Secret of Happiness Review
Credibility
Total Score: 3/14
Research base 0/3
Research support 0/2
Specificity of proposed intervention 0/3
Number of consumer ratings 3/3
Product advisory support 0/1
Software support 0/2
Rating Date: September 2017
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User Experience
Not Yet Available
Transparency
QuestionableOverall Score: Questionable
Does the app have a privacy policy?:Yes
Does the policy describe the information storage and sharing procedures related to user entered information OR state that user information is stored locally?:No/Can’t Tell
Does the app provide the option of a pin entry or log-in process to view and enter user data?:No/Can’t Tell
Does the privacy policy state that the app/server encrypts the entered data OR state that user information is stored locally?:No/Can’t Tell
Does the privacy policy state whether or not users can delete entered information OR state that user information is stored locally?:Yes
Does the privacy policy state whether or not users can edit entered information OR state that user information is stored locally?:No/Can’t Tell
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Professional Review
Not Yet AvailableThis simple app has one feature; it prompts users to enter 3 things they are grateful for each morning and evening. Notifications can be set for reminders in the morning and evening and can be customized to a time that suits the user. In the morning, users are also asked to enter one thing they hope to accomplish that day, and in the evening to enter one thing that happened in the last 24 hours which they are happy about. The app promotes a ‘30 day challenge’ to encourage users to follow this practice for a month.
Technical Details
Available for: Android 1.6 or later
Developer: ShreeK
Type of Treatment: Not specified
Targeted Conditions: General well-being
Target Audience: any
Designed to be used in conjunction with a healthcare professional: No
Languages Available: English
Cost: Free
Get it on: Google Play
Research on this App
Of the range of positive psychological interventions considered to improve key markers of mental health, gratitude interventions are among the most established (Parks& Schueller, 2014). Gratitude journals involve documenting things during the day that a person is thankful or grateful for (for example, three per day). In a randomized controlled trial of 192 participants (67% female, mean age 27 years), participants completing a gratitude journal three times per week showed improved affect at one month compared to controls (O’Connell, O’Shea, & Gallagher, 2017).
- O’Connell, B. H., O’Shea, D., & Gallagher, S. (2017). Feeling Thanks and Saying Thanks: A Randomized Controlled Trial Examining If and How Socially Oriented Gratitude Journals Work. Journal of Clinical Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22469
- Parks, A. C., & Schueller, S. M. (Eds.). (2014). The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Positive Psychological Interventions. New York: Wiley Blackwell.
