Mathew A. White

A multidimensional approach to measuring well-being in students: Application of the PERMA framework

Seligman recently introduced the PERMA model with five core elements of psychological well-being: positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. We empirically tested this multidimensional theory with 516 Australian male students (age 13–18). From an extensive well-being assessment, we selected a subset of items theoretically relevant to PERMA. Factor analyses recovered four of the five PERMA elements, and two ill-being factors (depression and anxiety). We then explored the nomological net surrounding each factor by examining cross-sectional associations with life satisfaction, hope, gratitude, school engagement, growth mindset, spirituality, physical vitality, physical activity, somatic symptoms, and stressful life events. Factors differentially related to these correlates, offering support for the multidimensional approach to measuring well-being. Directly assessing subjective well-being across multiple domains offers the potential for schools to more systematically understand and promote well-being.

A case study of ‘The Good School:’ Examples of the use of Peterson’s strengths-based approach with students

This applied case study centers on two aspects of Peterson’s research as introduced into a large K-12 school in Australia: (i) creating enabling institutions and (ii) applications of character strengths. The paper describes five character strengths initiatives. Four of the strengths initiatives have been integrated into existing school experiences such as English curriculum, school sport, student leadership, and counseling. The fifth initiative involved a brand new program which introduced a Positive Education Curriculum for years K-10. We describe these five initiatives and then explain how students at the school may experience these in a more holistic and integrated way. We hope that this article will act as a fitting tribute to the legacy of Christopher Peterson.

Measuring Whole-School Well-being in Students and Staff

Drawing on recent advances in the field of positive psychology, we present a multi-dimensional, whole school framework for measuring well-being within the school environment, organized around Seligman’s (Flourish, 2011) PERMA model of flourishing. We apply this framework to assess student and staff well-being at an entire school—St. Peter’s College, Adelaide, Australia. We report the student and staff baseline measurement strategy, present a snapshot of student and staff well-being, and test cross-sectional relations between the PERMA well-being pillars and physical health, job satisfaction, and organization commitment. 514 students and 143 staff completed a well-being questionnaire. Students with higher levels of optimism and happiness reported greater physical vitality. Staff with higher levels of meaning reported better physical health, and staff with higher levels of engagement and accomplishment reported greater job satisfaction and organizational commitment. By directly assessing subjective perspectives of well-being across multiple domains, and by incorporating both student and staff perspectives, there is potential to change the focus and conversation toward wellness promotion at all levels in the education system.

Leading Whole-School Change

Drawing from the fields of positional organizational scholarship and educational administration, this study evaluated the effectiveness of an appreciative inquiry (AI) approach in creating change at a large private school, launched with a one-day AI summit. A sample, pre-test, immediate post-test and 4 month post-test design measured changes in positive affect and employee perceptions of the virtues within the organization. Staff reported statistically significant increases in positive affect and organizational virtues following the AI summit. Feelings of enthusiasm, inspiration, strength and attentiveness were significantly higher at the 4-month post-test than at pre-test. Quantitative methods assessed the immediate reactions of staff to the summit, together with focus groups conducted 18 months after. Quantitative analysis highlighted that staff valued the collaborative and positive nature of AI. An 18-month follow-up revealed 12 bottom-up organizational changes resulting from the summit and 3 top-down changes.

Building a Positive Institution

Building “positive institutions”, including schools, is one of the three pillars of positive psychology as defined by Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi. Seligman et al., argued that schools could be a home for the science of well-being to “move individuals toward better citizenship, responsibility, nurturance, altruism, civility, moderation, tolerance, and work ethic.” This chapter summarizes developments in positive psychology, “the scientific study of what goes right in life”, and its exponential growth over the past 15 years. While advances have been made in understanding positive emotions and positive traits, investigation of the possibilities positive institutions, including schools, can play in the development of well-being remains an overlooked area of research. One of the challenges educators’ face is bringing well-being programs to scale at the institutional level. This has been underscored by a lack of an organizational or theoretical framework. This chapter outlines why schools should adopt well-being as an operational goal, and how they can become a positive institution. We outline the case to support this view from well-being and ill-being data, and what this is trying to achieve. We summarize the definitions in the literature to provide a sequential framework for institutions to consider focusing on: what is positive psychology? What is well-being? What is positive education? What is a positive institution? Finally, we offer a framework based on eight measurable goals to guide schools in a process to become a positive institution. These are aligned against Seligman’s PERMA theory: positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment model of well-being. We are argue that by focusing on building leadership capability in positive psychology; defining and measuring well-being; enhancing resilience; developing a well-being strategy; building staff capability; implementing scientifically informed well-being programs; and evaluating and developing models for positive change.

Student Leadership, Well-Being and Service: Integrating Appreciative Inquiry, Strengths and Leadership

Student leadership development is often touted as an important aspect of character development in schools. However, many school leaders find themselves in positions of responsibility without a few models of student leadership to help conceptualize their approach. While it is easy to say that they can learn this on the job, there is a benefit in adopting a systematic approach to leadership development. This chapter documents the reflection of two student leaders throughout 2012–2013, and the integration of well-being concepts in their leadership style at St. Peter’s College, Adelaide. It reports on an Appreciative Inquiry Summit the student leaders designed and delivered after a consultation with Martin Seligman, David Cooperrider, and Lea Waters. This chapter is a case study of their leadership experience and demonstrates the process they adopted to contribute to the school’s vision and mission throughout the year. John Vrodos and Tom McNeil were Captain and Vice-captain of St. Peter’s College, Adelaide in 2013. From the outset and throughout the year, these student leaders decided to integrate well-being and positive psychology approaches in their leadership. This chapter is a co-authored reflection of their experiences in 2013, with particular reference to a National Student Leadership Summit the boys hosted. Student leadership has long been a feature of St. Peter’s College, Adelaide. The origins of the prefect structure can be linked to the educational philosophy of Dr. Thomas Arnold that swept through the British Empire at the height of colonial expansion. With the rise of Victorian England, it was natural that colonial versions of the great English public schools, like St. Peter’s College, would adopt this approach, drawing on the experience of schools such as Eton, Winchester, Harrow, and Rugby.

Positive School Psychology

Central to building a positive institution is the integration of psychological services into the daily operation of schools. While an ideal model would see the psychologist as a specialist staff member it also focuses on building organisational capabilities to strengthen the reach of psychological specialists. With current psychologist-tostudent ratios ranging from 1:1500 to 1:2000 across most Australian school systems (Faulkner, InPsych: The Bulletin of the Australian Psychological Society, 29(4), 10–13, 2007), the traditional welfare approach in schools typically reaches a minority of the population and does not necessarily help to raise the overall well-being of the student population. The two questions that must be addressed are, firstly, what are schools doing to support the students who don’t seek help, and secondly, what can schools do to further prevent mental illness? This chapter outlines the theoretical and applied shift of St. Peter’s College’s psychological and counselling services, from the welfare model to the integration of the well-being model. Welfare models in schools tend to be reactive and aim to reduce the risk, prevalence, and severity of mental illness and psychopathology (e.g. anxiety, depression), and treatment is usually focused on the individual’s deficits (Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi, American Psychologist, 55(1), 5–14, 2000). Building upon existing interventions in the school, the proactive well-being model uses a positive psychology approach and promotes well-being and resilience in the whole-school community. Using Caplan’s (Principles of prevention psychiatry, 1964) principles of preventative mental health to highlight the shift, traditional preventative approaches have been incorporated into the school’s well-being framework, creating change in the counselling setting and throughout the school, the full spectrum of mental health, from psychopathology, to the prevention of mental illness, and the promotion of well-being and flourishing for all students.

Strengths-Based Approaches in the Classroom and Staffroom

How can school leaders build ‘good school’ cultures that foster well-being in both the classroom and the staffroom? How can schools enable an environment that has virtues embodied both at the institutional level and which foster virtues in students and staff? This chapter reports on the impact of Christopher Peterson’s research in the field of positive psychology at an Australian school. It centres on two aspects of Peterson’s research: creating enabling institutions and applications of strengths in education. This chapter provides a summary of these two theories and the character strengths profile and its implications for policy makers, school leaders, and educators. It then reports on the application and impact of using the character strengths profile in a school with students and staff. We hope that this chapter will act as a fitting tribute to the legacy of Christopher Peterson foundational role in the development positive psychology and positive education.

Why We Need Positive Education 2.0

What’s next in well-being? We argue it’s Positive Education 2.0. The American psychologist Corey Keyes explains, “It is often said that our youth is this nation’s future. If true, then there is too much mental illness to look forward to in the future” (Keyes C, The nature and importance of positive mental health in America’s Adolescents. In: Furlong MJ, Gilman R, Huebner ES. Handbook of positive psychology in schools. Routledge, New York, pp 9–23, 2014). Never before have schools received the call to educate a new generation to lead global challenges of such complexity. Notwithstanding Keyes observations, this is a global challenge and it requires a global approach as the World Health Organization predicts by 2030, depression will be the highest level of disability of any mental or physical disorder (World Health Organization; Impact of economic crises on mental health. Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, 2011). We need Positive Education 2.0, which is informed by entrepreneurship, innovation and hands-on discovery for young people. We believe in doing this; positive education should now move toward programs that teach innovation through project-based learning teams, in which students will focus on solving real-life challenges.

A Comparison Between Theological Christian Approaches to Wisdom and Peterson and Seligman’s Classification of Character Strengths and Virtues

Within the context of independent Christian schools, including schools in the Catholic system, Christian education is viewed as a central part of developing the whole child. Often named “Religious and Values Education” it includes values and ethics education. As a part of Religious and Values Education students are usually asked to consider and explore scared texts, current theology, and respond based upon their own emerging faith and spirituality. There is a practical application suggested by Religious and Values Education: the student is encouraged to apply practical values and ethics in his or her daily life. A link can be made between Christianity, values and ethics education, with the emerging field of positive education, which aims to build the good in each individual and community by focusing on strengths and virtues. This chapter takes an interdisciplinary approach that seeks to explore the possible alignment between Christian theology and Positive education. The chapter focuses upon the Wisdom literature of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, exploring the explicit points of overlap between that literature and the principles of positive psychology, with a focus on finding ways of teaching wisdom through a positive education approach.