Drawing from self-determination theory (SDT) and a database of 1,320 correlations across 131 independent samples (N = 38,844), we conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of coach autonomy support in sport and exercise settings. Results showed autonomy support was strongly positively associated with athlete well-being and negatively associated with distress. Consistent with SDT, meta-analyzed correlations were strongest for autonomous forms of athlete motivation (ρ = .39) and weaker for controlled forms of motivation (introjected regulation ρ = .16, external regulation ρ = −.01), and negative with amotivation (ρ = −.19). We found strong positive associations between autonomy support and athlete basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness and very strong associations between autonomy support and other climate or behavioral supports for athlete basic psychological needs: competence support; relatedness support; structure; involvement; and task-involving climates. Effects were not moderated by culture, with collectivist and individualist cultures generally yielding effects in the strong range (ρ ≥ .35), providing support for the assumption within SDT of universal benefits of autonomy support. Effects were also not moderated across types of sport. We discuss implications of the review and suggest coach autonomy support is consistent with environments supporting autonomous motivation, basic psychological needs, and well-being.

In this review of the central tenets of hope theory, we examine the meta-theoretical, theoretical, and methodological foundations of the literature base. Our analysis moves from a broad examination of the research landscape in hope theory across disciplines, to a deeper investigation of the empirical literature in university students. This review highlights the significant impact of this body of research in advancing our understanding of aspects of thriving characterized by hope. However, we also evidence several limitations that may impede the advancement of the next wave of growth in this field. To address these limitations, we argue for an interdisciplinary approach to expanding the meta-theoretical, theoretical, and methodological horizons, enabling a more dynamic systems approach to the study of hope. Drawing on the intersection of positive psychology with systems thinking, we describe a methodological approach that enables a deeper examination of the processes and interactions through which hope emerges, using an analysis of the lived experience of young people. It is proposed that this research agenda will bring to life an alternate story about the resourcefulness of our youth through their own voice, enabling us to leverage this in the design of more effective strategies to facilitate hope in the future. This research agenda provides a roadmap that will provide alternative methodologies that address the current limitations in the field of hope research and, importantly, can provide fuel to spur on the acceleration of the next wave of research and practice in the field of positive psychology more broadly.

Universities must prepare students for a complex world, but current mental health levels impair student outcomes. Increased concern over student wellbeing has fostered the demand for positive education interventions – a relatively new topic requiring more research. We tested a positive psychology wellbeing intervention imbedded in undergraduate psychology classes with three studies and 469 participants. Intervention outcomes across three years indicate improvements in wellbeing, positive affect, negative affect and clinical wellbeing categories. Comparisons with an active control indicated the intervention buffered against semester stress. Practice frequency had little effect on wellbeing, however wellbeing gains were higher for students with low baseline wellbeing and those who valued happiness more – suggesting positive education interventions have greater value for some students. This research has important implications for student wellbeing, indicating that imbedded wellbeing programs can improve student wellbeing with minimal resources and low stigma.

As the field of positive psychology matures, many have called for an expansion in epistemological and methodological approaches to enable a more complex study of wellbeing. This article addresses this call by examining the benefits of using storying methods in wellbeing research. We explore how this can address some of the limitations in the extant psychological literature. Participatory Narrative Inquiry (PNI) is introduced as an example of a storying methodology that can facilitate a democratised approach to studying complex phenomena. We outline the theoretical and meta-theoretical underpinnings of this approach and provide an overview of the essential and supplementary methods used within each phase of the methodology. The methodology is juxtaposed with other similar qualitative methods to support researchers in discerning what type of inquiries PNI may be best suited to. We argue that interdisciplinary methodologies such as PNI can support the development and refinement of contextually relevant theories and practices needed to progress the field of positive psychology as it enters its third wave of development.

The interest in wellbeing education has risen dramatically as we emerge from a global pandemic and examine what is needed to address the lingering impacts in education. Of course, the need for wellbeing education was apparent long before this, driven by a need to mitigate the growing mental health challenges faced by our youth. Indeed, there is a substantial body of evidence for the impact of such education on students in primary through to tertiary settings. However, little is known about how we are “educating the educators” to facilitate wellbeing through their curriculum and educational practices. This goes beyond the topics or content of wellbeing education to focus more on how we create enabling environments for wellbeing to emerge in our educational practices. This article proposes a Wellbeing Integrated Learning Design (WILD) Framework to address this gap. We outline the central tenets of the WILD framework, including the underpinning theoretical principles and systems approach that guided the development. Practical examples are provided to demonstrate how the framework can be applied in preparing experienced educators to build enabling environments in their own context. We reflect on the insights gained in trialing the approach in an education faculty in a large Australian university and explore the opportunities to refine the framework further to support its replication in other educational settings.

Corrigendum: “A new hope” for positive psychology: a dynamic systems reconceptualization of hope theory