Florin, Michelle
Email Address
ORCID
Disciplines
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Publication PACER: A Psychological Well-being Framework and Design Process for Running Programs and Race Organizers(2020-01-01) Florin, Michelle BPhysical activities such as running have a positive impact on participant physical and psychological health. While all runners may experience benefits such as decreased risk of all-cause mortality (Lee et al., 2014), Type 2 diabetes (Lavie et al., 2014), improved cognitive function (Young, 1979; Stroth, Hille, Spitzer, & Reinhardt, 2009), and reduced stress and depression (Blumenthal et al., 1999), positive psychology posits there is more to life than eliminating physical ailments and stress. This paper proposes a well-being framework, backed by positive psychology research and a design process, that can help running organizations intentionally structure programs to optimize well-being, above and beyond the default benefits of running. This paper identifies five different aspects of psychological well-being that are particularly salient to running: positive emotions, accomplishment, community and connection, efficacy, and resilience (PACER). Together, the framework and literature that supports it, and the design process, serve as a “toolkit” to help running program designers to amplify psychological well-being through running programs.Publication Fostering Hope and Enhancing Resilience through Character Strengths Interventions(2020-05-07) Florin, Michelle; Schrimmer, Lauren; McCargo, Shondrea; Bohn, Travis; Caton, CelesteThis paper provides a review of the theory and application for how to integrate positive psychology, specifically VIA character strength interventions, into the programming at The Food Project (TFP). TFP is an impactful community based non-profit organization in Southwest Baltimore that provides cooking, farming, and restaurant skills, job opportunities, sustainable food sources, and mentorship to the underserved youth in the area. All programs are facilitated at TFP’s community center. TFP is looking for ways to continue to build hope and resilience among its youth participants. Upon reviewing the positive psychology literature, we determined five specific evidence-based interventions that integrate VIA character strengths into the existing programming at TFP. Each intervention is intended to build resilience and cultivate hope for the youth participants and includes a measurement plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the new initiative.