A Systematic Review of Meta-Analytic, Stand-alone, and short or Shortenable Positive Psychology Interventions: building the Toolbox Approach for Education

This contribution presents a systematic review aiming at identifying and evaluating practical resources and strategies that can be readily applied in general settings to enhance the well-being and psychosocial skills of the general population. Through a systematic approach, a rigorous selection process of 198 initially analysed in Carr’s 2023 mega-analysis of Positive Psychology Interventions, 25 were retained, for a total of 1777 studies and 246’683 participants. From theses meta-analyses, Positive Psychology Interventions were identifie. The findings underscore the potential of these interventions to positively impact various outcomes relevant to well-being, such as self-regulation, prosocial behaviour, emotional distress, mindfulness, and performance. The review is in line with the Toolbox Approach (Lucciarini & Boniwell, 2023) which aims at offering a diverse range of stand-alone, evidence-based tools that can be flexibly implemented within short timeframes. Limitations include the fact that meta-analyses may have excluded relevant studies published in other formats, and individual study-level details were not extensively examined. Future research should focus on adapting, developing, and implementing the Toolbox Approach. The identified interventions offer promising avenues for a wide range of professionals interested in promoting mental health, such as educators, coaches, parents, policymakers, and researchers.