A bibliometric review of positive psychology and well-being research in Africa.

Positive Psychology rapidly developed into an influential field of study and intervention, initially situated in Psychology, and later becoming multidisciplinary. Research interest in the study of (psychological) well-being has gained global popularity, with increasing salience in Africa. Although the global trends of these developments are relatively well-known, a bibliometric analysis of positive psychology research in Africa was necessary to shed light on the present hotspots and trends and future trajectories in this region of the world.

Well-being and mathematics achievement: What is the role of gender, instructional clarity, and parental involvement?

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between satisfaction with life and mathematics achievement among a nationally representative sample of Grade 9 learners in South Africa.

Methods: Using the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS 2019) based on a sample of 20,829 learners (females = 11,067 and males = 9,719), and employing structural equation modelling (SEM), we examined the nature of the relationship between satisfaction with life and mathematics achievement, considering the role of gender, parental involvement, and instructional clarity.

Results: Our findings showed that satisfaction with life is positively related to mathematics achievement, but is not moderated by gender.

Measuring Positive Mental Health and Depression in Africa: A Variable-Based and Person-Centred Analysis of the Dual-Continua Model.

The dual-continua model of mental health provides a contemporary framework for conceptualising and operationalising mental health. According to this model, mental health is distinct from but related to mental illness, and not the opposite or merely the absence of psychopathology symptoms. To examine the validity of the dual-continua model, previous studies have either applied variable-based analysis such as confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), or used predetermined cut-off points for subgroup division.

The Inspired Life Program: Development of a multicomponent positive psychology intervention for rural adults in Ghana.

Although several theories and studies have explored human strengths and mental well-being at the global level, these insights are rarely tested and translated into practice in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aims to describe the development of a 10-session multicomponent positive psychology intervention, the Inspired Life Program (ILP), designed to promote mental health and reduce symptoms of depression and negative affect in rural adults in Ghana. Guided by the Medical Research Council's framework for developing complex interventions, a seven-step iterative community-based participatory research approach was adopted to develop the ILP, based on constructs and principles of positive psychology and cognitive-behavioral model.

Participants' experiences and impressions of a group-based positive psychology intervention programme for rural adults in Ghana.

: There is growing evidence that group-based mental health intervention programmes can encourage the development of peer support, psychosocial skills, and collaborative therapeutic relationships with longer lasting effects. This study explored participants' experiences of, perceived benefits of, and recommendations to improve a 10-session group-based multicomponent positive psychology intervention (mPPI)-the (ILP)-designed to promote positive mental health and reduce symptoms of depression and negative affect in a sample of rural Ghanaian adults.: Face-to-face semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 18 randomly selected programme participants three months after their participation in the ILP.

Motivations for Relationships as Sources of Meaning: Ghanaian and South African Experiences.

Afrocentric paradigms reflect assumptions of the overarching importance of interconnectedness and social bonds in meaningful experiences. It is, however, not known if types of relatedness vary in importance as meaning sources in the subjective experiences of laypeople, or what the reasons are that they ascribe to the importance of relationships. The empirical and theoretical substantiation of philosophical assumptions is needed to provide a scientific basis for appropriate well-being interventions in African contexts.

Factorial validity of the Twi versions of five measures of mental health and well-being in Ghana.

Background: Mental health is considered an integral part of human health. Reliable and valid measurement instruments are needed to assess various facets of mental health in the native language of the people involved. This paper reports on five studies examining evidence for the factorial validity of the Twi versions of five mental health and well-being measurement instruments: Affectometer-2 (AFM-2); Automatic Thought Questionnaire-Positive (ATQ-P); Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSEs); Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9); and Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) in a rural Ghanaian adult sample.

Effects of a Community-Based Multicomponent Positive Psychology Intervention on Mental Health of Rural Adults in Ghana.

Background: There is growing evidence that positive psychology interventions (PPIs) enhance positive mental health and lead to a decrease in symptoms of psychopathology. This study examines the effectiveness of a 10-week multicomponent PPI (the Inspired Life Program; ILP) in promoting positive mental health and reducing symptoms of depression and negative affect in a sample of rural poor adults in Ghana.

Methods: Using a quasi-randomized controlled trial design, participants from four rural poor communities were randomly allocated to intervention (n = 40) or control (n = 42) conditions.