Despite heavily-marketed claims to the contrary, positive psychology interventions do not consistently improve mental or physical health and well-being. The myth that these interventions are efficacious is perpetuated by a mutually-admiring, self-promotional collective that protects its claims from independent peer review and scrutiny.

As with the positive psychology intervention literature, it is a quick leap from the authors submitting a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal to making claims in the media, including op-ed pieces in the New York Times, and then releasing products like workshops and books that are lavishly praised by other members of the positive psychology community.

It is apparently too much to expect that positive psychology advice givers will take time out from their self-promotion to replicate what are essentially pilot studies before hitting the road and writing op eds again. And too much to expect that the Association of Psychological Science journals Psychological Science and Social Psychological and Personality Science will insist on transparent reporting of adequately powered studies as a condition for publication.

The incentives for scientifically sound positive psychology advice just aren’t there.

via Will following positive psychology advice make you happier and healthier? – Mind the Brain.