Embedding Positive Emotions Activities in a Family-Strengthening Intervention to Enhance Receptivity and Engagement

Fostering participant engagement in behavioral interventions, especially those delivered via videoconferencing and with families, is challenging. Drawing on social-psychological literature on positive emotions and known emotion-action tendency sets (e.g., awe increases openness to new ideas; compassion spurs forming social bonds), we propose that exercises that induce specific positive emotions could enhance receptivity and engagement to achieve session goals in manualized interventions. We conducted a pilot study to test the feasibility and acceptability of incorporating brief positive emotions exercises into a group family intervention. The eight-session manualized intervention, Coping Together, is designed to promote positive family relationships and communication. We selected one positive emotions exercise for the start of each session to induce a specific emotion with an action tendency tailored to that session’s goals. Community health workers (CHWs) facilitated the sessions over Zoom with parents/caregivers and youth ages 7 to 18 during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. Eighteen families (24 caregivers; 24 youth) participated; 92% of caregivers were African American. Caregivers and youth participated in focus groups and post-session surveys. CHWs participated in interviews. Each positive emotions exercise was found to be feasible in implementation, practicality, integration, and acceptability. Participants gave high ratings on enjoyment, clarity, and usefulness for all exercises and most indicated experiencing the intended emotion. Findings suggest attention should be given to unintended emotions, multiple emotions, and the relatability of activities. This feasibility study informs future studies needed to test whether specific positive emotions exercises increase engagement. This approach may potentially strengthen outcomes across interventions.