The effectiveness of an educational intervention to enhance happiness in Iranian older people: Applying social support theory.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of an educational program based on social support theory (SST) to enhance happiness in older adults (60-75 years) in Hamadan (Iran) in 2017. METHODS: This study was a quasi-experimental intervention with a control group, consisting of 60 participants and an intervention group of 40 participants. The research instruments included the Oxford Argyle Happiness Inventory and a questionnaire derived from SST. RESULTS: The findings showed that there was a significant difference between the scores of happiness, social support and their components in the intervention group compared to the control group three months after the intervention. CONCLUSION: The study results indicate that an educational intervention to promote happiness using social support can play a pivotal role in the mental health, life satisfaction and happiness of older adults.