Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Brief computerised self-help interventions, the "miracle question", and the moderating effects of openness-to-experience.

Abdulla, Adam

Authors

Adam Abdulla



Abstract

Brief, self-help positive psychology interventions (PPIs) have certain advantages over longer, guided interventions (e.g. higher completion rates). The "Miracle Question(s)" – the most famous intervention in solution-focused therapy and coaching – appears to be a promising brief, self-help PPI. However, very little experimental research on the "Miracle Question" has been conducted. The present study investigated the effects of a brief self-help MQ intervention on several aspects of wellbeing, including hope, expectancy, goal clarity and affect. The MQ intervention was compared against both a problem-focused and neutral coaching approach. Three online experiments were conducted with participants aged 18-76 across the world. Two experiments focused on "life problems" whilst the third focused on problems in interpersonal relationships. Results suggested that all three interventions raise expectancy in the context of life (but not relationship) problems. However, as hypothesised, the relative effects of such interventions may depend on openness-to-experience. At high (/low) levels of openness-to-experience, the MQ technique was more (/less) effective than the problem-focused or neutral coaching interventions, at least for some aspects of wellbeing. The study sheds much-needed light on the MQ technique and on brief self-help interventions. Widely recommended as a means of enhancing wellbeing, the MQ technique may not be universally effective (in a self-help format) and requires further investigation. On the other hand, the study suggests that brief self-help computerized PPIs may indeed be enthusiastically adopted, especially when compared with longer interventions.

Citation

ABDULLA, A. 2023. Brief computerised self-help interventions, the "miracle question", and the moderating effects of openness-to-experience. International journal of wellbeing [online], 13(3), pages 24-47. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v13i3.2799

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jul 27, 2023
Online Publication Date Oct 3, 2023
Publication Date Sep 30, 2023
Deposit Date Jul 31, 2023
Publicly Available Date Jul 31, 2023
Journal International journal of wellbeing
Print ISSN 1179-8602
Publisher Open Polytechnic of New Zealand
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 13
Issue 3
Pages 24-47
DOI https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v13i3.2799
Keywords Positive psychology interventions (PPIs); Meta-analytic research
Public URL https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2023596
Additional Information This article has been published with separate supporting information. This supporting information has been incorporated into a single file on this repository and can be found at the end of the file associated with this output. It is also available from the publisher's website with its own DOI: https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v13i3.2799s

Files




You might also like



Downloadable Citations