Abstract
BACKGROUND: Persons with physical disabilities often experience limited opportunities for psychological well-being, as support services tend to prioritize medical rehabilitation over strengths-based approaches. Although positive psychology interventions (PPIs) have demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing well-being, their application in disability care, particularly with systematic caregiver involvement, remains underexplored. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a community-based positive psychology intervention that actively engaged caregivers as co-facilitators to enhance psychological capital among adults with physical disabilities. METHODS: A one-group quasi-experimental design with repeated measurements at three time points was conducted among 30 adults with physical disabilities and their primary caregivers in a rural community in Thailand. The intervention, titled “Positive Psychology Enhances Value and Self-Reliance,” comprised eight structured, interactive sessions grounded in psychological capital theory, targeting self-efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience. Caregivers were trained as co-facilitators to reinforce learning during and beyond program sessions. Quantitative outcomes were assessed using a validated positive psychology scale and analyzed with repeated-measures ANOVA. Qualitative data was collected through structured observations and focus group discussions. RESULTS: The program was associated with improvements across all domains of positive psychology. Mean overall positive psychology scores increased from baseline (M = 2.99) to immediately post-intervention (M = 4.41 on a 5-point scale) and remained higher at the one-month follow-up (M = 4.13). Repeated measures ANOVA indicated significant differences across time points (p < 0.01), with both posttest and follow-up scores significantly higher than baseline. Although scores declined slightly at follow-up compared with the posttest, improvements were largely maintained. Optimism showed the greatest immediate increase, while self-efficacy remained the highest at follow-up. Qualitative findings were broadly consistent with the quantitative results, suggesting enhanced confidence, hope, coping ability, and social engagement among participants. Caregiver involvement also appeared to support the maintenance of positive changes over time. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that a strengths-based, community-driven positive psychology intervention may enhance psychological well-being among adults with physical disabilities. The novelty of the program lies in systematically engaging caregivers as co-facilitators, bridging rehabilitation and positive psychology within a low-resource, rural context. The findings suggest that caregiver-supported positive psychology interventions offer a replicable framework for community-based disability care and may inform efforts to promote resilience, optimism, and health equity. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-026-04406-8.