Every parent wants their child to be happy and healthy. They want their children to live their dream with immense happiness. As compared to previous years, the need for positive education is more in the present context than it was 50 years ago. Why positive education is important? A study has shown that 50% of youth have experienced depression by the end of high school due to the stress of education as well as family (Lewinsohn et al., 1993).
The world has changed immensely and thus has changed the way of living of people.
People around us are busier than they used to be 50 years ago. In such conditions, youths who need support from parents and loved ones are alone. The use of more technologies has made people more familiar in the virtual world than in the real world. The mental health of school-going children is as important as their physical health. Wellbeing is not just the absence of illness but also presence of positive feelings and functioning.
They might find it difficult in managing the pressure of studying and subsequently disturbing their mental health. The traditional education system which was based on belief has shown inverse relation to children’s wellbeing and mental health (Seligman et. al., 2009). They never focused on mental health and wellbeing.
So, what is Positive education?
Positive education can be defined as education provided to people not only for traditional skills but also for happiness (Seligman et. al., 2009). In other words, positive education is the combination of both the traditional system with happiness and wellbeing.
Positive education can serve a double capacity, giving an essential avoidance stage for psychological wellness issues that actualizes all-inclusive intervention rehearse, and encouraging emotional well being, feeling of bliss and self-completion (Rones and Hoagwood, 2000; Shoshani and Slone, 2013; Slone and Shoshani, 2014).
Generally, positive education shows high proximity towards positive effect and low proximity towards negative effect, and fulfillment with life (Myers and Diener, 1995).
The PERMA model of DR. Seligman (2011) provides the framework to positive education for positive functioning with a high level of functioning across a range of psychological domains which includes:
- Positive emotion (P)
- Engagement valued activities (E)
- Fostering Positive relationship (R)
- Cultivating life purpose and meaning (M)
- Pursuing valued accomplishments (A)
(Seligman, 2011)
Positive psychology intervention (PPI) program conducted in 2017 supported the relevance of well-being outlined by the PERMA model.
- Positive emotion (P): Demonstrates that emotion regulator (ER) limit is uncertainly identified with positive effect, can ensure against the progression of negative effect and intervenes the connection between introduction to stress and life fulfillment.
- Positive engagement (E): Utilization of self-announced ER methodologies found to advance affluence utilizing social and passionate commitment.
- Positive relationship (R): A more noteworthy limit with regards to ER is related to better social change, with some developing examination representing that produce compassion towards others gives encouragement and support to others.
- Positive Meaning (M): cultivating positive purpose of life leads to cognitive change in the family of ER.
(Morish.L. et al.,2017).
However, the PERMA model does not provide evidence on how positive education upgrades wellbeing (Soshani & Slone., 2017).
Studies were done on primary school children of age group 3-6.5 years with basics concepts of positive psychology showed a significant increase in wellbeing by their parents and themselves. Their finding suggested that they had more life satisfaction which was characterized by activities like playing games, enjoyment. There was an increase in positive emotion but not negative emotion was neither reduced nor increased. Additionally, their findings also suggested that post-intervention there was a significant increase in children’s empathy, pro-social behavior, and positive approaches. This program has suggested that positive education in primary school children also increases Subjective well-being (Soshani & Slone., 2017).
The intervention program on schools on socio-economic and positive emotion has shown an increase in positive attitude behaviors towards learning. The Penn Resiliency Program (PRP) whose goal was to increase the ability of students to handle day to day stresses and promote optimism, has shown positive results. The various studies done on the PRP program on Unite States, United Kingdom, Australia, China, and Portugal with diverse samples concluded that the PRP program has helped in achieving wellbeing. This program helped in reducing and preventing depression, hopelessness, anxiety, behavioral problems, and has worked equally well for children regardless of their ethnic backgrounds (Seligman et. al., 2009).
However, a study done on Australian students suggested that positive education does not help with increasing well-being but it acts as a buffer against mental health illnesses. In this report, it was found that students, who were victims of depression and anxiety, were decreased symptoms after the intervention. There was also a decline in mental health due to studies that suggested the need for positive education in young adults (Halliday et al.,2019).
From a few studies and intervention programs I have mentioned, positive education has helped flourishing well-being directly or indirectly. Mental health is as important as physical health. Targeting proper age for positive education programs will have strong mental health for a lifetime.
Recommendation:
- The programs are only effective when parents and teachers also participate and support. Thus, they are highly encouraged to support and participate.
- Active participation of students is needed as only such programs are found to be effective and efficient.
- Regarding the importance of positive education, every school and university should be acknowledged.
- Compulsory positive education in each school.
- Awareness of the importance of positive education should be given.
References:
- Halliday, Amber J., Margaret L. Kern, David K. Garrett, and Deborah A. Turnbull. “Understanding Factors Affecting Positive Education in Practice: An Australian Case Study.” Contemporary School Psychology (2019): Contemporary School Psychology, 2/19/2019. Retrived from https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-019-00229-0
- Morrish, L., Rickard, N., Chin, T.C. et al. Emotion Regulation in Adolescent Well-Being and Positive Education. J Happiness Stud 19, 1543–1564 (2018). Retrived from https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-017-9881-y
- Seligman, Martin E. P, Randal M Ernst, Jane Gillham, Karen Reivich, and Mark Linkins. “Positive Education: Positive Psychology and Classroom Interventions.” Oxford Review of Education: Well-being in Schools 35.3 (2009): 293-311. Retrived from https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/core20
- Shoshani, Anat, and Slone, Michelle. “Positive Education for Young Children: Effects of a Positive Psychology Intervention for Preschool Children on Subjective Well Being and Learning Behaviors.” Frontiers in Psychology 8 (2017): 1866. Retrived from doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01866
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