Positive Psychology Article on Happiness, Relationships, and Irrational Beliefs
Froh, Fives, Fuller, Jacofsky, Terjesen, and Yurkewicz (2007) found that poor quality of interpersonal relationships mediated the association between irrational beliefs and life satisfaction in a majority of undergraduate sample. This finding may have implications for clinical practice. The goal of this study was to replicate the finding in a large psychotherapy outpatients (N = 297). In addition, we tested a model examining interpersonal relationship mediating the association between rational beliefs and satisfaction with life. Previous research used the Rational Beliefs Inventory, which only has irrational subscales, whereas this study included the Shortened General Attitudes and Beliefs Scale. The Satisfaction with Life Scale was used to assess life satisfaction, and the Interpersonal Relations subscale of the Outcome Questionnaire were included to assess the quality of interpersonal relationships. Results did not find meditational relationships. Instead, irrational belief and interpersonal relationship and low rational beliefs and interpersonal relationship predicted poor life satisfaction, respectively.
Historically psychology aimed to decrease pathology, make people’s lives more fulfilling, and enhance human strengths. Psychological research has identified various sequelae of clinical syndromes. Structural brain abnormalities, neurotransmitter levels, attachment patterns, social support, parenting styles, cognitions, communication/expressive patterns, and behavioral deficits have all been hypothesized to be related to pathology. Countless clinical interventions (e.g., pharmacological treatments, cognitive therapies, Interpersonal Therapy, parent training, Functional Analytic Therapy) have been designed to alleviate suffering and impact many of these related factors. Many of these interventions have demonstrated efficacy in randomized controlled trials in specific clinical populations.
Unfortunately, far fewer studies have been conducted to identify the variables related to areas of positive functioning as opposed to pathology. However, the field of positive psychology has specifically targeted these areas. Some research findings indicate that interpersonal and cognitive variables are related to constructs of life satisfaction, negative affect, and positive mood. This provides some support for cognitive models of emotion.