Perceptions of adolescent wellness at a single-sex school

Abstract

Although indicators of wellness among minority adolescent females decline over time, this trend has not been examined among adolescents attending single-sex, public schools. Recent evidence has shown that students attending single-sex schools have improved outcomes when compared to co-educational schools. The purpose of this study was to (a) examine whether students attending a predominantly minority single-sex school demonstrated a decline in perceived wellness; (b) identify what it means to be healthy and have a well-balanced lifestyle from the perspective of the school community (viz., students, faculty, and parents); and (c) determine how the school is promoting student wellness. Cross-sectional data were collected from students enrolled at a single-sex, public school in the Southwestern USA. Grades sixth through ninth (n = 338) completed the Survey of Adolescent Wellness (SAW) which assessed their perceived emotional, intellectual, physical, psychological, social, and spiritual wellness. In addition, samples of students (n = 411), faculty (n = 48), and parents (n = 290) answered four open-ended qualitative questions that examined their perceptions of wellness. Multivariate analysis of variance found significant decreases from grades sixth through ninth for each domain of the SAW, with the exception of social wellness. Qualitative data reflected the school's commitment to holistic wellness and strong support of the program by faculty and parents. The decline in perceived wellness among minority adolescent females in this study lends support for existing international trends. Interventions are warranted to address this decline; moreover, the unique social environment that single-sex schools provide needs further exploration.