Culture, Health, Connection: A Humanities-based Psychological Program for Preventive Enhancement of Well-being

Abstract The aim of this article is to present the basic principles of a humanities-based psychological program for preventive enhancement of well-being developed by the authors. The article situates our approach in the contemporary philosophical practice. The article also reports on two pilot studies that analyze the feasibility and preliminary impact of the program. The research questions of the two pilot studies were: RQ1: How did the research subjects experience the program and its influence on their well-being? RQ2: For people without mental or physical illness, what preliminary effects does the program have on their well-being, expressed through the measures of mental health, acceptance and action, valued living, and self-compassion? RQ3: Were the program and the methods of its assessment practically feasible? The first pilot study utilized a one-direction cross-over with 7 participants; the second one was a randomized controlled trial with 14 participants, during 6 and 8 weeks respectively. Qualitative data were collected through questionnaires with open questions and analyzed with thematic analysis. Quantitative data were collected through four established questionnaires for the measures in RQ2 above. The quantitative within-group-effects were analyzed by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, for both pilot studies. The between-group-effects in the second pilot study were analyzed by the Independent Mann-Whitney U. The qualitative results showed the participants’ very positive experiences of the program and its effects on well-being. The quantitative results have not shown statistically significant effects. The discrepancy is discussed in the article. The qualitative results indicate that the program has good feasibility, may be beneficial for well-being, and contributes to philosophical practice.