The need for optimism and resilience among adults is clear, and it crosses cultures and boundaries. Depression is widespread in the developed world. While a substantial amount of literature has been released within the “self-help” genre, very little research has examined the predictive connection between education and adult well-being. Some would argue that the primary purpose of education is preparing students to be successful adults, but success without enjoyment might, by some definitions, fall short.
The measurement and value of well-being are not new. Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) policy predates Seligman’s research (Seligman, 2019). Over a twenty-year period, Seligman (2006) conducted research on the science of well-being and optimism among adults. The culmination of this research, known as Positive Psychology, showed that both optimism and pessimism (helplessness) can be learned. Seligman explained optimism through three ideas: personalization, pervasiveness, and permanence. The goal is to approach positive circumstances with high levels of pervasiveness and permanence, while responding to negative circumstances as more limited and temporary.
This article brings together multiple studies and frameworks, including PERMA (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment), Positive Education, and the School-Based Psychosocial Curriculum Model (SPCM), demonstrating how research is helping schools use positive psychology in schools as a tool for social-emotional learning (SEL).
SEL Integration through Positive Psychology
Norrish et al. (2013) described Positive Education as the use of positive psychology in educational settings. Implemented and studied in the Geelong Grammar School in Australia, the framework highlighted three key factors: “Live it, Teach it, Embed it” (Norrish et al., 2013, 150). ‘Living it' emphasizes teacher well-being; ‘Teaching it' refers to including these skills in academic lessons; and ‘Embedding it' means incorporating the ideas into daily school life. Character strengths offer practical skills for students (Norrish et al., 2013).
For example, a teacher might begin a literature lesson by asking students to identify a character strength demonstrated by a protagonist, such as perseverance, kindness, or bravery, and then invite students to connect that strength to a challenge in their own lives. This allows positive psychology concepts to be taught through existing academic content rather than as a separate lesson.
For example, a teacher might include a discussion in a social studies lesson about how a particular historical figure might have felt when facing adversity. Were they afraid before going into battle or confronting authorities about injustice? Were they tempted to quit when the adversity mounted against them? Then invite students to connect these feelings to a challenge in their own lives. This allows positive psychology concepts to be incorporated into an existing curriculum rather than taking extra time or attention in a separate lesson.
Rivers et al. (2013) implemented the RULER (Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions) as an additional approach to improving the social and emotional climate of classrooms. A cluster randomized controlled trial demonstrated that SEL curricula can measurably enhance emotional awareness, teacher-student relationships, and student engagement. This aligns with PERMA’s multidimensional approach, and suggests that research-driven strategies can improve both social-emotional and academic outcomes.
For example, a teacher might use a classroom “mood meter” at the beginning of the day, asking students to identify and label their current emotions before moving into instruction. Over time, students practice recognizing emotional states, naming them accurately, and selecting appropriate strategies, such as taking a brief pause, asking for help, or using calming self-talk before responding to a difficult situation.
For example, a teacher might post charts on the classroom walls with various mood states or emotion labels, having students refer to them throughout the day as they progress through lessons. Using the previous example, they can use the chart to assign probable emotions to fictional or historical figures or to express their own feelings at a particular moment. By practicing recognizing and labeling these emotions, they can build the habit of using appropriate strategies in difficult situations, such as pausing or asking for help.
Cross and Cross (2017) introduced the School-Based Psychosocial Curriculum Model (SPCM), derived from Erikson’s (1963) theory, focusing on ego strength and psychosocial continua such as Trust/Mistrust and Intimacy/Isolation. This complements PERMA by emphasizing emotional development in gifted students and highlights the importance of professional development for teachers to foster positive relationships.
For example, a teacher working with gifted students might use structured peer discussion groups in which students reflect on both academic challenges and social experiences, such as perfectionism, feeling misunderstood, or difficulty trusting classmates during group work. The teacher can guide students to practice respectful listening, vulnerability, and collaboration, helping them build stronger peer relationships while developing psychosocial strengths such as trust, autonomy, and connection.
For example, a teacher working with gifted students might address common issues such as perfectionism, feeling misunderstood, or procrastination alongside peers through reflective discussion groups. Teachers can provide nurturing facilitation, promote active listening and collaboration skills, and serve as guides or coaches to help students manage their own issues and develop the ability to balance trust and skepticism with intimacy/distance within social circles. In time, these students can be given the opportunity to lead conflict-resolution sessions with other students.
Across SEL models, one theme stands out: teacher well-being matters, and asking teachers to model emotional vulnerability in front of students can be more challenging in highly individualistic cultures.
Implications for Teacher Practice
The synthesis of these studies indicates that research-driven positive psychology provides practical tools for SEL implementation through actionable insights, which are provided by multidimensional assessment tools. Using the PERMA framework provides specific insights into individual students’ strengths and challenges, allowing teachers to treat a classroom of learners as a collection of individuals rather than a conglomeration of faces. When students’ backgrounds are respected, and their emotional well-being is considered during instruction, they perform better.
Additionally, while students often face unknown and invisible barriers to their school day, more apparent and systemic issues of culture and context are also important to identify and address. Recognizing that bias is a natural and unconscious part of classroom instruction, teachers can use the tools of SEL to monitor their communication tendencies and how they affect students. In this way, a cycle of ongoing, formative SEL assessment in the classroom can improve both how teachers teach and how learners learn.
Unlike many private schools, public schools may be tempted to continue to use what limited instructional time they have, amid absenteeism and regulatory/administrative demands, to focus on improving students’ academic performance on standardized tests. Kern et al. (2015) concluded that each school is essential for teaching socialization and positive values, and they suggested that measuring school and teacher effectiveness should be just as focused on multidimensional social-emotional tools as on academic testing. Future studies could help clarify how students in diverse school buildings and cultural contexts respond to the use of SEL tools, as evidenced by increased test scores.
Conclusions
Research demonstrates that positive psychology, grounded in decades of study, provides a practical and evidence-based framework for SEL in schools. By integrating PERMA, Positive Education, RULER, and SPCM approaches, teachers can enhance both academic and social-emotional outcomes. Continued research and implementation in diverse educational contexts will ensure that positive psychology is a robust, actionable tool for preparing students not only to succeed but to thrive.
References
Cross, Tracy L., and Jennifer Riedl Cross. 2017. “Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Students: Introducing the School-Based Psychosocial Curriculum Model.” Gifted Child Today 40 (3): 178–182.
Erikson, Erik H. 1963. Childhood and Society. 2nd ed. New York: W. W. Norton.
Kern, Margaret L., Lea Waters, Adam Adler, and Michael White. 2015. “A Multidimensional Approach to Measuring Well-Being in Students: Application of the PERMA Framework.” Journal of Positive Psychology 10 (3): 262–271.
Norrish, Joanne M., Paul Williams, Mairead O’Connor, and John Robinson. 2013. “An Applied Framework for Positive Education.” International Journal of Wellbeing 3 (2): 147–161.
Rivers, Susan E., Marc A. Brackett, Maria R. Reyes, Nicole A. Elbertson, and Peter Salovey. 2013. “Improving the Social and Emotional Climate of Classrooms: A Clustered Randomized Controlled Trial Testing the RULER Approach.” Prevention Science 14 (1): 77–87.
Seligman, Martin E. P. 2006. Learned Optimism. 3rd ed. New York: Free Press.
Seligman, Martin E. P. 2019. “Positive Psychology: A Personal History.” Annual Review of Clinical Psychology 15: 1–23.
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Robert Hendrickson is a doctoral candidate at William & Mary in Educational Planning, Policy and Leadership, with a concentration in K-12 Administration. |