Supporting adolescents’ personal growth and well-being through the Study with Strength intervention

AbstractPressure on upper-secondary students to perform well is increasing at the same time as mental health problems are growing. At best, schools should be an arena for both academic work and the acquisition of life skills. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of a positive psychology intervention, named Study with Strength, on self-reported well-being at school and in daily life among students in upper secondary education. Nine schools in Finland participated in the intervention, offered as a course in the curriculum. The course included theory and practice, group discussions, and self-reflection. Thirty individual interviews were conducted and analysed through inductive content analysis. Seven themes were identified: flexible cognition, positive emotions, self-knowledge, self-compassion, values, awareness of psychological strengths, and social interaction. Personal growth emerged as a distinct feature throughout the analysis and thus was identified as the main theme. The results show that a positive psychology intervention such as Study with Strength, included in the school curriculum, may support adolescents’ well-being and personal growth in a positive manner.