Podium Presentation - 10 minutes International Positive Psychology Association 8th IPPA World Congress 2023

 Where are we? (Background)

In 1989, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child prompted international discourse about children’s rights, education and wellbeing. More recently, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development shared global Good Health and Wellbeing, and Quality Education goals (Desa, 2016). Strong child wellbeing positively impacts learning and development, across the life trajectory (OECD, 2017; Shonkoff, 2010), however, the rapid change and development in childhood make wellbeing conceptualisation and assessment complicated (Marbina et al, 2015).

What are we seeking in practice? (Aims)

‘Wellbeing’ is often used as an outcome for education practices, particularly positive psychology interventions (PPIs). However, can we conceptualise and measure this, or be held accountable, with many external, contextual influences and variables? Are PPI gains generalisable across contexts (Oades, et al, 2020)? This presentation discusses wellbeing literacy as a more proximal, measurable and generalisable outcome of education and PPIs, particularly in early childhood.

Take aways (method)

This presentation will

• introduce Wellbeing literacy (WL) and the 5 core conditions which can build an individual’s capability to communicate about and for their wellbeing, across contexts (Oades, et al, 2020).
• share emerging research, strategies and WL capability model; bridging pedagogy and wellbeing science, for education professionals
• illustrate how PPIs are increasingly applicable to education, particularly early childhood contexts, when viewed through the WL capability model (Baker, et al 2021).

So what? (results)

WL’s 5 component model can support education professionals to conceptualise and measure wellbeing as a literacy, for and about wellbeing, informing and expanding positive education and PPIs. Moreover, WL is argued as important to positive psychology as a construct that mediates and/or moderates PPIs. 

And then? (‘The grand conclusion’!)

Early childhood curricula in many countries have explicit wellbeing inclusions (i.e. UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, China, Columbia, Denmark, Portugal; Brogaard-Clausen, 2022). This presentation concludes WL, a new wellbeing theory, is timely, practical and vital for positive psychology and education (Baker, et al 2021).