1. Schoolchildren's Experience of Engaging in 'A Lust for Life Schools Programme'
- Author
-
Hoctor, Emma, Murphy, Eddie, Connaughton, Leda, O'Connor, Martin, McHugh, Louise, McCarron, Heidi, Breen, Julie, and O'Reilly, Gary
- Abstract
During childhood and adolescence, it is crucial for individuals to develop appropriate emotional literacy, coping, and social skills. Programmes targeting youth well-being are increasingly being implemented in schools around the world. This study aims to describe the opinions of schoolchildren with low levels of subjective well-being in relation to "A Lust for Life Schools Programme," a universal well-being and resilience programme for primary school students in Ireland. The study also aims to illustrate participants' descriptions of emotions, coping skills, relationships, and well-being-related concepts, both before and after engaging in the programme through pre- and post-programme interviews. The journey of 20 primary school students (ages 10-13) who engaged in "A Lust for Life Schools Programme" was captured through semi-structured interviews conducted at three timepoints; pre-programme (n = 20), immediately post-programme (n = 8), and 12-16 weeks post-programme (n = 12). Thematic analysis was conducted on the interview data. Five primary themes were constructed: 1) programme feedback; 2) understanding feelings; 3) coping skills; 4) connection; and 5) illustrations of change. Findings suggest that "A Lust for Life Schools Programme" is an enjoyable and beneficial way for schoolchildren with low levels of subjective well-being to learn emotional literacy and coping skills in a social, interactive way.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF