Completed Projects

Positive Psychology

Principal Investigator: Bente Wold

The aim is to establish a Scandinavian website in positive psychology, collect data in this area and develop research studies in positive psychology.

Positive psychology concerns virtues and strengths such as optimism, courage, honesty and wisdom, a meaningful and happy life, and positive processes in institutions such as the family and work life

The project is carried out in collaboration with professor Martin Seligman and his group at the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, and involves translating tests and information from the American website www.authentichappiness.com.

The Norwegian website is expected to be available by the end of 2010. The website will function both as a data collection tool for research and a self help site for people who want to develop their strengths.

KaNo? Rehabiltation of Young Adult Cancer Survivors:

Principal investigator: Torill Larsen and May Aasebø Hauken

The overall purpose of this project was to provide increased understanding and knowledge of Young Adult Cancer Survivors (YACS) after completing cancer treatment. A tailored rehabilitation program for YACS was developed and evaluated using mixed methods with participation and HRQOL as main outcomes. YACS represent a small and understudied group of cancer survivors, with only recent international awareness of their unique survival- and survivorship challenges. These specific challenges are related to their vulnerable period of life and their increased risk for morbidity and physical and psychosocial long-term effects. Recent studies highlight a research gap in survivorship for YACS, especially related to unmet needs, follow-up and rehabilitation interventions that build long-term health, participation and quality of life. The project was in collaboration with Red Cross Haugland Rehabilitation Center and the Norwegian Cancer Society . There is one thesis with three peer review articles available from this project. The rehabilitation program is now made part of the standard services at the rehabilitation center .

Second Step

Principal Investigator: Ingrid Holsen

We have investigated the outcomes of the universal social competence promotion program Second Step (Steg for Steg ) in a typical ‘real world’ implementation among 1153 5 th, 6 th and 7 th grade students (11 schools) in Norway. Through surveys we followed students and teachers for two years, three measurement occasions. In addition 60 of the 6 th grade students participated in focused group interviews where the aim was to investigate the process they are going through while working with Second Step. While investigating who benefited from the program, we also included students’ reports on socio economic status.