Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Wellness

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Adolescence

  • 43 Accesses

Synonyms

Healthy; Well-being

Overview

Essentially, all definitions of wellness emphasize a state of positive well-being, including the maximization of individuals’ human potential and life satisfaction through integrating body, mind, and spirit in purposeful and positive manners (Myers and Sweeney 2004, 2005a; Sweeney and Witmer 1991). Throughout the last several decades, the somewhat limited understanding of wellness as a physical indication of health (i.e., nutrition and exercise) has evolved into a more holistic model of well-being that addresses numerous areas of individuals’ lives including mental, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and social wellness. Because the tendency toward living well is believed to develop early in life, wellness is imperative during adolescence if individuals are to live healthy and well across their life spans (Dixon Rayle 2005; Preskitt et al. 2015). Research indicates that habits and attitudes developed during adolescence continue into adulthood;...

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 2,900.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 549.99
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

References

  • Adams, T., Bezner, J., & Steinhardt, M. (1997). The conceptualization and measurement of perceived wellness: Integrating balance across and within dimensions. American Journal of Health Promotion, 11, 208–218.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Adler, A. (1927). The practice and theory of individual psychology. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Medical Association. (n.d.). Healthy youth 2012. Retrieved 16 Feb 2016, from http://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/160-193-HYS-AnalyticReport2012.pdf.

  • Ansuini, C. G., & Fiddler-Woite, J. (1996). The source, accuracy, and impact of initial sexuality information on lifetime wellness. Adolescence, 31, 283–290.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ardell, D. B. (1977). High level wellness strategies. Health Education, 8, 2–4.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister, R. F., Campbell, J. D., Krueger, J. L., & Vohs, K. D. (2003). Does high self-esteem cause better performance, interpersonal success, happiness, or healthier lifestyles? Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 4, 1–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bernard, B. (1991). Fostering resiliency in kids: Protective factors in the family, school, and community. Portland OR: Western Regional Center for Drug-Free Schools and Communities and Far West Laboratory for Educational Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2003). Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s middle school youth risk behavior survey. Atlanta: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s middle school youth risk behavior survey. Atlanta: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Adolescent and School Health; Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Office of Adolescent Health; National Adolescent Health Information Center, University of California, San Francisco. (2014). Executive summary—improving the health of adolescents & young adults: A guide for states and communities. Atlanta: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang, C. Y., & Myers, J. E. (2003). Cultural adaptation of the wellness evaluation of lifestyle: An assessment challenge. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 35(4), 239–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeStefno, T. J., & Richardson, P. (1992). The relationship of paper-and-pencil wellness measures to objective physiological indexes. Journal of Counseling and Development, 71, 226–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dixon Rayle, A. (2006). Mattering to others: Implications for the counseling relationship. Journal of Counseling and Development, 84, 483–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dixon Rayle, A. L. (2005). Adolescent gender differences in mattering and wellness. Journal of Adolescence, 28, 753–763. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2004.10.009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dixon Rayle, A. L., & Myers, J. E. (2004). Wellness in adolescence: The roles of ethnic identity, acculturation, and mattering. Professional School Counseling, 8, 81–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunn, H. (1959). High-level wellness for man and society. American Journal of Public Health and the Nations Health, 49, 786–792.

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn, H. (1977). High level wellness. Thorofare, NJ: Charles B. Slack, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edlin, G. (1988). Health and wellness. Boston: Jones & Bartlett.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erikson, E. H. (1963). Childhood and society (2nd ed.). New York: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, G. S. (1904). Adolescence: Its psychology and its relations to physiology, anthropology, sociology, sex, crime, religion, and education (vols. I & II). New York: D. Appleton & Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harari, M. J., Waehler, C. A., & Rogers, J. R. (2005). An empirical investigation of a theoretically based measure of perceived wellness. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52, 93–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Healthy People 2020. (2014). Healthy people 2020: Understanding and improving health. Retrieved 15 Mar 2016, from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/leading-health-indicators/Healthy-People-2020-Leading-Health-Indicators%3A-Progress-Update

  • Helson, M., Vollegergh, W., & Meeus, W. (2000). Social support from parents and friends and emotional problems in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 29(3), 319–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hettler, W. (1980). Wellness promotion on a university campus: Family and community health. Journal of Health Promotion and Maintenance, 3, 77–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jessor, R., Van Den Bos, J., Vanderryn, J., Costa, F. M., & Turbin, M. S. (1995). Protective factors in adolescent problem behavior: Moderator effects and developmental change. Developmental Psychology, 31, 923–933.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kroger, J. (2005). Identity in adolescence: The balance between self and other (3rd ed.). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lafferty, J. (1979). A credo for wellness. Health Education, 10, 10–11.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Luthar, S. S., Cicchetti, D., & Becker, B. (2000). The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation and guidelines for future work. Child Development, 3, 543–562.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacKay, A. P., & Duran, C. (2007). Adolescent health in the United States. Hyattsville: National Center for Health Statistics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Makinson, L., & Myers, J. E. (2003). Wellness: An alternative paradigm for violence prevention. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education, and Development, 42, 165–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, S. K. (2001). Do I matter? Construct validation of adolescents’ perceived mattering to parents and friends. Journal of Adolescence, 24, 473–490.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, K. A., Murphey, D., & Bandy, T. (2012). Positive child well-being: An index based on data for individual children. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 16, 119–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers, J. E. (2009). Wellness of counselor educators: An initial look. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education, and Development, 48(1), 91–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers, J. E., & Sweeney, T. J. (2004). The indivisible self: An evidence-based model of wellness. Journal of Individual Psychology, 60, 234–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, J. E., & Sweeney, T. J. (2005a). Counseling for wellness: Theory, research, and practice. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, J. E., & Sweeney, T. J. (2005b). Five factor wellness inventory: Adult, teenage, and elementary school versions. Menlo Park, CA: Mind Garden, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, J. E., Sweeney, T. J., & Witmer, J. M. (2000). The Wheel of Wellness counseling for wellness: A holistic model for treatment planning. Journal of Counseling and Development, 78, 251–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers, J. E., Willse, J. T., & Villalba, J. A. (2011). Promoting self-esteem in adolescents: The influence of Wellness factors. Journal of Counseling and Development, 89(1), 28–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Institute on Drug Abuse. (n.d.). Monitoring the future. Retrieved 21 Feb 2016, from www.monitoringthefuture.org/

  • National Institutes of Health. (2007). The national longitudinal study of adolescent health. Retrieved 21 Feb 2016, from http://www.cpc.unc.edu/projects/addhealth

  • National Wellness Institute. (1983). Life style assessment questionnaire (2nd ed.). Stevens Point, WI: National Wellness Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neuman, B. (1974). The Betty Neuman health care systems model: A total person approach to patient problems. In J. Riehl & C. Roy (Eds.), Conceptual models for nursing practice. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neuman, B., & Fawcett, J. (2002). The Neuman systems model. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neuman, B., & Fawcett, J. (2011). The Neuman systems model (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palombi, B. (1992). Psychometric properties of wellness instruments. Journal of Counseling & Development, 71, 221–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Preskitt, J. K., Menear, K. S., Goldfarb, S. S., & Menachemi, N. (2015). Wellness among U.S. adolescents ages 12–17 years. Child: Care, Health & Development, 41(6), 1207–1215.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rachele, J. N., Washington, T. L., Cuddihy, T. F., Barwais, F. A., & McPhail, S. M. (2013a). Valid and reliable assessment of wellness among adolescents: Do you know what you’re measuring? International Journal of Wellbeing, 3(2), 162–172. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v3i2.3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rachele, J. N., Cuddihy, T. F., Washington, T. L., & McPhail, S. M. (2013b). Reliability of the five factor wellness inventory among male adolescents. The Journal of Individual Psychology, 69(2), 118–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rachele, J. N., Cuddihy, T. F., Washington, T. L., & McPhail, S. M. (2014). Reliability of a wellness inventory for use among adolescent females ages 12–14 years. BMC Women’s Health, 14(1), 87–92. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6874-14-87.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Renger, R. F., Midyett, S. J., Mas, F. G., Erin, T. E., McDermott, H. M., Papenfuss, R. L., Eichling, et al. (2000). Optimal living profile: An inventory to assess health and wellness. American Journal of Health Promotion, 24, 403–412.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roscoe, L. J. (2009). Wellness: A review of theory and measurement for counselors. Journal of Counseling & Development, 87, 216–226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, M. (1985). Self-concept and psychological well-being in adolescence. In R. L. Leahy (Ed.), The development of self (pp. 205–246). Toronto: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, M., & McCullough, B. C. (1981). Mattering: Inferred significance and mental health among adolescents. Research in Community Mental Health, 2, 163–182.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1987). Psychological resilience and protective mechanisms. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 57, 316–333.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P. (1998). Learned optimism. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P., & Cskiszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology. American Psychologist, 55, 5–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simon, E., Schwarz, M., Roos, J., Dragano, N., Geraedts, M., Siegrist, J., Kamp, G., & Wendel, U. (2008). Evaluation of quality of life and description of the sociodemographic state in adolescent and young adult patients with phenylketonuria (PKU). Health Quality Life Outcomes, 26(6), 25–29. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-6-25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith-Adcock, S., Webster, S., Leonard, L., & Walker, J. (2008). Benefits of a holistic group counseling model to promote Wellness for girls at risk for delinquency: An exploratory study. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education and Development, 47(1), 111–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spurr, S., Bally, J., Ogenchuk, M., & Walker, K. (2012). A framework for exploring adolescent wellness. Pediatric Nursing, 38, 320–326.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Steiner, H., Pavelski, R., Pitts, T., & McQuivey, R. (1998). The Juvenile Wellness and Health Survey (JWHS-76): A school based screening instrument for general and mental health in high school students. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 29, 141–154.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Suldo, S. M., Savage, J. A., & Mercer, S. H. (2014). Increasing middle school students’ life satisfaction: Efficacy of a positive psychology group intervention. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15, 19–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-013-9414-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sussman, S., Dent, C. W., Stacy, A. W., Burton, D., & Flay, B. R. (1995). Psychosocial predictors of health risk factors in adolescents. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 20, 91–108.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sweeney, T. J., & Witmer, J. M. (1991). Beyond social interest: Striving toward optimal health and wellness. Individual Psychology, 47, 527–540.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, J. R., & Turner, R. J. (2001). A longitudinal study of the role and significance of mattering to others for depressive symptoms. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 42, 310–325.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • United States Census Bureau. (2010). 2010 Census counts of adolescents. Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, J. C., & Lemon, J. C. (2011). A profile of adolescent wellness: Implications for working with a help-seeking population. The Journal of Humanistic Counseling, 50(1), 70–83. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-1939.2011.tb00107.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. (1948). Chronicle of the World Health Organization. Retrieved 15 Feb 2016, from http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hist/chronicles/chronicle_1948.pdf

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Georgia State University, 3980, Atlanta, GA, 30302-3980, USA

    Andrea L. Dixon

  2. School of Human Development and Organizational Studies in Education, University of Florida, 1209 Norman Hall, 117046, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7046, USA

    Sondra Smith-Adcock

Authors
  1. Andrea L. Dixon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sondra Smith-Adcock
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Andrea L. Dixon or Sondra Smith-Adcock .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA

    Roger J. R. Levesque

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Dixon, A.L., Smith-Adcock, S. (2018). Wellness. In: Levesque, R.J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Adolescence. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33228-4_60

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation