Subjective Well-being and School Functioning among High School Students

Abstract

Subjective well-being (SWB) is a complex concept that includes all facets of effective and healthy human functioning across many different domains. This study sought to determine how teenagers' subjective well-being correlated with three measures of school functioning: academic achievement, academic satisfaction, and prosocial behavior. 223 teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 were included, with girls making up to 54.9% of the group (M = 15.67, SD = 1.21) and boys 45.1% (M = 16.21, SD = 1.16). Academic satisfaction and performance are the next best predictors of prosocial behavior among study participants, followed by their subjective well-being. Students' academic satisfaction and prosocial behavior are strongly predicted by their gratitude and school connection. However, there was no statistically significant correlation between these characteristics and students' academic achievement. For all participants, academic efficacy and satisfaction were important outcome predictors. Together, these findings indicate that that student subjective well-being is an important resource for improving academic performance in adolescents.