Measuring Whole-School Well-being in Students and Staff

Abstract

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.

Appendix 1

International Thought Leaders that have Presented at St. Peter’s College

Patrons:

Dr. Robin J Warren AC—Nobel Prize Winner and St Peter’s College Old Scholar

Baroness Greenfield CBE—Professor of Pharmacology at Oxford University, a neuroscientist, writer, and broadcaster

Fellows 2011–2014:

• Professor Tanya Monro—ARC Federation Fellow, Director of the Institute for Photonics & Advanced Sensing (IPAS), Professor of Physics, The University of Adelaide

• Anthony Roediger—Boston Consulting Group Partner and Managing Director

• Professor Patrick McGorry AO—Executive Director of Orygen Youth Health

• Associate Professor Rufus Black—Master of Ormond College and Principal Fellow in the Department of Philosophy, The University of Melbourne

• Dr Michael Carr-Gregg—child and adolescent psychologist

• Professor Felicia Huppert—Professor Emerita of psychology and Founding Director of the Well-being Institute, University of Cambridge

• The Rev’d Professor Andrew McGowan—Warden, Trinity College, Joan F.W. Munro Professor of Historical Theology in the Trinity College Theological School, Melbourne,

• Professor Toni Noble—Australian Catholic University

• Professor Rob Moodie—Professor of Global Health at the Nossal Institute of Global Health at the University of Melbourne

• Associate Professor Lea Waters—Director of the Masters in School Leadership and Director of Positive Psychology Programs (undergraduate), Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne

• Professor Michael Bernard—Professorial Fellow Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne

• Professor Martin Seligman—The University of Pennsylvania

• Professor Peter Singer AC—Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University, and a Laureate Professor at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics at the University of Melbourne

• Associate Professor Jane Burns—Chief Executive Officer of the Young and Well CRC

• The Rev’d Dr Andreas Loewe—Chaplain, Trinity College, The University of Melbourne

• Professor James Haire AC—Director, Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture

• Professor Kent Anderson—Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), The University of Adelaide

• Professor James Arthur—Director Jubilee Centre for Character and Values, Head of the School of Education, University of Birmingham

• Brigadier General (retired) Rhonda Cornum PhD MD—Former Director of the US Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness

• Dr Michael Merzenich—Professor Emeriturs of Neuroscience at the University of California, San Francisco

• Dr Paul Willis—Director of the Royal Institution of Australia

• Professor Glyn Davis AC—Vice Chancellor and Principal, University of Melbourne

• Professor Julio Licinio—Deputy Director Translational Medicine and Head, Mind and Brain Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute

• Professor David Lloyd—Vice Chancellor and President, University of South Australia