Young People’s Attitude Toward Positive Psychology Interventions: Thematic Analysis

BACKGROUND: Digital instantiations of positive psychology intervention (PPI) principles have been proposed to combat the current global youth mental health crisis; however, young people are largely not engaging with available resources. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to explore young people’s attitudes toward various PPI principles to find ways of making digital instantiations of them more engaging. METHODS: We conducted an explorative workshop with 30 young people (aged 16-21 years). They rated and reviewed 29 common PPIs. Ratings and recorded discussions were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Some interventions were conflicting with young people’s values or perceived as too difficult. Participants responded positively to interventions that fit them personally and allowed them to use their strengths. CONCLUSIONS: Values, context, strengths, and other personal factors are entangled with young people’s attitudes toward digital instantiations of PPI principles.