Document Type
Theses, Ph.D
Disciplines
5.1 PSYCHOLOGY, 5.3 EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES
Abstract
Background: In the Republic of Ireland, ‘wellbeing’ was first recognised in 2015 as a formal area of learning for all Junior Cycle students and this led, in turn, to the consolidation of the wellbeing curriculum and the introduction in 2017 of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) wellbeing guidelines. While much research now demonstrates how social and emotional learning and health and wellbeing initiatives and interventions can benefit students, relatively little is known in terms of the attitudes and opinions of Irish post-primary educators in this regard. Objective: The overarching objective of this study was to contribute to the facilitation of post-primary educators in promoting student wellbeing at a Junior Cycle level by addressing a relative dearth of knowledge regarding educators’ attitudes in this regard. The specific objectives of this study were: (1) to examination of educators’ attitudes and perceptions of what constitutes best practice in wellbeing promotion, and: (2) to identify factors that may inhibit or facilitate best practice. Method: This study utilised a two-phase sequential mixed methods design, which was informed by an interpretivist constructivist paradigm. Phase One was quantitative in nature and involved participants (n = 327) completing the Attitudes Toward Wellbeing Promotion (ATWP) scale, which is designed to measure the degree to which educators may be positively or negatively disposed to the promotion of student wellbeing. Phase One data was analysed by way of general linear modelling, with main effects and interactions of several demographic variables examined. Phase Two was qualitative in nature and consisted of a series of semi-structured interviews with key informants (n = 11). Phase Two data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Participants were found to present with an underlying positive regard for the promotion of student wellbeing, though levels of positivity varied in relation to a number of demographic variables. Reflexive thematic analysis resulted in the interpretation of five themes. Appropriate value for wellbeing promotion, sufficient training in appropriate methods and pedagogies, and sufficient time to deliver wellbeing promoting initiatives were all identified xiii as significant inhibitive factors in achieving best practice. These factors also appeared to be detrimental to educators’ own wellbeing. Conclusion: This study makes a valuable contribution to existing literature by conducting what appears to be the first holistic examination of educators’ attitudes regarding the promotion of student wellbeing. This is also the first study to examine the degree to which educators may be positively/negatively disposed to wellbeing promotion. While participants presented with an underlying positivity regarding wellbeing promotion, there appear to a number of factors that significantly threaten best practice in this regard. Some recommendations are made with a view to mitigating those factors that pose a barrier to best practice.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21427/AN58-Z143
Recommended Citation
Byrne, D. (2021). An Examination of Irish Post-Primary Educators’ Attitudes Regarding the Promotion of Student’s Social and Emotional Wellbeing. Technological University Dublin. DOI: 10.21427/AN58-Z143
Creative Commons License
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Included in
Educational Psychology Commons, Other Education Commons, Psychology Commons, Secondary Education Commons
Publication Details
An Examination of Irish Post-Primary Educators’ Attitudes Regarding the Promotion of Student’s Social and Emotional Wellbeing.
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Ph.D., Technological University Dublin, Department of Humanities, August 2021.