Due to copyright issues, an electronic copy of the thesis must be ordered from the faculty. For the faculty to have time to process the order, the order must be received by the faculty at the latest 2 days before the public defence. Orders received later than 2 days before the defence will not be processed. After the public defence, please address any inquiries regarding the thesis to the candidate.
Trial Lecture – time and place
See Trial Lecture.
Adjudication committee
- First opponent: Associate professor Jeanette Brun Larsen, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology,
- Second opponent: Associate professor Roger Ekeberg Henriksen, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences,
- Third member and chair of the evaluation committee: Professor Hilde Stendal Robinson, University of Oslo
Chair of the Defence
Professor Nina Vøllestad, University of Oslo
Principal Supervisor
Professor Tone Kristin Omsland, University of Oslo
Summary
Wellbeing-promoting interventions may help counteract the effect of stress across biological, psychological, and social domains, although the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Situated within public health and health promotion research, this thesis explored the potential of such interventions to improve wellbeing, health, social connection, and work participation, particularly among adults facing health and social challenges.
The first study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of 25 randomized controlled trials examining the effects of positive psychology interventions on biological markers of stress, including inflammatory biomarkers and cortisol. The findings indicated a modest but significant effect on inflammatory biomarkers, supporting the view that wellbeing interventions may positively influence biological processes.
The second study evaluated the Five Ways to Wellbeing course among 373 participants in municipal health services. Participation was associated with sustained improvements in wellbeing, social connection, and self-rated health. Mental health outcomes improved more than in a comparable group of 524 individuals receiving Healthy Life Centre services.
The third study was a randomized controlled trial of the Five Ways to Wellbeing course among 171 adults receiving support from NAV. Although recruitment difficulties and attrition limited statistical power and precluded firm conclusions regarding effectiveness, the study highlighted the challenges of conducting intervention research in welfare settings.
Overall, the findings support the view that wellbeing is a modifiable resource that may strengthen resilience to stress across biological, psychological, and social domains. The thesis highlights the potential of wellbeing-promoting interventions to improve biological as well as psychological and social outcomes, while underscoring the need for pragmatic research designs that can be implemented in health and welfare services.
Additional information
Contact the research support staff.