms of depression and the negative affects, and for increasing the positive affects.