Improving School Climate: The Impact Of A Perma-Based Intervention On Educators' Well-Being And Emotional Intelligence
A dissertation in the Isabelle Farrington College of Education and Human Development presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education.
Abstract
Research has demonstrated that the condition of a school’s climate substantially influences student outcomes. This study investigated the factors influencing a sub-optimal school climate in a rural school. Results indicated that educators’ unmet social and emotional needs and an absence of well-being support influenced the quality of the school climate. To address this problem, this study examined the impact of an eight-week PERMA-based multicomponent positive psychology intervention (MPPI) on rural educators’ well-being, emotional intelligence (EI), and professional practice. The participants consisted of 13 rural educators. Using a convergent mixed methods research design, the researcher merged quantitative data comprising pre-test and post-test results on the Workplace PERMA Profiler, the Flourishing Scale, and the Profile of Emotional Competence with qualitative data from focus groups, semi-structured interviews, journals, and midpoint questionnaires. Results indicated statistically significant increases in well-being and EI; however, data demonstrated variation in results about well-being elements and participants’ ages and years of experience. Participants reported that participation in the MPPI directly impacted their interactions with students, particularly around an enhanced ability to model emotional regulation, positively reframe classroom interactions, and develop meaningful connections with students. Findings revealed effective MPPI practices and challenges to implementation, informing suggestions on adopting, adapting, and expanding MPPIs at the research site. Overall, MPPIs may be viable mechanisms to enhance educators’ well-being, EI, and professional practice, and district leaders and policymakers should consider MPPIs as an essential pathway to holistically promoting a positive school climate.
