Collective wellbeing and posttraumatic growth during COVID-19: how positive psychology can help families, schools, workplaces and marginalized communities

Lea Waters, Kim Cameron, S. Katherine Nelson-Coffey, Damien L. Crone, Margaret L. Kern, Tim Lomas, Lindsay Oades, Rhea L. Owens, James O. Pawelski, Tayyab Rashid, Meg A. Warren, Mathew A. White, Paige Williams

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

55 Scopus citations

Abstract

Positive psychology approaches have been shown to play a vital role in protecting mental health in times of challenge and are, therefore, important to include when studying the psychological outcomes of COVID-19. While existing research has focused on individual psychological health, this paper focuses on collective wellbeing and collective posttraumatic growth, with the aim of more clearly identifying the positive experiences and potential for positive growth for key institutions in our society during the pandemic. A range of positive psychology interventions for families, schools, workplaces, and clinical psychology are presented. The paper then considers how three broad-reaching phenomena existing in our wider society (i.e., arts and culture, eco-connection, and wellbeing literacy) can be used to boost collective wellbeing. A positive systems approach to understand civilian responses to the pandemic together with an examination of the role that positive psychology can play in supporting marginalized groups are also discussed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)761-789
Number of pages29
JournalJournal of Positive Psychology
Volume17
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Keywords

  • Pandemic
  • collective wellbeing
  • covid-19
  • families
  • marginalized communities
  • positive psychology
  • posttraumatic growth
  • schools
  • workplaces

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