From the Guidelines
Interventions targeting increased agreeableness should focus on mindfulness-based programs and positive psychological interventions that directly target optimism, positive affect, and related constructs, as these have been shown to improve psychological well-being and related outcomes 1.
Key Interventions
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) have been developed to promote psychological well-being, with benefits including improved depressive symptoms, anxiety, stress, quality of life, physical functioning, smoking cessation, healthy eating, and physical activity 1.
- Positive psychological interventions aim to promote optimism, gratitude, and positive affect directly through activities such as imagining and writing about a better future, recalling positive life events, identifying and using personal strengths, and planning and performing acts of kindness 1.
- Mind-body techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation, deep-breathing exercises, guided imagery, yoga, and tai chi, have also been used to promote psychological well-being and support CVH 1.
Implementation
- A typical regimen for mindfulness-based interventions may involve weekly sessions for 8-12 weeks, with daily practice of mindfulness meditation and other mind-body techniques 1.
- Positive psychological interventions can be straightforward to deliver, are often feasible and well-accepted by patients, and may not require extensive provider training 1.
- These interventions can be applied at individual, community, and societal levels, with potential benefits including improved psychological well-being, CVH, and overall quality of life 1.
Outcomes
- Mindfulness-based interventions have been associated with improvements in physical and mental health-related quality of life, depression, anxiety, physical activity, and blood pressure 1.
- Positive psychological interventions have been found to improve indicators of psychological well-being, such as optimism, and have been associated with significant, small effects on well-being and depression 1.
- Overall, these interventions appear to promote psychological well-being and support CVH, though not all studies have found benefit and study quality remains inconsistent 1.
From the Research
Interventions Targeting Agreeableness
- A study published in the Journal of personality disorders 2 found that motive-oriented therapeutic relationship (MOTR) enabled suppression of the influences of the patient's initial characteristics on the therapeutic results, suggesting that MOTR may be an effective intervention for increasing agreeableness in patients with borderline personality disorder.
- Research published in the Journal of personality 3 discovered that interventions targeting agreeableness also reduced participants' levels of the dark triad, including Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy, indicating that agreeableness interventions may have a broader impact on personality traits.
- While not directly focused on agreeableness, a randomized clinical trial published in the International journal of clinical and health psychology 4 compared the effectiveness of individual and group Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approaches for Social Anxiety Disorder, which may be related to agreeableness.
- A study published in Developmental psychology 5 proposed a theory-driven approach to changing personality traits, including conscientiousness, using a bottom-up approach, which may be applicable to agreeableness interventions.
- Research published in the Journal of personality 6 explored the link between agreeableness and emotional reactivity, finding that agreeable individuals exhibited higher-magnitude peak intensities in response to emotional events, which may inform the development of agreeableness interventions.