Live Happy

Description:

Live Happy is a mobile phone application based on the principles of positive psychology and includes eight evidence-based exercises designed to improve happiness. In the first ‘savouring the moment' exercise you take a photo of something beautiful/meaningful and write about it. Then in the ‘remembering happy days' activity you record emotions/feelings you experienced during a happy day in the past. Following exercises include keeping an ‘acts of kindness journal' and ‘strengthening social relationships' by making contact with someone to revive/strengthen a relationship. You can also list and evaluate goals in a ‘goal evaluation and tracking' exercise. The ‘gratitude journal' and ‘expressing gratitude personally' exercises allow you to record something for which you are grateful and chose a person you wish to thank. Finally, a ‘thinking optimistically' exercise prompts you to consider your best possible future scenario and to write about it. You can complete the exercises in any order and as frequently as you choose.

Service URL:

http://www.myblife.com/

Agency Responsible:

bLife Inc, together with Dr Sonja Lyubomirsky (Professor of psychology at University of California).

Mobile Platform:

Apple.

Details

Format:

Smartphone Application.

Intervention Type:

Other. Positive psychology

Course Structure:

No Set Course.

Course Length:

Long (more than 5 modules). 8 exercises

Support Option:

No support.

Target Audience

Primary Category:

Positive psychology. Happiness

Target Audience:

Adult.

Language:

English.

Access

Mobile platforms:

Apple:

http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/live-happy/id317887266?mt=8

Fee:

Fee-based.

Access:

Closed: Fee required.

Contact Details:

info@myblife.com

Research evidence

Research Trials:

1

Research RCTs:

0

Outcome Summary:

The efficacy of the Live Happy mobile application has been tested in one study to date. This study involved tracking usage of Live Happy and measuring associated changes in mood/happiness among individuals who purchased the application. Results indicated that usage of the app was associated with significant improvements in both happiness scores and mood scores. Further, the extent of increases in mood and happiness was predicted by both the frequency with which activities in the application were used and the number of different types of activities completed. Thus, there is evidence to suggest use of Live Happy can improve happiness and mood, but further controlled studies are needed to provide stronger supportive evidence.

Recommended rating, reviewer 1:

Recommended rating, reviewer 2:

Read more about Beacon's Smiley Rating System.

Research paper citations

Parks, A.C., Della Porta, M.D., Pierce, R.S., Zilca, R. & Lyubomirsky, S. (2012) Pursuing Happiness in Everyday Life: The Characteristics and Behaviours of Online Happiness Seekers. Emotion. Online Publication, May 2012.