Positive Psychology and Positive Education in Asia : Understanding and Fostering Well-Being in Schools

Collectively, the chapters in this volume utilized diverse methodologies, including correlational, experimental, quasi-experimental/intervention, longitudinal, and qualitative approaches from six different Asian socio-cultural contexts—Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, Mainland China, Israel, Macau SAR, and the Philippines. They also covered several key positive psychology and education topics/themes, such as well-being, resilience, grit, growth mindset, and positive emotions among others. Though by no means exhaustive, these chapters reflect the growing dynamism and surging interest in positive psychology and education research in Asian contexts. These chapters provide a rich knowledge base that can be translated into empirically-driven approaches to promote well-being and flourishing of students and teachers in the educational context. Contents 1 Positive Psychology and Positive Education: Asian Perspectives on Well-Being in Schools Factors and Processes for Fostering Students’ Well-Being Teacher Perspectives on Well-Being Fostering Well-Being in Schools Cultural Perspectives on Flourishing and Well-Being Conclusion References Part I Factors and Processes for Fostering Student Well-Being 2 Factors and Processes That Facilitate the Development of Academic Resilience: Perspectives from Students in Singapore Resilience Process: Risk and Protective Factors Protective Factors for Developing Resilience Process Mechanisms for Resilience Development Purpose of Study Methodology Participants Interview Procedure Data Analysis Results and Discussion Goal-Directed Thinking, Goal Pursuit and Future Orientation Framing and Tackling Failure Receiving Support from Significant Others Conclusion and Implications References 3 Sense of School Belonging and Kindness Among Hong Kong Primary Students: A Latent Profile Analysis Sense of School Belonging SSB and Character Strength of Kindness The Current Study Method Participants Instruments Data Analysis Results Latent Profile Analysis SSB Profiles and Character Strength of Kindness Discussion Limitations and Future Research Conclusions References 4 Feedback Orientation and Learning-Related Academic Emotions: An Exploratory Study in Filipino University Students Feedback Orientation Control-Value Theory Philippine Context Overview of the Current Study Significance of the Study Method Participants and Procedure Measures Statistical Analysis Results Discussion Conclusion References 5 Interacting Dimensions of Locus-Of-Hope and Well-Being of Filipino Students Hope and Students: Perspectives of Snyder’s Hope Theory Locus-of-Hope Perspective: Broadening Resources of Hope Current Study Method Participants and Procedures Measures Results Discussion Limitations of the Study Theoretical Insights Practical Propositions Conclusion References 6 Protective Role of Character Strengths in School Adjustment Among Low-Track Students Methods Participants and Procedure Measurements Data Analysis Results Common Method Bias Character Strengths in Heterogeneous Ability Classes Before Grouping Character Strengths in Homogeneous Ability Classes After Grouping Partial Correlations Between Character Strengths and School Adjustment in Each Ability Group Hierarchical Regressions Linking Character Strengths with School Adjustment Discussion Conclusions References Part II Teacher Perspectives on Well-Being 7 Teacher Perspectives on Positive Education: Hwa Chong Institution’s Journey Positive Psychology and Positive Education Positive Education in Singapore Schools Research Objectives and Research Questions Methodology Findings and Discussion Strategies Employed Positive Education Outcomes Conclusion and Implications References 8 Teacher Emotions Do Predict Teacher Effectiveness: Empirical Evidence from Chinese Teachers Conceptual and Theoretical Framework: Teacher Emotions and Teacher Job Performance Teacher Emotions Teacher Job Performance Linkages Between Teacher Emotions and Teacher Job Performance Method Participants Measures Analyses Results The Measurement Model: Teacher Emotion Inventory The Measurement Model: Teacher Job Performance Instrument The Structural Model: Teacher Emotions and Teacher Job Performance Discussion Implications Conclusion References 9 Providing Autonomy Support in an Asian Context: A Tale of Two Teachers Introduction Is Autonomy Support Universal? Are Asian Teachers Controlling? Current Study Research Questions: Methods Participants and Setting Classroom Observation Coding System Coding Protocol Teacher Interviews Data Analysis Results Discussion Altruistic Practice and Communal Responsibility in Cultivating the Relational-Self Jen and Yi Teaching Styles: Giving Autonomy Support to Learners as Self-Cultivation Controlling Classroom Misbehaviour and the Cultivation of Internal Self-Regulation Implications Limitations and Further Studies Conclusion References 10 Need Support and Need Satisfaction in Arabic Language Classes in Japanese Universities from the Viewpoint of Self-determination Theory Introduction Self-determination Theory and Basic Psychological Needs The Current Situation of Arabic Language Teaching in Japanese Universities The Present Study Method Participants Measures Procedure Results Psychometric Properties of the New Measure The Relationship Between Perceived Need Support and Further Need Satisfaction Discussion The Perceived Need Supports of Arabic Learners Scale Influence of Perceived Need Support on Further Need Satisfaction Limitations of This Study and Directions for Future Research Implications for Arabic Teaching in Japanese Universities Conclusion References 11 What Makes You Grittier? The Role of Effortful Control and Social Support in Predicting Grit Among Migrant Children in China Chinese Migrant Children and Their Wellbeing Challenges Grit in the Context of Positive Education Grit and Temperamental Effortful Control Grit and Mother and Teacher Support The Mediation of Mother and Teacher Support The Present Study Method Participants Research Procedure Measures Data Analyses Results Preliminary Analyses Predicting Grit from EC Predicting Grit from Social Support The Mediating Function of Teacher and Mother Support Discussion The Role of EC in Predicting Grit The Role of Mother and Teacher Support in Predicting Grit The Mediating Function of Mother and Teacher Support Contributions, Limitations, and Implications for Migrant Children’s Positive Education Appendix References Part III Fostering Well-Being in Schools 12 Towards a School Culture Where Students Thrive: The Positive Education Journey of Westwood Primary School Theoretical Framework and Research Objectives Methodology School in Focus: Westwood Primary School Research Design Data Sources Data Analysis Results and Discussion Development of the Framework for the School’s Positive Education Curriculum Strategies and Enablers in Enacting a Whole-School Approach to Positive Education Impact of the School’s Positive Education Curriculum on Students Challenges and Lessons Learned Conclusion and Implications References 13 Academic and Social Skills Building Seminar and Gratitude Intervention Academic and Social Skills Building Seminar and Gratitude Intervention Part I: Overview and Framework of the Program The Academic and Social Skills Building Seminar (ASSB) Gratitude Intervention Gratitude, Well-Being, and Academic Achievement Part II: The Integrated Program Development of the Integrated Program Modules of the Integrated Program Part III: Pilot Implementation of the Integrated Program Pilot Implementation Feedback and Insights Gained from the Students Feedback and Insights Gained from the Counselors Recommendations for an Improved Program Conclusion and Future Directions References 14 Instilling Growth Mindset and Grit in Hong Kong Chinese Community College Students: A Randomized Controlled Intervention Study Persevering in Setbacks: Growth Mindset and Grit Instilling Growth Mindset in Chinese Cultural Context Objectives of the Present Study Method Context of Research Participants and Procedures Instruments Intervention Materials Data Analysis Results Discussion Limitation Conclusion References 15 Multi-Tiered Well-Being Interventions: Envisioning a Model for Prevention and Remediation Envisioning a Model: Promoting Well-Being via a Combination of Positive Psychology and Traditional Mental Health Approaches Harnessing the Potential of Technology for Prevention and Remediation Tiers of Well-Being and Mental Health Support Model Conclusion References 16 Shared Book Reading and Children’s Social-Emotional Learning in Asian Schools Social-Emotional Learning as a Multifaceted Construct The Importance of Social-Emotional Learning in Early Childhood Development The Promotion of Social-Emotional Learning in Early Childhood Education Activities to Promote Social-Emotional Learning in Educational Settings Shared Book Reading and Social-Emotional Learning in Early Childhood Education Shared Book Reading and Social Emotional Learning in Asia The Differences in Teachers Practices on Shared Book Reading in the West and East Studies on Asian Teachers Shared Book Reading and Children’s Social Emotional Learning Critical Issues and Future Research Directions Conclusion References 17 Deep Breathing and Mindfulness: Simple Techniques to Promote Students’ Self-regulation and Well-Being from the Inside Out Well-Being and Self-regulation Well-Being Self-regulation Promoting Self-regulation and Well-Being in Schools Mindfulness and Cognitive-Emotional Self-regulation and Well-Being Deep Breathing for Emotion-Cognitive Self-regulation and Well-Being Conclusions References Part IV Cultural Perspectives on Flourishing and Well-Being 18 Cultural Issues in Measuring Flourishing of Adolescents Measuring Flourishing PERMA-Profiler EPOCH Flourishing Scale Cultural Influences on Assessing Well-Being and Flourishing Individualism Versus Collectivism Masculinity Versus Femininity Long-Term Versus Short-Term Orientation Indulgence Versus Restraint Conclusion and Implications References 19 Culture, Individual Difference, and Student Well-Being: Embracing Diversity for Cultivating Resilience A Brief Overview of Positive Education Development and Current Initiatives of Positive Education Issues of Positive Educational Approaches Well-Being from Cross-Cultural Perspectives Well-Being and Individual Differences An Empirical Example of Culturally Modified Resilience Education Study Context and Participants Resilience Program and Cultural Modification Measures and Analyses Results and Discussion Conclusion References 20 Positive Psychology for Fostering Flourishing of Children and Adolescents: Insights from Israel Flourishing Among Children and Adolescents Flourishing Among Children and Adolescents At-Risk The Israeli Culture and Its Link to Well-Being Positive Psychology and Positive Education for Populations At-Risk in Israel Children and Adolescents with Cancer Developing Flourishing Among Children and Adolescents with Disruptive and Aggressive Behavior Conclusion and Implications References 21 The Application of Positive Psychology and Positive Education in Schools: Moving Forward in Asia Character Strengths as Foundations for Promoting Learning and Well-Being Effectiveness of Positive Psychological Interventions in Schools Positive Psychology Interventions for Early Prevention Holistic Perspective and the Whole-School Approach Focusing on Learners: Understanding Individual Differences The Role of Relationships with Significant Others Cultural Meaning of Well-Being Conclusion References This book explores students’ and teachers’ well-being from positive psychology and education perspectives and showcases interventions that optimize well-being in the school context. The book also covers crucial positive psychology and education topics/themes including character strengths, gratitude, growth mindset, grit, resilience, positive emotions, and well-being among others. The chapters include reviews and empirical research based on diverse methodologies, such as correlational, experimental, quasi-experimental, intervention, longitudinal, and qualitative approaches from six different Asian sociocultural contexts―Singapore, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Israel, Macau, and Philippines. All the chapters, provide practical pointers for teachers and educators who aim to nurture well-being in schools.