MEPA Positive Psychology

There are two important words in the definition of positive psychology. The first is “psychology.” Positive psychology is a branch of psychology that follows the same scientific methods of investigation to make sense of the world, our interactions with others, as well as our thoughts and emotions. In that sense, positive psychology is no different than cognitive psychology or behavioral psychology.

The second important word is “positive.” For too long, psychology has focused on the negative aspects of life, such as depression, anxiety, anger, divorce, eating disorders, trauma, etc. Yet, there is more to this in life. There are also positive emotions like curiosity, inspiration and love. There are also positive experiential states like flow and peak experiences. There are also ways to be more productive, kind, altruistic, and loving, instead of only learning ways to NOT be depressed, anxious or miserable.

In short, positive psychology is the scientific study of how humans, families, communities, societies and nations as a whole, can be better versions of themselves. It is a reorienting of psychology towards the full spectrum of human experience. It does not ignore or overlook the negative; it just gives the positive its rightful place in science.

Positive education aims to deliver the skills to promote wellbeing in students, staff, management and parents. This field is focused on understanding what makes schools and universities good places to be; that is, where students learn, grow and enrich themselves as human beings and not only as future workers. The goal of positive education is to nurture positive emotions, strengths and talents so that students, who will become future citizens, may contribute to the world in positive, constructive, and beneficial ways. Researchers in this field might be interested in answering questions like: How can character strengths development, as well as positive psychology intervention strategies be embedded into curricula? How can positive parenting become an integral pillar of positive education? How can school administrations champion positivity for teachers and management through HR policies?

The field of positive health seeks to understand, research and promote the physical and psychological strengths that prolong life, promote better disease prognosis and predict health outcomes. It is not (only) interested in the absence of illness, but more importantly, the presence of protective and sustaining factors that contribute to living and enjoying a good life from a health perspective. These assets might include cardiorespiratory fitness, optimism, a sense of hardiness and good relationships. Researchers in this area might seek to answer the following: What role does optimism play in the treatment of cardiovascular disease? Does religiosity influence the remission of cancer? What effect does mindfulness have on blood pressure? How can researchers partner with healthcare organizations to develop interventions with both patients and healthy individuals?

Just like positive psychologists seek to discover what makes life worthwhile, they also seek to discover what contributes to good workplaces, great jobs and awesome working environments, including the processes, motivations, and interactions that go into the world of work. Researchers working here are curious about what makes people more productive, motivated, innovative, or altruistic in the workplace, as well as what makes organizations contribute to the greater good of society versus focusing solely on profit as examples. Questions of interest might include: Can positive psychology interventions boost organizational citizenship behavior? What leadership qualities contribute to the development of virtuous organizations? What leads to employee engagement? How can resilience mitigate the stress of economic downturns?

This branch involves the clinical applications of positive psychology interventions – known as PPIs – to generate flourishing states of mental health in individuals and families, as well as to remediate negative clinical states of functioning. It is focused on minimizing negative symptoms of emotional and relational distress and, more importantly, on building states of mental health as resources for the present and protection for the future. It’s not enough to not be depressed or anxious, for life to be worthwhile, individuals must also enjoy positive emotions and experiences too. Researchers in this area might ask: What role do positive psychology interventions play in increasing wellbeing in the elderly? How can positive emotions remediate and prevent mental illness? How are positive psychology interventions mediated by culture and religion?

To be honest, the word “happiness” means nothing in the scientific literature. It’s the word that gets used in the popular media and that is associated with smiley faces, and which usually refers to how positively you feel at this very minute. But, from a scientific perspective, that’s not enough. We use terms like satisfaction with life, flourishing, flow, meaning, engagement, subjective wellbeing, or other concepts that are scientifically defined instead. The most common measure and term that you’ll run across in the research literature is “subjective wellbeing”, which refers to how much positive and negative emotion you regularly feel, as well as how you feel about your life overall.

Because there are many ways to understand happiness – wellbeing, that is – there are many ways to measure it. In fact, there are over 200 measures and this is why some countries for example, might score high on one scale, but lower on another. We can measure many concepts at once or one at a time; that accounts for why results differ. Think of it this way; some people like to party, eat, dance and live for the moment – that is an aspect of happiness – while others might find meaning in fulfilling their obligations to family and communities instead – that’s also a part of happiness. Researchers are still working out which is the best way to measure wellbeing and over time, better measures will emerge. In the meanwhile, if you are doing research, stick to the measures with the most validity and reliability. If we all use the same good measures, over time, it becomes easier to compare scores. However, the point is not to see who is happier necessarily, but how certain components of wellbeing work with other components, as well as what contributes to, or undermines scores.

Some of the measures used in positive psychology are

  • Adult Hope Scale

  • Attributional Style Questionnaire

  • Curiosity and Exploration Inventory

  • Flourishing scale

  • Gratitude Questionnaire

  • Inspiration Scale

  • Meaning in Life Questionnaire

  • Mindful Attention Awareness Scale

     

  • Older Adults’ Attributional Style Questionnaire

  • PERMA-Profiler

  • Personal Growth Initiative Scale

  • Psychological Well-Being Scales

  • Quality of Life Inventory

  • Satisfaction with Life Scale

  • Silver Lining Questionnaire

  • State-Trait-Cheerfulness Inventory

  • Subjective Happiness Scale

  • Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations Inventory

  • VIA Survey of Character Strengths

(Questionnaires for researchers)

Positive psychology measures usually tend to be either self-reported, i.e., an individual’s personal assessment or more qualitative in nature.

Positive psychology interventions – also called PPIs in the literature – are strategies used by researchers, clinicians and people like you, to boost wellbeing. They are empirically derived, that is, tested on thousands of people and their impact is watched observed to see whether gains hold across 3, 6, and 12 months. PPI examples include gratitude, savoring, capitalization, engaging in acts of kindness, spending time in nature, imagining time as limited, pursuing goals, and taking part in physical activity. Meta-analyses show that PPIs successfully improve wellbeing and decrease negative emotionality with changes lasting up to one year and relative to control groups (Bolier et al., 2013; Chakhssi, Kraiss, Sommers-Spijkerman, & Bohlmeijer, 2018; Dickens, 2017; Hone, Jarden, & Schofield, 2015; Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009; Weiss, Westerhof, & Bohlmeijer, 2016). PPIs reduce ill-being, protecting against stress, negative emotions, and attenuating symptoms of mental illness and serve as a protective factor against mental health issues by offering individuals the tools with which to generate better success and functionality.

The capabilities and applications of AI have expanded significantly in recent years. It is increasingly being incorporated into diverse disciplines, including positive psychology and the broader field of psychology. The ability of AI to analyze massive amounts of data, identify patterns and offer customized solutions is particularly attractive to mental health practitioners, positive psychologists and researchers. AI-powered machine learning can analyze health records and behavior to diagnose or predict mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. In addition to diagnosis and prediction, AI technology can analyze patient records to offer customized therapy solutions, interventions and even medication suggestions. Deep Learning (DL) and Machine Learning (ML) can be used to analyze neuroimaging data such CT scans and MRIs, and personal health records to detect intellectual and development disorders. They can also be used for detection of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s in which early detection is essential to treatment. In addition, AI-powered chatbots are capable of leveraging Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology to evaluate patients’ mental health, provide immediate support, and suggest evidence-based behavioral therapy strategies, including meditation, physical activity, and mindful breathing exercises (Thakkar et al., 2024).

However, use of AI in mental health does raise some ethical concerns. There is a fear that over-dependance on AI for decision making and interaction may lead to a decline in social- emotional health. It can also be argued that human psychology is very complex and AI recommendations based on data patterns may not be reliable or accurate as individual nuances cannot be taken into account. Dehumanization or lack of personal touch is also a concern. Human empathy, understanding and interaction is an essential component of mental wellbeing. Furthermore, concerns regarding data privacy and security must be carefully considered (Sutton, 2024). However, despite these concerns, as with any new technology, through research and better training, AI can be a very effective tool in positive psychology.

What’s happening in the region when it comes to positive psychology?

We’re glad you asked! As you know, it’s a new area of interest in the region and while it was slow to catch on, there is no denying that the movement has started and is spreading throughout the region. While there are new developments every single day, which we’ll try and regularly capture on this website, here are a few things we can tell you.

 Publications and Information

There is a peer-reviewed academic journal in positive psychology that is specific to the region. It is always accepting research articles of work done by researchers and/or student researchers in the region. It is also open to publishing regional conference proceedings specific to positive psychology. Sign up as a reader to be informed of new developments and issues. It is free and entirely open:

https://middleeastjournalofpositivepsychology.org/index.php/mejpp/index

There is one newly published book on positive psychology specific to the region and we’re hopeful more will follow. It is available for purchase here and is useful for policy makers, researchers, as well as educators who will be teaching in positive psychology.

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-13921-6

There is a weekly dedicated positive psychology newspaper column in the Al-Ittihad newspaper written by Dr. Sherif Arafa. In it, you will find the science of wellbeing translated into understandable and actionable ideas and strategies. Taken from the research literature, this column provides a way for science to be relevant and applicable to the lives of people in the region. See more at https://www.alittihad.ae/

 Research Labs

While there is one research lab specific to positive psychology in the United Arab Emirates, there is much research being undertaken by researchers independently of such labs. See our “Who is doing what” section to know more.
The Emirates Center for Happiness Research is housed in the United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain (UAE). It aims to produce research in the field of wellbeing and happiness, monitor and assess the nation’s happiness indices, as well as develop capacity-building and professional consultancy programs.

 Regional Conferences

Every year, the Middle East Psychological Association (MEPA) hosts a psychology conference in countries around the region. From now on, as part of the Division’s activities, there will be a dedicated stream to positive psychology. Stay tuned for exact dates and the location, as well as the call for abstracts and line-up of presenters. You won’t want to miss it and we expect to see you there!

Who is doing what in the region?

We will be featuring interviews with active researchers and practitioners from time to time; but, for now, take a look at who is doing what in the region here:

https://www.middleeastjournalofpositivepsychology.org/index.php/mejpp/issue/view/19

Also see a previous issue of the Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology which featured interviews with a number of regional practitioners and researchers in positive psychology:

https://middleeastjournalofpositivepsychology.org/index.php/mejpp/issue/view/10

The Division of Positive Psychology is a special subject area in psychology. Our Division is supported by the Middle East Psychological Association (MEPA) and is dedicated to providing 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. The Division offers a mutually beneficial setting in which professionals and individuals can exchange scientific knowledge, practice information, develop collegial relationships, and meet the needs and opportunities of the MENA region.

  1. Advance Rigorous Research

    • Promote and support scientific research in Positive Psychology across the MENA region.
    • Develop and validate culturally relevant Arabic scales, including Positive Islamic Psychology measures.
  2. Translate Science into Practice
    • Bring research findings into education, community, organizational, and clinical settings.
    • Provide practical toolkits, interventions, and training for professionals and the public.
  3. Promote Positive Education
    • Integrate wellbeing science into schools and universities.
    • Train educators and support ministries of education in building flourishing learning environments.
  4. Foster Wellbeing & Mental Health Awareness
    • Reduce stigma around mental health.
    • Promote prevention, resilience, and self-care across the lifespan.
  5. Build Regional and Global Partnerships
    • Collaborate with universities, ministries, NGOs, and international bodies (IPPA, UNESCO, WHO, PPN).
    • Position MEPA as the regional hub of Positive Psychology in the Arab world.
  6. Innovate with Technology and Culture
    • Explore AI and digital tools for wellbeing.
    • Contribute unique cultural perspectives through Positive Islamic Psychology, art, spirituality, and community values.

  1. Positive Education

    • Flourishing schools and universities, teacher training, youth wellbeing.

  2. Positive Wellbeing & Mental Health
    • Preventive programs, resilience, awareness campaigns, mental health literacy.
  3. Positive Communities & Organizations
    • Workplace flourishing, leadership, family wellbeing, and community resilience.
  4. Positive Culture & Spirituality
    • Positive Islamic Psychology.
    • Integration of art, writing, travel, cooking, and cultural heritage into wellbeing.
  5. Positive Innovation
    • AI and digital wellbeing tools.
    • Development of local Arabic measurement scales and validated assessments.

Stage One: Foundations (2025–2026)

Goal:

  • Build credibility through research & cultural grounding.
  • Establish regional research collaborations (Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, etc.).
  • Develop & validate wellbeing and flourishing scales in Arabic (including Positive Islamic Psychology measures).
  • Begin publications in the Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology and international journals.
  • Host introductory webinars and awareness sessions.

Stage Two: Application (2027–2028)

Goal:

  • Translate science into practice for schools, communities, and organizations.
  • Launch Positive Education programs in pilot schools/universities.
  • Develop training and certificate programs for educators, practitioners, and organizations.
  • Run community initiatives (happiness challenges, mental health campaigns, family wellbeing programs).
  • Establish an annual MEPA Positive Psychology conference track.
  • Publish practical toolkits and resources in Arabic & English.

Stage Three: Expansion & Innovation (2029+)

Goal:

  • Position MEPA as a global leader in culturally grounded positive psychology.
  • Introduce AI-powered wellbeing tools and digital platforms.
  • Publish policy briefs for GCC governments on wellbeing, education, and mental health.
  • Build global collaborations with IPEN, UNESCO, WHO, and academic networks.
  • Promote Positive Islamic Psychology as a unique global contribution.
  • Sustain growth through research grants, partnerships, and develop into a regional hub of excellence.

Dr. Saddiga J. AlGhalib (Head of Division)

Dr. Saddiga J. AlGhalib is a pioneer in Positive Psychology and Well-being in the Middle East. With a PhD in Educational Psychology, she has dedicated over 20 years to synthesizing psychological science with Islamic values and emerging technologies to promote human flourishing.

Her contributions include founding the region’s first Positive Psychology & Well-being Research Lab and preparing to lead the Positive Psychology Division at the Middle East Psychological Association (MEPA). Beyond academia, she is the author of the Healing Reflections series and the founder of Aya House, an upcoming platform dedicated to positive education and healing. She has also been instrumental in leading regional efforts to integrate well-being into educational institutions.

Dr. Louise Lambert

Dr. Louise Lambert is a Canadian psychologist, consultant, professor and positive psychology researcher. She has lived in the UAE for 10 years. She is working with the Emirates Center for Happiness Research and is also the Founder and Editor in Chief of the Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, a journal dedicated to uncovering human excellence in the region. She has several evidence-based positive psychology intervention programs being used in primary health care, the workplace and educational settings across Canada, the UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. She has also recently joined forces to launch the ‘iBringGCC’ character strengths campaign across the GCC region helping young graduates and industry become better working partners.

Mohammed K. S. Al-Haj Baddar

Mohammed K. S. Al-Haj Baddar is a well-being psychologist, coach, and trainer with over 10 years of experience specializing in positive psychology.

A member of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) and a representative for the International Positive Education Network (IPEN), he has conducted numerous programs to improve well-being and resilience. He is the lead author of the “Well-being and Flourishing: Positive Psychology Interventions (PPIs) Practice Guide in Arabic” and has contributed to research on positive psychology in Arab countries.

Noof Aljneibi

Noof Aljneibi is a leading figure in the field of positive psychology and well-being in the UAE. As a graduate of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program at the University of Pennsylvania, she has used her expertise to drive evidence-based policies and programs. She currently serves as a Family Cohesion Expert at the Ministry of Family and actively works to empower Parent well-being and social policy in the workplace.
She has previously held key roles as Director of the Emirates Centre for Happiness Research (ECHR), the first research center of its kind in the region. She was also a Wellbeing and Sustainability Development Advisor at the Ministry of Community Development. In 2021, she became the first female Arab to be awarded the International Positive Psychology Fellow award.

Noor Kailani

Ms. Noor Kailani holds a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of East London. Positive psychology inspires her by offering tools to enrich businesses, families, education, and lives. Her experience as a mother and special education teacher has cemented her belief that positive psychology helps overcome challenges and transform learning. Ms. Noor Kailani is passionate about spreading this knowledge, encouraging others to discover their strengths, and integrating positive psychology into the culture and education systems for lasting impact.

Hanan Fadlon

Psychologist Hanan Fadlon holds two master’s degrees: Movement Sciences & Education from Columbia University in New York (1998) and Science, Tech and Psychology from Westminster University (2018).

Ms. Hanan Fadlon is a dedicated advocate for positive psychology and well-being. Her work has consistently focused on applying psychological principles to enhance human experience, from empowering special needs students and their families to providing crucial support to young cancer patients.

As a thought leader, she bridges the gap between human psychology and the age of AI. Through her roles as a moderator and panelist at international forums, she expertly guides discussions on the psychological effects of AI, emphasizing how technology can be used to foster human flourishing. Her compassionate, global approach, shaped by extensive volunteer work with organizations like the UN Hospitality Committee, makes her a unique voice in promoting positive social change.

We can think of several reasons why you should join the Positive Psychology Division! Join us to…

  1. Network and connect with others to know whom you can ask relevant questions of interest, whose research you should read more about, and potentially partner with for your own research advances.
  2. Affirm a professional identity that is visible to governments, organizations and other stakeholders and take pride in your chosen profession and/or interest.
  3. Develop the field regionally by contributing to the generation and application of scientific knowledge, and promotion of wellbeing for the sustainable development of MENA societies.
  4. Grow as a positive psychology professional through access to continuing education, professional development, resources and sharing of research findings.
  5. Benefit from special events and conference discounts.

1 FULL Member Positive Psychology Practitioners: Recognized terminal degree in positive psychology from an accredited institution (i.e., MAPPCP)
2 FULL Member Psychologists with a designated area of interest in Positive Psychology: Fully licensed professional MEPA members (Masters/ PhD), with documented training and/or education in positive psychology
3 FULL Member Psychology Practitioners with a designated area of interest in Positive Psychology: Licenced professional MEPA members (Bachelors + 5 years of practise), with documented training and/or education in positive psychology
4 Affiliate Positive Psychology Coaches: Recognized coaching certification from accredited body (i.e., ICF) AND documented training/education in positive psychology

We are open to your ideas and feedback. What would you like to see this division do and offer? Constructive criticism is welcome alongside constructive feedback of course! Send your ideas, in addition to your announcements and/or upcoming events. Email Us: positive@mepa.me

For upcoming events: Please consider sending us any positive psychology events for posting from across the MENA region (Arabic, French or English postings are welcome; please also indicate the language in which your event will take place, as well as the country, location, contact details, timing, and relevant dates, website details, etc.).