Rewiring the Mind: How Optimism Training Builds a Bridge to Mental Health and Reduces Depression

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Abstract

AbstractThe transition to university life presents significant psychological challenges, including increased stress, anxiety, and depression among students. Despite the established benefits of optimism in promoting mental well-being, limited research has examined the direct impact of structured optimism training on students' mental health. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates optimism training as a novel intervention to mitigate depressive symptoms in first-year university students. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, 200 first-year students were recruited and assigned to either an experimental group (n=100), which received optimism training, or a control group (n=100), which received Low-Intensity Treatment (LIT). The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was administered at baseline and post-intervention to measure depression severity. Statistical analyses, including repeated measures ANOVA, were conducted to assess the intervention’s effectiveness. Results revealed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms in the experimental group, with mean PHQ-9 scores decreasing from 17.19 (pre-test) to 13.57 (post-test), whereas no notable change was observed in the control group. These findings highlight optimism training as a cost-effective and scalable mental health intervention that could be integrated into university counseling services to support students' psychological well-being and resilience.

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