Year of Award

2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Name

Counselor Education and Supervision

Department or School/College

Phyllis J. Washington College of Education

Committee Chair

John Sommers-Flanagan

Commitee Members

Emily Sallee, Jayna Mumbauer-Pisano, Daniel Salois, Derrick Paladino

Publisher

University of Montana

Abstract

Educators throughout the United States report high levels of mental distress, anxiety, depression, and stress and difficulties with physical health. Educational systems have limited ability to address the well-being of faculty and staff in primary and secondary schools. Existing interventions are not always adequate and often do not reach the majority of educators who are facing challenges in the aforementioned areas of wellness. Positive psychology interventions and workshops have demonstrated their efficacy in promoting well-being with different populations. In this quantitative, quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest study, I studied the effects of a brief happiness for educators workshop on participants’ well-being. The happiness for educators workshop was offered during a professional development day for Missoula County Public Schools. The workshop included a brief 105-minute presentation introducing participants to positive psychology and interventions associated with this treatment modality. Some participants also received email messages offering further resources once a week for four weeks post-intervention. Participants who completed the workshop reported less depression and less negative affect, although statistical significance, as compared to the control group, was not achieved. The results indicate that positive psychology interventions may be useful in promoting improved well-being among educators, but that larger doses are likely needed to achieve statistical significance. Conclusions, limitations, and recommendations for future research are included.

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© Copyright 2023 Robert J. Ryan