Implications for Counselors •  School counselors also can facilitate workshops to talk with parents

about how their level of support influences adolescents’ subjective happiness. •  These workshops could focus on family importance to embrace the value of family over individual needs, as well as expression of strong loyalty, reciprocity, and solidarity among family members. •  These workshops could include adolescents to allow parents and children to have conversations about family importance. •  School counselors also can use can utilize culturally-effective services to increase family support, importance, and involvement. •  School counselors can facilitate monthly Latino family nights that include bilingual invitations and presentations on mental health, collaboration and partnership between parents and school stakeholders, and parental involvement in discussion of topics for monthly meetings.

A Structured Subjective Well-Being Intervention Program •  Suldo and Michalowski (2007) developed a structured

subjective well-being intervention program within a positive psychology framework. •  Sessions are organized into several phases: •  Happiness in the past •  Happiness in the present •  Happiness in the future

•  This intervention was designed for adolescents to

participate in a 10-week, closed group counseling session with detailed procedures, session activities, and goals. •  However, school and community counselors can use activities and exercises within individual counseling sessions as well as classroom guidance lessons.

Session 1: Introduction to Positive Psychology Intervention •  Goals: increase adolescents’ understanding of subjective

well-being; develop a positive group environment; explain group procedures; and discuss confidentiality. •  Session Activities: •  Ice-breaker to have group members to get to know each other. •  Discussion on the following questions: •  What does happiness mean? •  Why is happiness important? •  How do adolescents increase their own happiness?

Session 2 (Happiness in the Past) •  Goals and Objectives: Explore students’ current

gratitude; define and discuss how gratitude impacts happiness; and identify ways to increase gratitude about past events and/or people. •  Activities: Discuss definition and importance of gratitude; have students rate gratitude on a scale from 1-10; discuss how gratitude is related to happiness; and group leader focuses on how gratitude helps people focus on positive parts of their past with school, friendships, and family. •  Homework: gratitude letters and gratitude journals.

Session 3 (Happiness in the Past) •  Goals: Review students’ gratitude journals and letters;

implement gratitude visits or gratitude nights; and connect thoughts about the past with current feelings. •  Homework: Gratitude journals and/or visits.

Session 4: Happiness in the Present •  Goals: Discuss how kindness is related to happiness;

explore students’ current use of acts of kindness. •  Session Activities: Review gratitude visits and journals (e.g., what happened during gratitude visit?); discuss how kindness can help facilitate positive emotions; and assess students’ current estimations of acts of kindness. •  Homework: Have students perform at least 5 acts of kindness during the following week.

Session 5 (Happiness in the Present and Introduction to Character Strengths) •  Goals: Define character strengths and virtues; discuss

how character strengths are related to happiness; have students identify character strengths; and continue to talk about acts of kindness. •  Session Activities: Discuss 24 Character strengths in positive psychology; identify students’ top-5 character strengths; and discuss how using character strengths might relate to happiness in the present. •  Homework: Have students perform 5 acts of kindness

Session 6 (Happiness in the Present and Assessment of Signature Character Strengths) •  Goals: Objectively assess students’ character strengths;

discuss students’ character strengths; and identify ways to help students cultivate strengths. •  Session activities: Review homework assignment of acts of kindness; assess signature strengths using the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths for Youth (VIA-Youth); discuss expected vs. objectively assessed character strengths •  Homework: Use signature strengths in new ways, continue gratitude journaling, and performing acts of kindness.

Session 7 (Happiness in the Present and Use of Signature Strengths in New Ways) •  Goals: Review students’ use of signature strengths;

identify barriers to using signature strengths; identify ways to use signature strengths across different life domains; and discuss savoring to enhance positive experiences. •  Session Activities: Discuss homework from previous session on journaling, kindness, and signature strengths; discuss how students can use signature strengths in life domains, such as school, friendships, and family; and discuss savoring the experience. •  Homework: use signature strengths in new ways with savoring; have students use their chosen signature strength in new ways in one life domain; and have students reflect on their feelings afterwards.

Session 8 (Positive Emotions about the Future) •  Goals: Discuss previous homework assignments on use

of signature strengths; discuss optimism and its relationship with happiness in the future; and identify ways to increase optimistic thinking. •  Session activities: Have students rate their own optimism; discuss and define optimism; discuss importance of optimism with the following questions: •  Do you think optimism can increase happiness and meaning in life? •  How can optimism help you at school, with friends, and with family?

How is optimism related to resilience?

•  Homework: have students develop optimistic thinking by

using positive thoughts at least once per day.

Session 9 (Happiness in the Future and Hope) •  Goals: Discuss previous homework assignment; discuss

hope and its relationship with happiness and meaning in life; and identify how hope can be used to facilitate happiness for the future. •  Session Activities: review homework about optimistic thinking; have students rate their current levels of hope; and discuss hope and its relationship with happiness. •  Homework: Writing activity on best possible self in the future

Session 10 (Termination) •  Goals: Review writing activity on best possible self in the

future; facilitate self-reflection of activities and exercises to increase happiness in the past, present, and future; and identify ways for students to continue activities beyond the group experience.