Tayyab Rashid, Ph.D., C.Psych.

University of Toronto Scarborough

IPPA, June 2015

Positive Psychotherapy (PPT): Integration of Strengths & Symptoms

I Never Quit…. (Hochanadel & Finamore, 2015)

PPT Exercises meeting these GoalsPositive Emotions

• My Story

• Negative Memories

• Gratitude Letter/Visit

• Three nightly blessings

• Slowness & Savoring Engagement/

Accomplishment

• Assess your

Engagement/Flow

• Identify your Signature

Strengths

• SS: Action Plan

• Maximizing and Satisficing

Meaning/

Relationships• Post-traumatic growth

• Positive Relationships

• Positive

communication

• Gift of time

PPT

(Seligman, Rashid, & Parks, 2006)

PPT Exercises with ChildrenRashid & Anjum, 2008

PPT with Adults (Rashid et al., 2014)

Intervention (n=19) Control (n=17)

Pre Post t (df=18) d Pre Post t (df=16) d

BDI 12.63 5.58 4.47*** 1.10 7.07 5.67 2.50* 0.25

PPTI 39.05 44.16 4.06** 0.65 42.80 45.20 1.65

n.s

0.25

LS 20.58 23.16 2.18* 0.38 27.53 27.93 0.59

n.s

0.08

Positive Psychotherapy Compared with Dialectical Behaviour

Therapy (DBT)Results of Randomized Clinical Trial (Rashid ., 2015)

1.57

1.88

2.4889

1.979633333

0.75

0.52

1.2556

0.841866667

1.95

0.8667

2.2037

1.673466667

1.1333

0.6667

1.463

1.087666667

Depression Anxiety Hostility Inter Pers

Symptom Checklist (SCL-90)

DBT Pre DBT Post PPT Pre PPT Post

7

Emotion Dysregulation (DERS)

Pre Post

80

90

100

110

120

DBT PPT

Distress (in)tolerance

Pre Post

2.5

2.9

3.3

3.7

DBT PPT

Mindfulness (KIMS)

Pre Post

2.5

2.7

2.9

3.1

3.3

3.5

DBT PPT

Dysfunctional Coping (WOCCL)

Pre Week 3 Week 6 Week 9 Post

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2

DBT PPT

Satisfaction with life

Pre Week 3 Week 6 Week 9 Post

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

DBT PPT

Suicidality

Pre-Treatment Post-Treatment

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

DBT PPT

Don’t Pigeonhole Yourself in Your Weaknesses(Huta & Hawley, 2008)

SignatureStrength # 1

SignatureStrength #

2

SignatureStrength # 3

SignatureStrength # 4

SignatureStrength #

5

One(-1)

Spiritualityx3 Fairnessx3 Authenticityx2

Kindnessx2 Curiosityx2

Twoall Authencityx4 Humilityx

3Gratitudex2 PerspectiveX2 Fairnessx2

Threeall

Curiosityx3 Lovex3 Beautyx3 IntegrityX2 Hopex2

Four(-1)

Humourx4 Beautyx3 Learningx3 Curiosityx2

Fiveall

Openmindx3 Hopex3 Kindnessx2 PrudeceX2

15

Under & Over use of Strengths

16

Practical Wisdom

17

The Process

• Narrative is central

• Not what happens --what you choose to do

• More than one strategy

• Being comfortable with the uncomfortable

• Control 18

19

PPT & Process

Negatives are NEVER dismissed, Integration is KEY

Reeducating & reallocating attention

Rising above the negativity bias

Strengths are equally important

Intentional/Volitional activities

If You Lose Your Purpose, it’s Like Your are broken (Hicks & King, 2009)