The Positive Psychology and Wellbeing Research Lab Newsletter Issue#2

ISSUE 2, (SPRING 2019)

POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND WELLBEING RESEARCH LAB OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND WELL BEING RESEARCH LAB

In this issue Community Service Award One year anniversary celebration Published studies De-stress event Upcoming research publications and projects MEPA 3rd Annual Conference and Expo - Establishment of Middle East Positive Psychology Division Testimonials from cofounders and faculty

Community service Award Dr. Saddiga AlGhalib, founder of the Positive Psychology and Well being Research Lab, was awarded the Excellence in community service award by HRH Princess Lolowah Al Faisal for her outstanding efforts to uplift the community through applied positive psychology. Â

One year anniversary celebration We are extremely ecstatic to announce that the Positive Psychology and Well being Research Lab (PPWRL) at Effat University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia celebrated its first anniversary on 28 February, 2019. This lab was established with the aims to achieve a vibrant society by enhancing people’s well being as envisioned in the Vision 2030 of Saudi Arabia. In commemoration of achieving multiples feats within its first year, the PPWR lab team decided to organize an nteractive event whose unique set up allowed the audience to be further immersed in dialogue, activities, games, exercise, etc. It allowed the attendees to contribute to the event through their active participation in the activities and discussions that were created after thorough consideration instead of simply consuming information that is presented to them. This structure allowed the audience to have more fun and gave them a taste of how it feels to be a part of the Positive Psychology and Well being Research Lab

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The lab has come a long way in the short amount of time since its establishment. This memorable milestone was celebrated in a unique fashion through a compilation video commemorating all its achievements in the past year. Â The audience were also able to actively experience the field of positive psychology and its role in the betterment of the society through attending stalls managed by psychology students where they could experience different positive psychology interventions. A treasure hunt was also conducted were participants had to find clues hidden in the PPWR lab and were given prizes upon success. Their experience at the event included a mindful breathing session, a soothing musical piece by a talented pianist and mindful conversations through a mindful connection activity. The attendees engaged in this activity by conversing with strangers and simultaneously practicing mindful listening.

The lab has come a long way in the short amount of time since its establishment.

The guests of honor, namely Dr. Ghazi Binzagr (CEO of Wisaal), Dr. Rola Ashor and Dr. Khalid Sendi (therapists at ACT Center, Jeddah), Dr. Lila Alghalib (Dean of Student Affairs at Al Rayyan Colleges, Al Madinah), Dr. Maha Taibah (Founder and CEO of Eradah, Riyadh) and Dr. Saddiga Alghalib (PPWRL Founder) held a dialogue about the future of positive psychology in the MENA region and discussed the significance of positive psychology interventions.A Gratitude Program was initiated during the event where the lab members presented letters of appreciation and gifts to people they are grateful for. The recipients were Dr. Haifa Jamal Al Lail- President of Effat University, Dr. Lila Alghalib, Mr. Ernie Geslani and the late Mr. Hamza Iskandar.

Finally, the Haraka Baraka (Movement is Bliss) campaign was launched. This campaign aims to motivate individuals to reduce the amount of time spent in sedentary activities and teach people the strategies they can use to incorporate movement in their office and home lives.

Published Studies Perceptions of Women’s Driving in Saudi Arabia: Relationship with Openness to Experience and Happiness CITATION Al-Ghalib, S. J., Salim, A. Y., Al-Khalifah, S., & Dahlawi, R. A. (2018). Perceptions of women’s driving in Saudi Arabia: Relationship with openness to experience and happiness. Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, 4(1), 102-125.

ABSTRACT In September 2017, King Salman issued a decree that granted women the right to drive. Until then, Saudi Arabia was the only country in the world that did not allow women such a right. The Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 plans to modernize the country was a leading force towards this change, but measures to make Saudi Arabia a moderate Islamic country and reduce its dependency on oil revenues have garnered mixed reactions. This has created a need to understand the public’s opinion on women’s driving; but, no tools to measure such perceptions existed. Thus, the aim of the study was to examine the perceptions of women’s driving in Saudi Arabia by creating the ‘Women Driving Perception Scale’ (WDPS). The investigation also focuses on the relationship between such perceptions and levels of openness and happiness. With a reliability of 0.90, the WDPS showed that women are more enthusiastic about their driving than men. Further, there is a positive correlation between the WDPS, openness to experience and subjective happiness, although males score higher on happiness altogether. Factors such as marital and professional status, and women’s reasons for driving were also examined. The WDPS was useful in providing insight on the public’s perceptions and thoughts on women’s driving.

“A Vibrant Society with Fulfilling Lives”~ Vision 2030 of Saudi Arabia

Published Studies A Mindfulness Based Intervention to Enhance University Student Well being in Saudi Arabia CITATION Al-Ghalib, S. J., & Salim, A. Y. (2018). A mindfulness based intervention to enhance university student wellbeing in Saudi Arabia. Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, 4(1), 142- 157.

ABSTRACT The Mindful Jeddah Training Program (MJTP) is a culturally and religiously inclusive three-week mindfulness-training pilot program designed to help university student’s deal with everyday stress, anxiety and depression while increasing levels of life satisfaction.

A quasi-experiment was designed to compare the effectiveness of the MJTP with a control condition.

Twenty-six female participants from a private university in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia were randomly assigned to treatment or control group participation. A comparison of group means showed that the MJTP group had marginally decreased levels of stress, anxiety, depression and increased mental well-being and mindfulness. Yet, a dependent t-test showed that the MJTP group had statistical significantly increased levels

“A Vibrant Society with Fulfilling Lives”~ Vision 2030 of Saudi Arabia

of life satisfaction as well. An independent t-test

between the two groups revealed no significant results.

The control group showed decreased mental well-being while slightly increasing depression and anxiety which reinforces the idea that analyzing and over-thinking are

The MJTP can be an effective way to meet well-being aims in Saudi Arabia and in a manner that is culturally and religiously congruent.

detrimental to psychological health. The MJTP can be an effective way to meet well-being aims in Saudi Arabia and in a manner that is culturally and religiously congruent.

Published Studies Our Chapter published in the textbook titled “Positive Psychology in the Middle East/North Africa: Research, Policy, and Practise” REFERENCE Al-Ghalib, S. J., Al-Khalifa, S. A.-H., Salim, A, Y., & Dahlawi, R. A. H. (2019). Saudi Arabia’s Road to Positivity: Positive Psychology Education and Research. In L. Lambert & N. Pasha-Zaidi (Eds.), Positive Psychology in the Middle East/North Africa (pp. 133-156). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.· We had the opportunity to contribute a chapter in a text book that specifically looks at positive psychology from the regional perspective. It includes evidence-based and regionally relevant topics in the field. Here is a brief description provided by the authors for what the book is all about: “This volume looks at positive psychology from a culturally-responsive, empirically-driven perspective to avoid a descent into pseudoscience. Through evidence-based, regionally relevant topics in the field of wellbeing, this volume shows how increasing levels of excellence in the GCC region enhance upon business, education, research, and social innovations. Grounded in the empirical research literature, each chapter applies psychological concepts to locally relevant considerations, such as culture, religion, and socio-political contexts, making this book an essential tool for understanding positive psychology and well-being in the GCC nations and beyond.”

Reviews of the book “I am a strong believer and supporter of Positive Psychology mainly because I have seen how useful and successful it has been for my clients in the Middle East. This book provides a much needed and well deserved positive view of the MENA/GCC region and I highly recommend it as a book everyone must read.” (Dr. Joanne Hands, PhD, LPC, LMFT, President of the Middle East Psychological Association, Kuwait.)

“This insightful book provides a unique blend of Positive Psychology with Middle Eastern science and culture. A first for the field of positive psychology and a truly ground breaking book for the region. I learnt a lot!” (Professor Lea Waters, PhD, Director for the Centre for Positive Psychology, University of Melbourne (Australia). President of the International Positive Psychology Association)

“A Vibrant Society with Fulfilling Lives”~ Vision 2030 of Saudi Arabia

Abstract of the Chapter “In April 2016, a new vision for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia was revealed on national TV. The ambitious blueprint outlines a long-term plan for diversifying the country’s oil based economy. Set forth by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the Vision 2030 places Saudi citizens in the center of its quest for a post oil era by recognizing Saudis as an untapped resource necessary for the country’s new economic plan. The vision sets forth a number of goals one of which is improving the social, physical and psychological well being of Saudis. In this chapter we give an overview of a growing positive psychology movement in the kingdom, and the accelerating effects recent economic and social reforms had on the movement. Additionally, we briefly discuss how the predominant religion of Saudi Arabia- Islam and its contribution to positive psychology, the beginning of Positive Psychology education in Saudi Arabia and the prospect of an indigenous positive psychology as a result of establishing the kingdom’s first positive psychology research lab.

Source:https://vision2030.gov.sa/en

Set forth by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the Vision 2030 places Saudi citizens in the center of its quest for a post oil era by recognizing Saudis as an untapped resource necessary for the country’s new economic plan.

The vision sets forth a number of goals one of which is improving the social, physical and psychological well being of Saudis.

“A Vibrant Society with Fulfilling Lives”~ Vision 2030 of Saudi Arabia

De-stress event The lab organized a de-stress event for students to relax and unwind before the exams.

“A Vibrant Society with Fulfilling Lives”~ Vision 2030 of Saudi Arabia

Upcoming Research Publications The Benefits of Gratitude Interventions Applied in a Saudi Arabian Academic Society In the modern sense of the word, gratitude is the positive emotion that is felt when another person has given something of value to the person. Gratitude is labelled as the ‘parent of all other virtues’ because thinkers from various disciplines believe that this emotion is essential for staying connected and enhancing social relationships (as cited in Bartlett & Desteno, 2006). In Islam, gratitude (especially gratitude towards God) is considered as one of the duties of a Muslim (Pervez, 2014). The main aim of the research was to examine the effect of gratitude on the levels of happiness, wellbeing and life satisfaction of people Saudi Arabia. This research study will benefit the society by creating awareness about the benefits of gratitude interventions and the importance of Islamic values to Muslims. Gratitude is relevant to mental health and clinical psychology in Saudi Arabia because it is very helpful in understanding well-being and also has the potential to improve wellbeing through exercises in gratitude (Wood, Froh, & Geraghty, 2010).

The Effectiveness of the Mindful Jeddah Program in a Saudi Arabian Academic Society The advent of technology and other inventions have made people’s lives incredibly fast paced. People are only focused on ‘doing’ and meeting deadlines instead of ‘being’ or ‘living’. There are a million thoughts and worries that run in their minds and they are constantly thinking and planning. Recently, mindfulness based therapy programs have been successful in relieving stress and improving overall well-being of people. Many people who practice mindfulness find that they are less likely to get caught up in worries about life events. These exercises help in making a person fully engaged in activities. It creates a greater capacity to deal with adversity and also improves physical health in many ways such as: heart diseases, lower blood pressure, improve sleep, and reduce chronic pain (Harvard Health Publications, n.d.).

However, almost all of these programs have been made with the Western and European population in mind.

There are almost no comprehensive and culture sensitive mindfulness based well being programs in the Arab society. The Arab society has a rich culture which highly values spirituality. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of a new mindfulness based well being program- Mindful Jeddah Program on a Saudi Arabian academic society.

Upcoming Research Publications Validating the School Spirit Scale in a University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia School Spirit is one of the pillars of any organization. It is the sense of identity and community shared by members of an educational institution. School spirit means representing the school proudly though behavior that paints the school and community in a positive light. Any activities that the student will do is to show how much they love their school and present that in a good way. However, research suggests that student dissatisfaction ranging from intellectual and social detachment to apathy has risen in the last couple of decades (Terzian, 2004).  Universities in Saudi Arabia seem to be facing the general problems of low levels of student school spirit.

However, no steps have been taken to measure school spirit in these universities. The aim of this research was to determine the level of school spirit in a private university in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and suggest solutions for improving school spirit. It also aims to examine whether there is a relationship between school spirit, happiness, and motivation. This study will be significant for educational institutions in Saudi Arabia as it will illuminate the benefits of school spirit in institutions. It will also raise awareness about the importance of high levels of school spirit for students. This study is also the first of its kind to be conducted in Saudi Arabia and will pave the way for further research to be conducted in this particular field. As a result of this study, a scale will be developed which can be used as an example for other educational institutions.

Obesity Well-being and Positive Psychology Digital Solution (A collaborative project between PPWRL and College of Engineering at Effat University) Obesity has become one of the biggest health concerns due to different factors. Psychological and emotional factors play significant roles in both the development and consequences of obesity. This project explains all phases of developing a mobile application (P Health app), which allows users to understand the psychological factors behind craving unhealthy food or eating too much before starting to lose weight. P health is a mobile application designed by using psychological assessments and interventions. It keeps a user in touch with experts (specialists) and motivated with uplifting messages. This application aims to contribute to health maintenance and the well-being of obese individuals without any surgical interventions.

Upcoming Research projects On the Road to Implementing the Saudi Vision 2030: Examining the Impact of Technology on the Saudi Family WellbeingOn the Road to Implementing the Saudi Vision 2030: Examining the Impact of Technology on the Saudi Family Wellbeing

Upcoming workshops Mindful connections workshop October, 2019

Psychological Well-being workshop December, 2019

MEPA 3rd Annual Conference and Expo The Middle East Psychology Association (MEPA) hosted the 3rd Annual Conference and Expo in Kuwait on March 14-16, 2019. Dr. Saddiga Alghalib was invited to participate in the conference as a panel speaker in the session titled, “Continuing the work of developing a regional positive psychology”.

The conference ended with an exciting announcement on the launch of the first professional division of MEPA- Division #1 Positive Psychology. Dr. Louise Lambert, Dr. Saddiga Alghalib, Hajra Hussain and Silvia King will be collaborating to develop the content of the division. The division aims to provide an organized, supportive, and collaborative platform for researchers, practitioners, academics, and interested individuals to share in all aspects of positive psychology in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region. “It offers a mutually beneficial setting in which such professionals and individuals can exchange scientific knowledge, practice information, develop collegial relationships, and meet the needs and opportunities of the MENA region.

Still in development, the Division’s goals are to promote rigorous scientific positive psychology research that will create a basis of evidence in the MENA region; encourage the growth of positive psychology by defining, maintaining and improving standards of expertise and evidence-based practice; support the dissemination of knowledge by participating and sharing best practices in professional positive psychology events, as well as assisting and participating in professional activities with MEPA; and, create a collaborative space where practitioners, researchers, academics and students can share and engage in topical debate and discussion, work together, and affirm and define their professional identity (Lambert, Al-Sabah, MulayShah, Al-Ghalib, & Al-Rasbi, 2019).

Testimonials from co-founders and faculty "The Positive Psychology and Wellbeing Research Lab has given me the opportunity to hone my research and scientific investigation skills. Working at the lab gave me a much needed direction in my life after graduating. It allowed me to experience real life research and the world of academia. I will always cherish the memories i have made in helping establish this lab along with the Founder- Dr. Saddiga Alghalib and

Afeefah Yahya Salim, Co-Founder

my fellow co-founders- Rana Dahlawi and Shaden Alkhalifah. I am very proud of what we have achieved in the year since the establishment of the lab. It would not have been possible without the seamless teamwork between the members and the touch of positivity Dr. Saddiga brings in everything she does. In the future, i personally think that the lab might look a bit different than its current appearance due to changing circumstances but its core will never change. The main goal of the lab to bring positivity to our community will always remain the same. I wish the lab a happy birthday and many more years of prosperity!"

"When I graduated from Effat University, my beloved professor Dr.Saddiga Al-Ghalib offered me an opportunity to Co-found a research lab under the Psychology Department, which will be known later on as, The Positive Psychology & Well-being

Rana Dahlawi, Co-Founder

Research Lab. I took the opportunity wholeheartedly, because I believed strongly in the vision and mission of the lab. Now, after a year of dedication and hard work, we have published various research, wrote a book chapter, initiated the 1st International Positive Psychology Symposium, spread awareness about mental health care through numerous campaigns and workshops and most importantly we have established a community. I am beyond proud of what Dr.Saddiga and the rest of the team have done so far to make this vision a reality, and I believe that our story is just starting, and what is a head of us is a vibrant and prominent future led by passionate and driven community."

Testimonials from co-founders and faculty Thank you for championing the creation of the psychology lab and for offering the several sessions last semester. The benefits of the weekly sessions are limitless.

Here are some of them to cite only a few. These sessions enable the participants, and mainly myself to:

Dr. Sena Maherzi, Asst. Professor, GEP Dept.

1. To flee the stress and anxiety of daily life.

2. To nurture my body through the breathing exercises, and hence boost my emotional health and better know myself.

3. To provide a more positive outlook on life, e.g. to transform self-defeating thoughts into constructive patterns.

4. To generate more positive feelings towards and others and myself.

Once again, God Bless you for this initiative! Looking forward for more workshops next semester insh-Allah. I am already in!

"The Positive Psychology and Wellbeing Research Lab (PPWRL) enriches the scientific prosperity of positive psychology research in Saudi Arabia by investigating local and

Dr. Kholoud Khateeb, Asst. Professor, IS Dept.

cultural trends. The PPWRL lab is also continuously hosting activities and events for increasing the awareness of the various well-being aspects. One of the lab recent initiatives is focused on the physical wellness of our community via it’s “Keep on Moving!” camping. Health is our ultimate wealth and an enabler for happiness, success, and higher quality of life. The comping aims to create physical self-care habits in an optimistic drive."

Join us!

You can Join our team of contributors to work on content development or donate to the development of the lab. Please follow the given link to learn more! https://www.effatuniversity.edu.sa/English/Research /Research-Labs/Positive-Psychology/Pages/JoinNow.aspx

Membership Program

The team

The team behind the lab is : Dr Saddiga Alghalib Rana Dahlawi Shaden AlKhalifah For inquiries regarding Positive Psychology & Well being Research Lab, please contact us on Email: saddiga@gmail.com ppwresearchlab@gmail.com PPWRL@effatuniversity.edu.sa Tel - +(966) 54 077 7731 Address:

Afeefah Salim Bashaer AlKhalifah Al Batoul Al Shaiban Adeelah Salim Alareen AlJaed Maryam patel Ibtisam Said Syeda Zarlish

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Credits: Design and Editing by Adeelah Salim Content Editing by Afeefah Salim