Indian Journal of Positive Psychology

Pages:1-6
Chase V. Grosse and Jonathan S. Gore (Estern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY)

Research has provided in sight in to the relationships between exercise and psychological well-being but here are concerns with previous method ologies including sample size sand variable definitions (Perham & Accordino, 2007; Paluska & Schwenk, 2000). To test the hypotheses that an increase in exercise predicts an increase in well-being and that this relationship exists while taking into account exercise addiction, under graduates completed a survey describing their exercise habits and psychological well-being at two time points (N=160; time1, N= 124; time 2). The results revealed that exercise is associated with psychological well-being even while controlling for exercise addiction, and that increases in exercise predicted decreased anxiety over ashort time period. Implication soft he study and possibilities for future research are discussed.

Pages:11-16
Parwinder Singh (Department of Psychology, Punjabi University Patiala) Ravinder Yadav (Medical Social Worker, Chandigarh)

AIDS brings suffering. Resulting multiple, severe, and unrelenting stressors may profoundly affect the individual's Quality of life and Subjective well being . Some positive psychologiCal dimensions needs to be explored that if incorporated into those patients' life style,can prepare them to fight with their disease. Keeping this goal in mind, the present study was designed to explore the effect of meaningfulness among HIV positive patients on their subjective well being and depression. It was hypothesized that individuals high on meaningfulness would be higher on subjective well being and lower on depression as compared to individuals low on the same.For this purpose, 80 HIV positive patients , with mean age of 37.14 years were selected randomly from an ART center based in chandigarh . Meaning in Life Questionnaire , The subjective Well Being Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory-II were administered and data was analyzed with the help of ANOVAs & coefficients of correlations . Result shows that patients with high meaningfulness in life tend to experience significantly higher subjective well being and less negative emotional state, i.e., depression as compared to those with low meaningfulness in life. Results were then discussed in the light of previous literature and implications for further studies were made.

Pages:21-24
L. R. Yagnik (Department of Psychology, Saurastra University, Saurastra, Gujrat)

Over the past two decades there has been an increasing belief that the experience of stress has undesirable consequences for health. It has become a common assumption, if not a 'cultural truism' (LeventhalaJ) d Tomarken, 1987). One cannot avoid stress in the modem society. But there are so many strategies to cope with stress. Understanding stress and adapting the coping strategies will be beneficial to the individuals as well as the organizations. In this regard the present study made its effort to see the effectiveness of stress management technique on reducing stress and to get optimum cardiac movement. The sample comprised of 30 employees from Ankleshwar district Gujarat. On the basis of stress questioner only those sample was taken whose stress level was found to be higher. Occupational stress (Scale) test by Srivastava was used to measure stress level of employees and cardiac movement was measured by using E.C.G. record. pre and post single group design was employed to reach out the objectives. Obtained data was analyzed by employed t test. Result revealed that Stress management, teoique is effective intervention to reduce stress as well as to get optimum autonomic response i.e. cardiac movement in employees' population

Pages:28-33
Suruchi Bhatia (Department of Psychology, SP Mukherjee College Delhi University, Delhi) Gopa Bhardwaj (Department of Psychology Delhi University, Delhi)

This is a concise effort to depict gender socialization of women folk. This work is an unbiased understanding of underlying characteristics of empowerment, scientifically gathered and without any feminist nuances. Social status of women has had its crests and falls all along Indian history. The focus of this study is on the analysis of the environment, socialization, and decision making processes of seven iconic personalities in the Indian national scenario. These individuals have been selected on the basis of empowering behavior exhibited by them. They are: Kiran Bedi , Bachendri Pal,Indira Gandi , Ela R. Bhatt,Sonal Mansingh, Sai Paranjpye, and Kalpana Lajmi.Although they all came from different socio-economic backgrounds they had a striking similarity in forming their ideologies as per their aspirations and asserting their independent nature irrespective of varied circumstance s Their focus was clear and line of action concrete. The success they acquired can partially be attributed to their internal locus of contrpl. With their power of communication , personal involvement , problem solving particularity at work, systematic working, transparency, personal accountability, constant internal audit, social audit of performance and review, they were able to cross the hurdles oflife and reach their goals. It is found here that family support is required only until a certain stage of development after which the individual needs to be self reliant. However a support from organizational set up can also act as a facilitator. Not only were their families supportive, but also their irrepressible spirit turned all stumbling blocks into stepping stones. They had aspirations and developed mastery by their work experience and competence .They were daring and were able to establish their own norms.

Pages:39-42
Fouzia Alsabah Shaikh and Anjali Ghosh (Psychology Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata)

Perceived life meaningfulness is an important existential concept known for enhancing long term recovery from substance abuse. The present study is an attempt to further develop and validate the Perceived Life, eaningfulness Scale for substance users in recovery phase. The questionnaire was developed initially by Shaikh and Ghosh in 2010 on account of no empirical measure of meaning in life for substance users. Apart from giving brief overview of the original scale construction, the present study describes the validation of the reduced 15 item version . For the present study, 150 substance users from four different rehabilitation centers in and around Kolkata region were approached . Principal component analysis was done to validate the factor structure. Cronbach's alpha of the total scale score along with the sub scale scores demonstrated that the instrument was a reliable measure of life meaningfulness . The present study gives a better conceptual understanding of life meaningfulness in context of substance use.

Pages:46-48
Diljot Soin (Department of Psychology, Panjab University, Chandigarh)

Elderly can sometimes face aging with little trepidation but some take it in a healthy challenging manner and engage themselves in regular exercise thereby improving their physical and mental well-being . The present research intends to study the effects ofregular exercise and yoga on the life satisfaction and quality oflife among elderly. In this regard, the study compared the individuals who do regular exercise consisting of walking, stretching exercises/yoga and the individuals who do not do regular exercise or yoga on their life satisfaction and quality of life. Chandigarh city was selected as a locale of the study from wherein a sample of 400 males (i.e., 200 with regular exercise and 200 without regular exercise) between the age ranges of 60-65 years was randomly selected from the residential sectors of similar socioeconomic profile . The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) by Diener, Emmons, Larsen and Griffin (1985) and The World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)- BREF by World Health Organization (2004) were administered to assess the life satisfaction and quality oflife among elderly. The results indicated positive psychosocial and cognitive outcomes in terms of significantly positive life satisfaction and quality oflife among elderly who remained physically active with regular exercise and yoga as compared to those without regular exercise and yoga . The research points that seniors who incorporate regular exercise, walking, and yoga into their lifestyles not only improved physical function but experienced psychological benefits as well. The findings may inspire older people who are reluctant and forgo its potential health benefits to get up, get out and get moving on a regular basis.

Pages:56-61
O.P. Sharma and Rajshree Tewari (Department of Psychology, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur)

This paper aims to study main and interactive effects of type of Pranayama Anuloma Viloma and Kapalabhati on General Mental Health , Emotional Intelligence, Happiness and Optimism in Pranayama Practitioners i.e. sustainable personal well-being it was hypothesized that Type of Pranayama and Life Skills will have no significant main and interactive effect on General Mental Health , Emotional Intelligence, Happiness and Optimism in Pranayama Practitioners . A purposive sample of 200 Pranayama practitioners age range 25-55 with balanced number of males and females was selected. Psychological tests administered were Life Skills Questionnaire (Clements, 2005), General Mental Health Questionnaire (Goldberg et al., 1979), Emotional Intelligence Scale (Mayer, 1997), Happiness Scale (Passer & Smith, 2006) and Optimism Scale (Carver & Scheier, 1985). It was empirically proved that Pranayama had significant main effect on General Mental Health, Emotional Intelligence, Happiness and Optimism in Pranayama Practitioner s, practicing Anuloma-Viloma and Kapalabhati Pranayama. It was further ascertained that Life Skills had significant main effect on General Mental Health and Emotional Intelligence but not on Happiness and Optimism in Pranayama Practitioner s practicing Anuloma-Viloma and Kapalabhati Pranayama. It was also empirically proved that Pranayama and Life Skills had significant interactive effect on General Mental Health and Emotional Intelligence but not on Happiness and optimism in Pranayama Practitioner spracticing Anuloma-Vilom a and Kapalabhati Pranayama.

Pages:67-74
Malavika Desai (Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management Shillong, Meghalaya, India) Bishakha Majumdar (Department of Applied Psychology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata West Bengal, India) Ganapathy P.Prabhu (Staffing Lead-EMEA Europe, Middle East, Africa)

Employee engagement is the level of commitment and involvement an employee has towards his organization and its values. An "engaged employee" is one who is fully involved in, and is enthusiastic about, his or her work, and thus will act in a way that furthers their organization's interests and fulfils its goals. Employee engagement has direct impact on the employee's productivity. Understandably, the most productive employees are those that are not only committed and loyal; but also but also those whose outputs are healthy and gratifying both for themselves as well as for the organization they work for. Obviously, these are the employees who can be called 'engaged''. In almost a bottom-up fashion, the organization as a whole benefits from employees that are committed, loyal, productive, and engaged. The paper aims at finding the employee engagement across manufacturing organizations and IT oranizations, and compares the underlying reasons indicating high or low employee engagement. Fifty middle level executives of a car manufacturing unit and fifty such employees of an IT firm, located in and around the city of Bengaluru, India, were sampled for the study. It was found that the degree of employee engagement was significantly high in the manufacturing organization as compared to that in IT firm. The main causes for a higher engagement in the manufacturing sector were found to be as the impression that the firm cares for and values the employees, free and frank communication with immediate supervisor, empathetic attitude of the latter towards the former, recognition of one's contributions towards the organizational goals, and freedom to participate in the decision making process .

Pages:83-87
Ashima Soni (Department of Psychology, Panjab University, Chandigarh)

Clinical psychology has focused primarily on the diagnosis and treatment of mental disease, and only recently has scientific attention turned to understanding and cultivating positive mental health. The Buddhist traditiQn, on the other hand, has focused for over 2,500 years on cultivating exceptional states of mental well-being as well as identifying and treating psychological problems. This theoretical paper attempts to draw on centuries of Buddhist experiential and theoretical inquiry as well as current western experimental research to highlight specific themes that are particularly relevant to exploring the nature of mental health. Specifically, the nature of mental well-being and attainment of well-being through the cultivation of four types of mental balance: conative, attentional, cognitive, and affective will be discussed.

Pages:91-94
Brahmdeep Sindhu (General Hospital, Gurgaon) Rajiv Gupta (Department of Psychiatry, PGIMS, Rohtak) Swati Sindhu (Consultant Physician , Gurgaon) Krishan Kumar (National Brain Research Centre, Manesar) Devender Kumar (General Hospital, Gurgaon)

Mental health has two dimensionsabsence of mental illness and presence of a well-adjusted pei;sonality that contributes effectively to the life of the community.Ability to take responsibility for one's own actions, flexibility, high frustration tolerance , acceptance of uncertainty, involvement in activities of social interest, courage to take risks, serenity to accept the things which we cannot change, courage to change the things which we can change, the wisdom to know the difference between the above, acceptance of handicaps, tempered self-control , harmonious relationships to self, others, including Nature and God, are the essential features of mental health . Spirituality is an important aspect of mental health. St. Augustine prayed "O God, thou created us in thy image and our hearts will be restless until they find their rest in Thee."Though Sigmund Freud looked upon religion as an illusion and neurosis, Carl Jung considered the psyche as a carrier of truth, powerfully rooted in the unconscious mind. Religion is important, directly and indirectly, in the etiology, diagnosis, symptomatology, treatment and prognosis of psychiatric disturbances. Lack of spirituality can interfere with interpersonal relationships, which can contribute to the genesis of psychiatric disturbance. Psychiatric symptoms can have a religious content. For example, the loss of interest in religious activities is a common symptom of depression. Too much and distorted religious practices are common in schizophrenia. It is well recognized that some religious states and experiences are misdiagnosed as symptoms of psychi.atric illness. Visions and possession states are examples .The spiritual background of the patient will help in the diagnosis of psychiatric disturbance. They are important in the treatment of psychiatric disturbance because spiritual matters can be profitably incorporated in psychotherapy . Spirituality is important in the prognosis of psychiatric conditions.Inthe spiritual perspective, a differentiation must be made between cure and healing .Cure is the removal of symptoms.Healing is the healing of the whole person. Adversity often produces maturity. Hence in psychotherapy, the patient must be helped to accept the handicap and transform the handicap to a life of usefulness.