A critical reader ambitious to get happier may ask the question: “do happiness self-help books help?”

There are good news and bad news when it comes to answering this question. An article in the peer-reviewed Journal of Happiness Studies describes the outcomes of seeking, finding, and using self-help books. To summarize:

• Self-help books not written by researchers often contain advice that is counter to scientific findings; it is expected that following such advice will yield either no benefit or can actively hurt the reader (for example anger management books).
• Research-based advice can benefit the reader.
• A reader who does not exercise caution in selecting books may stumble across bad ones.
• But if the books don’t help and the reader persists, she may eventually read one that is helpful.

One of the reasons for this site’s existence  is  to help readers make better choices when it comes to books aimed at improving one’s level of happiness. To read a short and excellent guide on how to choose a good self-help book, click here.