Opinion: Positive psychology in classroom
Teaching well-being techniques in schools will ensure that almost an entire generation is equipped to deal with mental stress
By Isha Barve, Dr Garima Rajan
Positive psychology, which focuses on concepts like happiness, gratitude, self-esteem, human strengths and well-being, rather than weaknesses and illnesses, has slowly been gaining more and more traction worldwide. Because of growing interest in the field, research is also growing rapidly in the area, and positive psychology concepts are being applied almost everywhere – in therapy and counselling, workplace and in educational institutions.
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The application of positive psychology at schools and colleges has come to be called Positive Education, where the focus is on developing the student as a whole – socially, emotionally along with intellectually. Strategies or techniques are taught that help students build resilience or self-esteem, along with just teaching them academic concepts.
Significance in Classroom
Positive psychology interventions play an important role in the classroom. Many lifetime mental disorders begin in late childhood and adolescence. However, it tends to be suppressed and overlooked, and effective treatment is not received for it until many years later. Hence, early interventions during adolescence through positive education practices may help prevent psychological illness in adulthood or reduce its severity or duration (Halliday et al., 2018; Hoare et al, 2017).
Further, adolescence is a critical time for acquiring key skills for healthy emotional development. It is a time when humans are most open to learning and schools just happen to be places to learn. This makes students more open to engaging in interventions and building their mental capacities (Hoare et al, 2017; Chodkiewicz & Boyle, 2016).
Another reason why schools serve as an ideal environment for positive psychology is because of their large reach. Most children go to school, so teaching well-being techniques in schools all over the country would ensure that almost an entire generation is equipped to deal with mental stresses (Hoare et al, 2017). This further acts as a shield against depression and anxiety, thus fostering an increase in well-being, life satisfaction and positive emotions (Seligman, 2009).
But the most important aspect is that better learning and academic success flow from greater well-being (Seligman et al, 2009; Chodkiewicz & Boyle, 2016; Kennette & Myatt, 2018). A positive mood produces broader attention, more creative and holistic thinking (Seligman et al, 2009). Alternatively, high academic success has also been linked with high motivation, positive self-perception, self-efficacy and self-regulation (Chodkiewicz & Boyle, 2016).
Rat Race
Mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, stress and suicide have become increasingly prevalent among Indian youth. Nearly 7.3% of 13–17-year-olds suffer from mental disorders (with the prevalence being twice as much in urban India than in rural India (Devi & Patra, 2020). In 2021, UNICEF reported that “around 14% of 15 to 24-year-olds in India, or 1 in 7, reported often feeling depressed or having little interest in doing things”. India also has the highest youth suicide rate globally (Mehra et al, 2022), and it is also reported 14.5% of adolescents [in India] were found to be suffering from anxiety disorders (India Today, 2022).
India is a country that puts pressure on academic excellence. Young adolescents often take part in competitive entrance exams and engage in rote learning. They go into depression or contemplate suicide when they don’t perform well. Pressure and expectation of family members and society also add to the stress. Adolescents in India also face other challenges, such as poverty, domestic abuse, bullying and peer pressure, which can lead to psychological issues related to trauma, self-esteem, body image, etc. (Mehra et al., 2022).
The pandemic has made it even more necessary to equip young students with skills like resilience to help strengthen their minds against unforeseen circumstances. Hence, attention needs to be directed towards developing personal strengths and the overall well-being of students so that it can serve as a buffer against mental illness and other potential threats. Positive education interventions are one way to achieve that.
Positive Results
Despite some challenges to its implementation like sufficient financial and material resources, training of teachers and staff, support from upper management and leadership and their belief in positive education, and most importantly, the enthusiasm of students (Halliday et al, 2018; White, 2016), schools should not be afraid to introduce Positive Psychology Interventions (PPIs) to their students.
While some might question the scientific evidence behind these methods, there are already some schools which have adopted specific interventions like yoga and mindfulness, and experiments done with gratitude journaling, mapping character strengths and stress management (Khanna and Singh, 2019) have also shown positive results. The Delhi government has even launched a ‘happiness curriculum’, which includes 45 minutes of mindfulness, value education and mental exercises (Devi and Patra, 2020). Telangana too is planning to introduce such a curriculum.
Promoting Mental Health and Psychological Well-Being of Adolescents by NIMHANS is a school-promotive mental health programme designed to reduce risks and enhance psychosocial competencies (such as resilience in adolescents). An evaluation of the programme has revealed that it is feasible, and teachers can effectively deliver it in school (Devi and Patra, 2020).
Summing up, while these are baby steps, there is a need for more research through randomised control trials and long-term follow-ups. Further, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to Positive Education — different students might benefit from different interventions, and it may be a matter of trying out different techniques before finding the most suitable one. The need for positive psychology in the classroom is clear and although the path for getting it to the classroom might be difficult, it will surely be rewarding.
