1. Positive Psychology Center University of Pennsylvania
Positive Psychology in Schools: Promoting Student Resilience, Optimism, and Achievement
Karen Reivich, Ph.D.
Positive Psychology Center
University of Pennsylvania

2. Agenda Introduction Brief history of the Penn Resiliency Program
Description of 5 Ingredients of Fishful Thinking
Resilience
Emotional Awareness
Optimism
Empowerment
Hope/Goal Setting
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
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3. How I got here… I loved Frog and Toad
I wanted to prevent depression in youth
I became a mother
I wanted my children to know and live what is right with them
Now, I get to spread the word with Fishful Thinking! (
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

4. The Supermarket Test What do you want for yourself and your children?
What I don’t hear:
fewer symptoms of depression
less underachievement
fewer experiences of folding under pressure
(But this is what the field of psychology has studied.)
What I hear:
Happiness, Health, Strong Relationships, Success!
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

5. Positive Psychology
Positive Psychology studies what enables children (and adults) to have lives rich in:
Positive emotion
Engagement
Meaning
Positive Psychology asks the question:
What is right with you?
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

6. The Penn Resilience Project
The Penn Resiliency Project (PRP) Research Group
Jane Gillham
Karen Reivich
Martin Seligman
Research funded by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) grant MH52270
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7. Depression: Associated Difficulties
Depression and high levels of depressive symptoms are linked to:
Poor academic achievement
Interpersonal difficulties, isolation from peers
Anxiety
Conduct (behavioral) problems
Substance abuse
Teenage pregnancy
Suicide
Physical health problems
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8. The Penn Resiliency Program
School-based group intervention
For late elementary & middle school students (5th-8th grade)
Based on CBT and social problem-solving techniques
Twelve minute sessions
Modular
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9. PRP: Cognitive Component
Link between thoughts and feelings/actions
Identifying thinking styles
Examining alternatives & evidence for interpretations
Challenging negative beliefs in real time
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10. PRP: Problem-Solving and Coping Skills
Assertiveness
Negotiation
Decision making
Coping
Emotion Control
Relaxation
Distraction (Changing the Channel)
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11. Meta-analysis of PRP (Brunwasser et al., 2008)
Comprehensive review of all published & unpublished PRP studies
Found 19 controlled studies of PRP
17 examined effects on depressive symptoms
15 examined cognitive style (pessimistic explanatory style, hopelessness, negative automatic thoughts)
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12. Meta-analysis of PRP (Brunwasser et al., 2008)
Cognitive Style
Significant benefit of PRP (relative to control) at all assessments examined – for 12 months after the intervention
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13. Meta-analysis of PRP (Brunwasser et al., 2008)
Depression Findings
Significant benefit of PRP (relative to control) at all assessments examined, for 12 months after the intervention
PRP equally effective when delivered as targeted intervention (to high risk adolescents) versus as a universal intervention (to all children who sign up)
PRP equally effective when delivered by research team members and by teachers, counselors, and other community providers
Note: Most teachers, counselors, & community providers received extensive training in PRP
Other findings suggest PRP not as effective without this training
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14. PRP + Parent Program: Depressive Symptoms (Gillham, Reivich, et al
PRP + Parent Program: Depressive Symptoms (Gillham, Reivich, et al., 2006) % with Moderate to Severe Depressive Symptoms (CDI > 15)
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15. PRP + Parent Program Pilot: Anxiety Symptoms (Gillham, Reivich, et al
PRP + Parent Program Pilot: Anxiety Symptoms (Gillham, Reivich, et al., 2006) % with High Anxiety (RCMAS > 19)
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16. PRP Effectiveness Study: Behavior Problems (Gillham, Reivich, et al
PRP Effectiveness Study: Behavior Problems (Gillham, Reivich, et al., 2006) Externalizing symptoms (on the CBCL)
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17. How our view of Resilience Programs has changed
In the beginning…
Now…
Depression Prevention
Building & promoting resilience (broadly)
Children at risk
All children
Targeting risk factors
Teaching adaptive skills that help in many areas of life
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18. The 5 Pillars of Fishful Thinking
Resilience: Bounce Back
Optimism: Think Positive
Emotion Awareness: Know Yourself
Empowerment: Believe “I can”
Hope/Goal Setting: Reach Goals
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

19. Fishful Thinking Ingredients: Resilience
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20. Resilience: Bounce not Break
Resilience is comprised of a set of characteristics, abilities, and resources that enable the achievement of positive outcomes despite exposure to significant threat or adversity.
Resilience enables you to overcome adversity, cope with stress, and bounce back from setbacks so that you can achieve your goals.
Add tennis ball/egg images
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21. Resilience Overview MYTH TRUTH Don’t show emotion Feel it and share it
It’s all about the individual
It’s about the self with others
Act fast and be decisive
Uncertainty and doubt are allowed
Accomplish superhuman feats
Reach developmental milestones
Grace under fire
Muddling through
One size fits all
Find your best fit
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
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22. Critical for resilience:
Trusting, abiding relationships
Self-awareness (think, feel, do)
Self regulation
Flexibility in thinking and behavior
Optimism/hope/faith
Knowing and using one’s strengths, talents and skills
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

23. Cultivating Resilience in Students: Positive Frustration
Resilience requires self-regulation and learning how to manage frustration is critical.
Coping with Frustration Rituals: Develop a ritual to help students cope with frustration such as “shake off the frustration” dance, calming mantra, relaxation strategies
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

24. Cultivating Resilience in Students
“How we did it” journal: Keep a classroom “How we did it” journal where students record the strategies they used to meet challenges. By focusing on strategies, you’re helping students learn what his/her strengths and skills are.
How we did it!
I joined a group – even though I was scared to -- by making eye contact, asking questions and looking interested.
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

25. Fishful Thinking Ingredients: Optimism
Optimistic thinking is critical for
physical and mental health,
productivity, performance,
overall well-being.
Optimism is a way of thinking.
Optimism is a skill.
Optimism can be learned.
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
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26. Critical for Optimism Focusing on the positive
Identifying what is controllable
Believing in good outcomes
Constrained by reality
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

27. Optimism Matters:
Compared to pessimistic thinkers, optimistic thinkers:
Are happier and have less depression
Are more resilient
Are healthier (fewer illnesses, faster recovery)
Live longer
Do better in sports, perform better under pressure
Do better in school (higher GPAs)
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

28. How does optimism do all that?
Focus on solutions when change is possible; use acceptance and humor when it is not
Greater accuracy regarding control
Have more and stronger social support
Take better care of themselves
Less likely to deny and avoid problems
Try new strategies when current ones aren’t working
Learn from failure and find meaning in setback
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

29. Unbridled versus Healthy Optimism
Unbridled Optimism
Healthy Optimism
Limitless
Wed to reality
Denies the bad
Sees it all and focuses on the positive
If I can dream it, I can be it
Dreams connected to strengths, talents, skills
Blames others
Accepts appropriate responsibility
Built on false praise
Built on accurate praise
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
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30. Cultivating Optimism in our Kids:
Silver Lining Games: The goal of these activities is to help children find positive meaning in a negative event.
I don't like that we lost the game. We did some things well, though. One thing that the team did well was ___________.
I wish all our shots had scored. One great shot was ___________.
I wish I didn't mess up at all. I did do this really well in the game: ___________.
One thing our team didn't do well today that we can work on is ____________.
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

31. Cultivating Optimism: Overcoming Negative Self-Talk:
Quieting the inner-critic through Real-time Resilience
That’s not completely true because…
A more accurate way of seeing this is…
The most likely outcome is…and I can…
Common mistakes made while learning skill:
Dismissing the grain of truth
Minimizing the situation
Rationalizing or excusing one’s contribution to a problem
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

32. Fishful Thinking Ingredients: Emotional Awareness
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

33. Emotional Awareness is:
The ability to identify emotional experiences
Comfort with emotions and expressiveness
The ability to control emotional responses to external events (when appropriate)
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
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34. Why does Emotional Awareness matter?
It contributes to resilience
It’s critical in forming healthy relationships
It’s critical for goal attainment
It’s necessary for overall mental health
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
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35. Cultivating Emotional Awareness
Emotion Charades:
Write down feeling words on pieces of paper.
Take turns picking a slip of paper and then
acting out the word written on it.
For kids under 5 or 6, keep the feelings simple
such as: happy, sad, mad or scared.
For kids 7+, you can use more complex feelings such
as guilty, anxious, embarrassed, proud, etc.
Make it harder by setting the rule that you cannot use
facial expressions. Instead, express the feeling
through body language.
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

36. Cultivating Emotional Awareness
Mood Music:
Music and dance are great ways to help express feelings.
Choose music that represents different moods and ask students to dance how the music “feels”:
heavy classical music for sadness
pop music for happiness
heavy drumming music for anger
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

37. Cultivating Emotional Awareness through the ABCs (Albert Ellis)
BELIEFS Internal radio station
Activating Event:
The trigger
CONSEQUENCES Emotions and behavior
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
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38. Emotional Consequences Embarrassment/hiding
B-C Connections:
Beliefs
Emotional Consequences
Loss
(I have lost something)
Sadness/withdrawal
Danger
(Something bad is going to happen and I can’t handle it)
Anxiety/agitation
Trespass
(I have been harmed)
Anger/aggression
Inflicting harm
(I have caused harm)
Guilt/reparations
Negative comparison
(I don’t measure up)
Embarrassment/hiding
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved. 38 .

39. Fishful Thinking Ingredients: Empowerment
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

40. Empowerment (self-efficacy) is:
Knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses
Knowing which strengths, skills, talents to rely on in a variety of situations
Maintaining a solution focus
Having a sense of mastery and competence
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
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41. Why does Empowerment matter?
Kids with a strong sense of self-efficacy are:
better problem solvers
less likely to become helpless
more resilient
more willing to try new things and take risks
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

42. Character Strengths and Empowerment:
What is right with you?
Who are you at your best?
How can you be the best you more often?
How can you use your strengths in relationships, school, play?
How can you use your strengths to meet challenges and overcome obstacles?
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
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43. VIA Strengths (Peterson & Seligman, 2004)
1. Wisdom and Knowledge
Curiosity/interest
Love of learning
Judgment/critical thinking
Originality/ingenuity/creativity
Perspective
2. Courage
Valor
Industry/perseverance
Integrity/honesty
Zest/enthusiasm
3. Love
Intimacy
Kindness/generosity/nurturance
Social intelligence
4. Justice
Citizenship/duty/loyalty/teamwork
Equity/fairness
Leadership
5. Temperance
Forgiveness/mercy
Modesty/humility
Self-control/self-regulation
Prudence/caution
6. Transcendence
Appreciation of beauty/awe
Gratitude
Hope/optimism
Humor/playfulness
Religiousness/sense of purpose
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.  43 43

44. Signature Strengths: In Your Bloodstream
One believes that he/she is being “true-to-oneself” when using the strength.
One feels that he/she can’t help but use the strength (when the opportunity to do so arises).
When using the strength, one feels energized rather than exhausted.
The motivation to use the strength comes from within the person. (No one else has to remind or persuade him/her to use it.)
Vocabulary
Zest
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved. . 44 44

45. Strength Activities for Students
Identify Strengths – VIA strength Survey online
Share Strength Stories (Me at My Best)
Identify Strengths in Others – listening for and watching for strengths
Develop Strength Action Plans
Create a Family Tree of Strengths
Use Strengths in Challenges
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

46. Strength Action Plans
Using the list of strengths (or online survey), choose the 5 or so that best reflect the student.
Work with the student to generate ideas about how to use his/her strengths more fully at school, to cope with problems, to reach goals, to have more confidence. Be specific!
Record these on the Strengths Action Plan sheet.
Refer back to the sheet often!
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

47. Creating Mastery Moments through Strengths…
Identify strengths of student (e.g. creativity, bravery, critical thinking, empathy, etc.) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Record ideas on how the student can use strengths to create Mastery Moments. It’s important to make the Mastery Moment challenging (not too easy, not too hard) and enjoyable.
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

48. Creating Mastery Moments (example)
Aaron’s strengths
Creativity
Social intelligence
Perseverance
Leadership
Mastery Moments:
Aaron will design individualized party invitations (creativity, social intelligence)
Aaron will make a movie about our trip to Australia that he can share with his classmates (perseverance, creativity)
Aaron will help out in the kindergarten classroom 3 mornings a week (leadership, social intelligence, creativity)
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

49. Fishful Thinking Ingredients: Hope/Goal Setting
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

50. Hope/Goal Setting (Based on the great work of Drs. Lopez and Snyder)
Hope is future-oriented thinking that combines three components:
Goals thinking: Focusing on what to achieve
Pathways thinking: Identifying or creating many paths to a goal
Agency thinking: Maintaining your motivation while pursuing your goal
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
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51. Why does Hope/Goal Setting matter?
The ability to set and reach goals is critical for success in school, sports, work, and health
Children who have “grit” – tenacity in reaching their goals, get higher grades in school than those without grit
Children who are effective at goal setting, learn how to organize time, prioritize, and have an increased sense of mastery and competence
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

52. The importance of Goldilocks Goals
It's important to set goals that are realistic and attainable (but not too easy).
Goals that are too hard OR too easy undercut motivation.
Help students to set a goal that is slightly beyond their immediate grasp, but not so far above their current skills and abilities that they believe they have no chance of succeeding.
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

53. Cultivating Hope/Goal Setting
Goal Road Map—One Step at a Time:
Identify realistic goal. Think Goldilocks!
Write across the top of a large piece of paper, "My Goal Road Map".
In the upper left-hand corner of the page, write a sentence describing the goal. Make sure it's specific.
"I will get a good grade on my graphing project for math class" instead of "I will get good grades"
Write the word "START" in the bottom right-hand corner and draw a series of
footprints between the word START and the goal in the upper left-hand corner.
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

54. Cultivating Hope/Goal Setting
In each footprint, help the student to write a short description of a step he/she can take toward reaching this goal. For example, if the goal is to get an "A" on a graphing project for math class, the footsteps might read:
Step 1: Read over instructions and ask the teacher any questions
Step 2: Buy materials with Mom or Dad
Step 3: Look in books and on the internet (with Mom or Dad) for ideas for the hypothesis
Step 4: Make the hypothesis and collect data on 15 kids
Step 5: Draw a rough draft of the graph
Step 6: Write first draft of the explanation
Step 7: Ask Mom or Dad to look over rough drafts
Step 8: Redo the graph and the explanation
Step 9: Check for mistakes and make corrections
Step 10: Turn in the project — Yay!
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

55. Goal Setting: Obstacles and Walk-Arounds
Here's an example of obstacles and "Walk-Arounds" based on the graphing project example:
Obstacle 1: I'll want to watch TV instead of working
Walk-Around: After I complete a step,
I will watch 15 minutes of TV.
Obstacle 2: I'll put it off until the night before it's due
Walk-Around: I will put dates next to each step so I
know exactly when I have to do each part.
Obstacle 3: I'll get bored and sloppy
Walk-Around: I will remind myself that I want to do well, and I'll save the most fun part—coloring it in—for last.
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

56. Wrapping Up…
There are many everyday, fun and simple strategies that we (educators, clinicians, parents) can use to help raise happy, resilient, confident children.
We’re already doing this AND we can further enhance our abilities by focusing on the 5 key ingredients of Fishful Thinking.
The more WE value, model, and use these ingredients, the more our children will benefit!
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

57. Resources Website: www.fishfulthinking.com Books:
The Resilience Factor by Karen Reivich and Andrew Shatte’
The Optimistic Child by Martin Seligman, Karen Reivich, Lisa Jaycox and Jane Gillham
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

58. Thank You!!
Copyright  2008 Karen Reivich, Ph.D. All rights reserved.