The Impact of a Science of Happiness Course on Students’ Mental Health

Abstract

There is a well-documented mental health crisis on college campuses. In recent years, there has been a proliferation of effective courses designed to improve students’ general well-being, most taught from a positivist psychology approach. There is no research on the efficacy of such courses that uses a sociological perspective. The current study addresses that gap in the research by assessing the impact of content in a sociological science of happiness course on students’ mental health. Results indicate that students by the end of the course are more likely to associate happiness with activities related to meaning and purpose rather than primarily pleasure. Additionally, they are more likely to report significantly less loneliness, anxiety, and depression and improved coping strategies, sense of purpose, and feelings of gratitude. These results suggest that courses on the science of happiness from a sociological perspective may be a fruitful, preventive step in addressing the mental health crisis among college students.