Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Understanding High School Students’ Perceptions of Wellbeing: A Qualitative Study

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
New Research and Possibilities in Wellbeing Education

Abstract

The significance of wellbeing education is being better understood by school leaders, parents, policymakers and the broader population, given the rise of anxiety and depression among young people; however, few wellbeing education initiatives engage students from the outset in their design. The diversity of wellbeing definitions, theories and models can be challenging for school leaders as they seek to engage their students. Rarely are students asked to define wellbeing in their own words before large-scale wellbeing interventions commence. This chapter aims to discover how secondary students define wellbeing in their own words. It draws on the qualitative part of an appreciative mixed-methods study. For this study, a broad multidimensional view of wellbeing will be adopted and defined across five domains: social, physical, cognitive, emotional and spiritual. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory guided the interpretation of qualitative data collected in an open-ended question, specifically asking students how they defined wellbeing. The study sample was 797 students from Years 6–12, aged 12–18, in a non-denominational Canadian independent all-boys school. Analysis of the results highlighted that most students define wellbeing in binary terms, whereas a handful of students were able to describe wellbeing as multidimensional. The study concluded that most respondents argued it would combine physical and emotional domains. The findings suggest that the participants’ responses highlight the possibilities for future wellbeing education programs to expand students’ knowledge and understanding of different theories of wellbeing and how they may relate to their own lives.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aldridge, J. M., Fraser, B. J., Fozdar, F., Ala’i, K., Earnest, J., & Afari, E. (2016). Students’ perceptions of school climate as determinants of well-being, resilience and identity. Improving Schools, 19(1). http://doi.org/10.1177/1365480215612616

  • Allen, K. A., Jamshidi, N., Berger, E., Reupert, A., Wurf, G., & May, F. (2022). Impact of school-based interventions for building school belonging in adolescence: A systematic review. Educational Psychology Review, 34(1), 229–257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, D. L., & Graham, A. P. (2016). Improving student well-being: Having a say at school. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 27(3), 348–366. https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2015.1084336

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bartholomaeus, J. D., Iasiello, M. P., Jarden, A., Burke, K. J., & van Agteren, J. (2020). Evaluating the psychometric properties of the PERMA profiler. Journal of well-being Assessment, 4(2), 163–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooperrider, D. L., & Srivastva, S. (1987). Appreciative inquiry in organizational life. Research in Organizational Change and Development, 1, 129–169.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooperrider, D. L., & Whitney, D. (2005). Appreciative inquiry: A positive revolution in change. Berrett-Koehler.

    Google Scholar 

  • Curren, R. (2023). Enabling everyone to live well. In Handbook of philosophy of education (pp. 42–56). Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Neve, J. E., Clark, A. E., Krekel, C., Layard, R., & O’Donnell, G. (2020). Taking a well-being years approach to policy choice. BMJ, 371.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Lucas, R. E., Schimmack, U., & Helliwell, J. (2009). Defining well-being. In well-being for public policy (pp. 8–20). Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fielding, M. (2001). Beyond the rhetoric of student voice: New departures or new constraints in the transformation of 21st century schooling? Forum, 43(2), 100. https://doi.org/10.2304/forum.2001.43.2.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flynn, P., & Hayes, N. (2021). Student voice in curriculum reform: Whose voices, who’s listening? In D. Murchan & K. Johnston (Eds.), Curriculum change within policy and practice (pp. 43–59). Palgrave Macmillan. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50707-7_3

  • Forshaw, E., & Woods, K. (2022). Student participation in the development of whole-school well-being strategies: A systematic review of the literature. Pastoral Care in Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/02643944.2022.2148175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gillham, J. E., Reivich, K. J., Freres, D. R., Chaplin, T. M., Shatté, A. J., Samuels, B., Elkon, A. G., Litzinger, S., Lascher, M., Gallop, R., & Seligman, M. E. (2007). School-based prevention of depressive symptoms: A randomized controlled study of the effectiveness and specificity of the Penn Resiliency Program. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 75(1), 9–19. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.75.1.9

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gleeson, J., Rickinson, M., Walsh, L., Salisbury, M., & Cirkony, C. (2022). Evidence-informed practice in Australian education. In The Emerald handbook of evidence-informed practice in education. Emerald Publishing Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham, A., Canosa, A., Boyle, T., Moore, T., Taylor, N., Anderson, D., & Robinson, S. (2022). Promoting students’ safety and well-being: Ethical practice in schools. Australian Educational Researcher. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-022-00567-8

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Graham, A., Powell, M. A., & Truscott, J. (2016). Facilitating student well-being: Relationships do matter. Educational Research, 58(4), 366–383. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2016.1228841

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halliday, A. J., Kern, M. L., Garrett, D. K., & Turnbull, D. A. (2019). The student voice in well-being: A case study of participatory action research in positive education. Educational Action Research, 27(2), 173–196. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2018.1436079

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hards, E., Loades, M. E., Higson-Sweeney, N., Shafran, R., Serafimova, T., Brigden, A., Reynolds, S., Crawley, E., Chatburn, E., Linney, C., McManus, M., & Borwick, C. (2022). Loneliness and mental health in children and adolescents with pre-existing mental health problems: A rapid systematic review. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 61(2), 313–334. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjc.12331

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Helliwell, J. F., Layard, R., Sachs, J. D., De Neve, J.-E., & Wang, S. (Eds.). (2022). World happiness report 2022. Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hettler, B. (1976). The six dimensions of wellness. Retrieved from http://www.hettler.com/sixdimen.htm

  • Houghton, S., Kyron, M., Hunter, S. C., Lawrence, D., Hattie, J., Carroll, A., & Zadow, C. (2022). Adolescents’ longitudinal trajectories of mental health and loneliness: The impact of COVID-19 school closures. Journal of Adolescence, 94(2), 191–205.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Iasiello, M., Bartholomaeus, J., Jarden, A., & Kelly, G. (2017). Measuring PERMA+ in South Australia, the state of well-being: A comparison with national and international norms. Journal of Positive Psychology and Well-being, 1(2), 53–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jessiman, P., Kidger, J., Spencer, L., Geijer-Simpson, E., Kaluzeviciute, G., Burn, A.-M., Leonard, N., & Limmer, M. (2022). School culture and student mental health: A qualitative study in UK secondary schools. BMC Public Health, 22(1). http://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13034-x

  • Kahneman, D., & Krueger, A. B. (2006). Developments in the measurement of subjective well-being. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 20(1), 3–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kern, M. L. (2022). A useful model for focusing on well-being in schools. In K.-A. Allen, M. J. Furlong, D. Vella-Brodrick, & S. Suldo (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology in schools: Supporting process and practice. Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kern, M. L., & Wehmeyer, M. L. (Eds.). (2021). The Palgrave handbook of positive education. Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keyes, C. L. (2002). The mental health continuum: From languishing to flourishing in life. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 207–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavy, S. (2020). A review of character strengths interventions in twenty-first-century schools: Their importance and how they can be fostered. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 15(2), 573–596.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Layard, R. (2022). Well-being as the goal of policy. Well-being: Alternative Policy Perspectives, 1, 7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lomas, T. (2022). Well-being lexicon in schools. In A. Giraldez-Hayes & J. Burke (Eds.), Applied positive school psychology. Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mansfield, R., Humphrey, N., & Patalay, P. (2021). Educators’ perceived mental health literacy and capacity to support students’ mental health: Associations with school-level characteristics and provision in England. Health Promotion International, 36(6), 1621–1632. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daab010

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Meinck, S., Fraillon, J., & Strietholt, R. (2022). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education: International evidence from the Responses to Educational Disruption Survey (REDS). International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mendes de Oliveira, C., Santos Almeida, C. R., & Hofheinz Giacomoni, C. (2022). School-based positive psychology interventions that promote well-being in children: A systematic review. Child Indicators Research, 1–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oades, L., Ozturk, C., Hou, H., & Slemp, G. (2019). Well-being literacy: A language-use capability relevant to well-being outcomes of positive psychology intervention. Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(5), 696–700. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2020.1789711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2013). OECD guidelines on measuring subjective well-being. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264191655-en

  • Owens, M., Townsend, E., Hall, E., Bhatia, T., Fitzgibbon, R., & Miller-Lakin, F. (2022). Mental health and well-being in young people in the UK during lockdown (COVID-19). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), 1132.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2008). Positive psychology and character strengths: Application to strengths-based school counseling. Professional School Counseling, 12(2), 2156759X0801200214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2009). Character strengths: Research and practice. Journal of College and Character, 10(4), 1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, C., & Park, N. (2011). Character strengths and virtues: Their role in well-being. In S. I. Donaldson, M. Csikszentmihalyi, & J. Nakamura (Eds.), Applied positive psychology: Improving everyday life, health, schools, work, and society (pp. 49–62). Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pollard, E. L., & Lee, P. D. (2003). Child well-being: A systematic review of the literature. Social Indicators Research, 61(1), 59–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Powell, M. A., Graham, A., Fitzgerald, R., Thomas, N., & White, N. E. (2018). Well-being in schools: What do students tell us? Australian Educational Researcher, 45(4), 515–531. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-018-0273-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodgers, C. R. (2002). Voices inside schools—Seeing student learning: Teacher change and the role of reflection. Harvard Educational Review, 72(2), 230–253. http://doi.org/10.17763/haer.74.3.wkjg76471j313h25

  • Rolfe, A., Franz, J., & Bridge, A. (2022). The combined impact of school design and procurement on student well-being and educational outcomes. Facilities, 40(7–8), 533–550. https://doi.org/10.1108/F-08-2021-0071

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryff, C. D., & Keyes, C. L. M. (1995). The structure of psychological well-being revisited. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(4), 719.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Simon and Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E., Ernst, R. M., Gillham, J., Reivich, K., & Linkins, M. (2009). Positive education: Positive psychology and classroom interventions. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 293–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55(1), 5–14. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simmons, C., Graham, A., & Thomas, N. (2015). Imagining an ideal school for well-being: Locating student voice. Journal of Educational Change, 16(2), 129–144. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10833-014-9239-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tudball, L. (2010). Developing student well-being through education for sustainability: Learning from school experience. In T. Lovat, R. Toomey, & N. Clement (Eds.), International research handbook on values education and student well-being (pp. 779–794). Springer. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8675-4_44

  • Waters, L., Dussert, D., & Loton, D. (2022). How do young children understand and action their own well-being? Positive psychology, student voice, and well-being literacy in early childhood. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 7(1), 91–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waters, L., Sun, J., Rusk, R., Cotton, A., & Arch, A. (2017). Visible well-being and positive functioning in students. In M. Slade, L. Oades, & A. Jarden (Eds.), Well-being, recovery and mental health (pp. 245–264). Cambridge University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Waters, L., & White, M. (2015). Case study of a school well-being initiative: Using appreciative inquiry to support positive change. International Journal of Well-being, 5(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v5i1.2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, M., & McCallum, F. (2022). Transforming teaching: Well-being and professional practice. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-4945-6

  • White, M. A. (2021). A decade of positive education and implications for initial teacher education: A narrative review. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 46(3). http://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2021v46n3.5

  • Wood, G. W. (2020). Introduction: Defining well-being, psychology, and the self. In The psychology of well-being (pp. 1–8). Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Ethics

This study was approved by the University of Adelaide Office of Research Ethics, Compliance and Integrity (Approval No. H-2018-275).

Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the participants who completed the study and the senior leadership team and board of the research school who supported the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Mathew A. White

Authors
  1. Mathew A. White
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mathew A. White .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Mathew A. White

  2. School of Education, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Faye McCallum

  3. School of Education, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Christopher Boyle

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

White, M.A. (2023). Understanding High School Students’ Perceptions of Wellbeing: A Qualitative Study. In: White, M.A., McCallum, F., Boyle, C. (eds) New Research and Possibilities in Wellbeing Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-5609-8_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation