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Brilliant Health Quotient
Our Happiness Medical Research
Most research on happiness either analyzes inherited factors or drills down on individual activities that contribute to happiness (such as genetically-generated optimism, listening to music, or meditation). The Foster/Hicks model comes from more holistic research techniques. All its nine choices revolve around creating the positive emotions proven to make us healthier. Their model is now known and accepted throughout the world as a cognitive roadmap for "learning" to be happy and as a complete template for evaluating coping behaviors.
From its first publication, medical researchers have called the Foster/Hicks Happiness Model a classification of the components of "internal locus of control" and the description of the behaviors of their patients who are most successful at healing from disease and staying healthy. Numerous researchers in the medical field are working with Foster and Hicks to correlate the entire happiness model with positive health-related practices and outcomes.
Recently completed and "in process" studies correlate the cumulative effects of the model's nine choices to:
- compliance to drug therapies
- success in post-cardio-infarction programs
- successful outcomes with diabetes patients
- efficacy of surgical teams
- adherence to specific exercise programs
- stress reduction for nurse leaders
- improved quality of work life and general health
Most of these studies use the Foster and Hicks HIP/10© instrument, a questionnaire designed to measure the level of individual "happiness." This tool (10 questions) has been validated for "face validation" and "consistency validation" using previously validated instruments that measure "quality of life" and depression. Validation statistics were run by the National Research Center in conjunction with Mayo Clinic statisticians. (Publication of the correlation study is due in 2008.)
Beyond Rick and Greg's own research projects, there is a strong, international body of science and research supporting the benefits of behaviors and attitudes described in Choosing Brilliant Health. Readers who wish to research further can access any of the following journal articles and scientific studies. They are arranged to dovetail with the specific chapter they support.
Click here for a list of studies »
This new frontier of positive emotions and health is immensely exciting. With a sparkling flash of light, for the first time in human history we are suddenly able to do something that we only imagined 30 years ago: We can accurately measure levels of biochemistry and behavior correlated to happiness and health. What has been a major subject of theory through the ages has now become a scientific reality. Even though we are at the dawn of a new scientific era, we have learned to quantify biochemistry, brain waves, organ function, and immune responses. We can see into the neurophysiology of meditating monks and we can monitor stress-related hormones over a corporate executive's day. And, we can relate the specific behaviors of a schoolteacher to the biochemical changes they induce in her body.
If you would like more information about any Foster/Hicks research or would like to partner in research, please feel free to contact us.
It is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other medical
professional regarding a medical condition.
