Be positive: USF research shows your heart will thank you

By Joey Garcia, University Communications and Marketing

Continuous doses of positivity can do more than change one's mood - they can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

A new study published in Cardiology Clinics, co-authored by USF Assistant Professor Soonhyung Kwon, examines the best way to apply positive psychology interventions, such as gratitude, mindfulness and optimism training, to address the leading cause of death worldwide: cardiovascular disease.

"While much of cardiovascular research has traditionally focused on stress and negative emotions such as anxiety and depression, there is growing evidence that positive psychological factors play an important role in health outcomes," Kwon said. "This study was motivated by a key research gap, to discover how much or how often these interventions should be delivered to produce meaningful cardiovascular benefits."

HOW POSITIVITY IMPROVES HEART HEALTH

Kwon's research focuses on how positive psychological well-being influences physical health, particularly cardiovascular health. While positivity can encourage healthier habits such as diet and exercise, researchers still wanted to understand how much and how often these interventions matter.

To find answers, he collaborated with colleagues from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. The team analyzed data patterns across 18 past randomized controlled trials, each containing 50-200 participants.

Participants were assigned to structured positive psychology programs ranging from app- and text-based programs to journaling. The programs were delivered through weekly sessions and daily at-home activities, allowing researchers to measure changes in cardiovascular health and behavior. Kwon and his collaborators then analyzed the data to identify common patterns in when participants experienced improvements following the interventions.

"Our findings show short-term cardiovascular benefits are most consistent when interventions are delivered frequently, often daily, over an eight- to 12-week period," Kwon said. "In some cases, we saw people in positivity programs lower their blood pressure by about 7 to 8 points and take an extra 1,800 steps per day."

Together, these findings suggest that simple, structured practices can meaningfully improve both emotional well-being and cardiovascular health when done consistently. Common approaches studied in these interventions include:

• Writing down a few things you're grateful for each day
• Practicing brief mindfulness or breathing exercises
• Reframing negative thoughts into more constructive ones
• Following these habits regularly over an 8- to 12-week period
• Continuing engagement at a lower intensity to maintain benefits

HOW TECHNOLOGY IS HELPING PEOPLE BUILD POSITIVE HABITS

Building on these findings, the digital platforms Kwon references are a key part of his research at USF, which focuses on digital health, gerontology and positive psychology. Seeing these health barriers further motivates him to explore digital health interventions, such as virtual reality, mobile applications and wearable devices.

"I want to use these tools as ways to deliver positive psychological and physical activity interventions to older adults who might otherwise lack access to traditional healthcare services," Kwon said.

Currently, Kwon is further collaborating with USF colleagues in the School of Social Work and the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing. He plans to develop an augmented reality (AR)-based physical activity intervention for older adults living in the Tampa Bay area. This program will use AR-guided movement tools, real-time feedback and age-friendly exercises to support broader cardiovascular health outcomes.