The Digital Five Ways to Wellbeing Intervention: Long-Term Change in Life Satisfaction

Abstract The worldwide burden of mental health problems is substantial. Preventive and promotive interventions with impact on the population level are needed. The Five Ways to Wellbeing is a health-promotive evidence-informed framework that supports the importance of five specific action domains (connect, take notice, be active, keep learning and give). This framework was recently documented to be effective in enhancing wellbeing through a low-dosage digital intervention termed the Five Ways to Wellbeing for All (5waysA). However, the duration of the effects has not been examined. In the present study, we investigate the long-term (12-month) enhancement of life satisfaction following the intervention in a single-group design utilizing multilevel modeling and piecewise regression ( n = 731). Subsequently, we simulate the trajectory for a synthetic control group, using Norwegian population data (Mean and SD), to serve as an untreated counterfactual for comparison. For the intervention group, our analysis revealed a significant increase in life satisfaction (SWLS) from baseline to follow-up (12 months) ( d = 0.28; p < 0.01). Further analysis including the synthetic population-based control group showed a significant ( p < 0.05) between-group difference in wellbeing at 12 months. Cohen’s d effect size for this between group difference was 0.17 ( p < 0.05). With low administration costs and high scalability, 5waysA may offer policymakers and practitioners an effective way to promote lasting improvements in wellbeing. Considering the resource demands associated with the use of regular control groups, we also hope to inspire the field to adopt resource-efficient synthetic control methods to study the long-term effects of health interventions.