Caregivers and Positive Attitudes Study

NPR’s recent story, From Gloom To Gratitude: 8 Skills To Cultivate Joy reports on a new study of caregivers “all of whom had the stressful job of taking care of a loved one with dementia. The study found that following a five-week course, participants’ depression scores decreased by 16 percent and their anxiety scores decreased by 14 percent. The findings were published in the current issue of Health Psychology.”  The lessons taught “include mindfulness and deep breathing, setting an attainable daily goal, keeping a gratitude journal and — yes, it works — performing small acts of kindness.”

Here’s a quick summary of the eight techniques used in Moskowitz’ study:

1. Take a moment to identify one positive event each day.

2. Tell someone about the positive event or share it on social media. This can help you savor the moment a little longer.

3. Start a daily gratitude journal. Aim to find little things you’re grateful for, such as a good cup of coffee, a pretty sunrise or nice weather.

4. Identify a personal strength and reflect on how you’ve used this strength today or in recent weeks.

5. Set a daily goal and track your progress. “This is based on research that shows when we feel progress towards a goal, we have more positive emotions,” Moskowitz says. The goal should not be too lofty. You want to be able to perceive progress.

6. Try to practice “positive reappraisal”: Identify an event or daily activity that is a hassle. Then, try to reframe the event in a more positive light. Example: If you’re stuck in traffic, try to savor the quiet time. If you practice this enough, it can start to become a habit.

7. Do something nice for someone else each day. These daily acts of kindness can be as simple as giving someone a smile or giving up your seat on a crowded train. Research shows we feel better when we’re kind to others.

8. Practice mindfulness by paying attention to the present moment. You can also try a 10-minute breathing exercise that uses a focus on breathing to help calm the mind.

   There is also an audio of the story, available here.Thanks to Professor Naomi Cahn for sending us the link to this story.