Do Gender Differences Affect the Psychological Well-being of High Schoolers in Thailand?

Abstract

This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to examine factors affecting the psychological well-being of female and male Thai students, and to compare gender differences in a psychological well-being promotion model. Participants were 624 students from three secondary schools in Bangkok and Nakhon Pathom provinces, Thailand. Data were collected in 2018 through self-administered questionnaires, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling. Findings indicated that all factors from the psychological well-being promotion model influenced psychological well-being among female and male students. Resilience and mindfulness were the strongest predictors affecting psychological well-being in both female and male students. Furthermore, there were not any gender differences concerning predictors and statistical parameters of psychological well-being among Thai secondary school students. Nurse educators or healthcare providers may offer interventions to enhance students’ well-being by strengthening resilience, mindfulness, self-efficacy, and social support. The same interventions, considering their preferences, may be provided to both male and female students. Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions using rigorous research methodology.