The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a happiness enhancement program on the subjective happiness and depression of middle school students. A happiness enhancement program that took 10 hours(8 sessions) was selected as an independent...
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a happiness enhancement program on the subjective happiness and depression of middle school students. A happiness enhancement program that took 10 hours(8 sessions) was selected as an independent variable. The subjects in this study were 37 students who were in their third year of middle school. An experimental group and control group were organized with 19 and 18 students each, and both groups took pretests by utilizing a subjective happiness scale and depression scale. After the happiness enhancement program was implemented from May 16 to July 16, 2008, they took posttests by employing the same instruments, and their scores were compared.The findings of the study were as follows:The happiness enhancement program had a positive impact on boosting the subjective happiness of the middle schoolers and lightening their depression. The experimental group got significantly higher scores in subjective happiness, but the control group underwent no change. As a result of analyzing the posttest data by using ANCOVA, there was a statistically significantly broad gap between the two groups(F(1,35)=38.889, p<.001). Likewise, the experimental group got significantly less scores in depression, but the control group showed no statistically significant change. When the posttest data were analyzed by utilizing ANCOVA, there was a statistically significantly wide intergroup disparity(F(1, 35)=19.550, p<.001).