Letter: Happy talk

LINDA GRANT is clearly unfamiliar with the work of Martin Seligman, Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania ('Positive thinking doesn't work', 8 May).

His findings, based on 20 years' clinical research, proved repeatedly that optimists, or people with a positive attitude, do better in school, win more elections and succeed more at work than pessimists. Positive thinking may not necessarily alter difficult situations. It will, however, encourage us to take action and help extricate ourselves from difficult events.

Duncan Sequeira

London NW2