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Utah's Foremost Platform for Undergraduate Research Presentation
2022 Abstracts

Happiness Habits: Examining How a Daily-Dosed, Online Educational Intervention Can Improve Health and Well-Being.

Presenters: Sarah Allen ; Bayli Bleak ; Emily Broadbent ; Rebecca Draut
Authors: Sarah Allen, Aaron Hardy, Bayli Bleak, Emily Broadbent, Rebecca Draut, Millie Merritt
Faculty Advisor: Sarah Allen
Institution: Southern Utah University

The purpose of this research project is to explore if a daily-dosed, online health promotion program focusing on happiness facts, tips, strategies, and challenges can have a positive impact on individual physical, emotional, and relational health. Although extensive research demonstrates a positive correlation between happiness and a number of physical, emotional, and relational health outcomes, less is known about how to effectively deliver an educational program designed to increase happiness levels. Because strategies to increase happiness in one’s life can benefit not only individuals and families, but also the communities they belong to, it is important to understand if online programs with broad access and appeal are an effective way to impact day-to-day holistic health. A daily-dosed, online health promotion program titled “Supremely Happy” was delivered to over 18,000 school district staff, faculty, and administrative employees. The intervention utilized a number of strength and evidence-based strategies to increase the amount of happiness in one’s life. Quantitative and qualitative thematic analysis demonstrate participants becoming more responsible for their overall health habits and an increase in their adoption of an evidence-based happiness strategy each day. This resulted in increased overall well-being and work and home productivity as well as increased mental and physical health. These results indicate that daily, micro-dosed online interventions can be an effective way to implement effective happiness strategies and increase the amount of happiness in one’s life.