Youth PERMA: Adapting Well-being Measurement for Youth

Description

BACKGROUND:

Well-being, as specified by Dr. Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology, extends beyond the absence of mental illness to encompass the state of flourishing. Positive psychology, established by Seligman, in the late 90s, shifts the focus of traditional psychology’s, to the study of positive aspects of human life that contribute to human flourishing and well-being (Gibbon, Lifson, Heitman, & Blitz, 2020). Seligman introduced a formula for happiness, as part of positive psychology: H = S + C + V [Happiness equals your genetic set point plus circumstances of your life plus factors under voluntary control]] (Gibbon, Lifson, Heitman, & Blitz, 2020). The evidence-based approach aims to help curate strategies that enhance well-being and fostering optimism in humans.

He states that well-being can be defined, measured, and taught. Central to this well-being theory, is human flourishing, which involves achieving a state where individuals experience positive emotions and deep engagement in activities, meaningful relationships, a sense of purpose, and the accomplishment of goals (Gibbon, Lifson, Heitman, & Blitz, 2020).

Building on this foundation, Seligman developed the PERMA theory to give a more structured approach to well-being, emphasizing five key constructs: Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. To measure these constructs, the PERMA profiler was developed as an assessment tool to measure well-being and enhance well-being in populations.

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