To present human flourishing (the pursuit of a good life) as the aim of physical education, this paper (1) outlines the need for a new professional aim, (2) synthesizes neo-Aristotelian virtue ethics, (3) reviews a philosophy of flourishing physical education, (4) presents critiques for the field to address, and (5) articulates an example,…

Predominant sustainability pedagogy and science largely focus on fixing existing problems via solutions external to humans (e.g. carbon sequestration, renewable energy). While external or outer interventions can support a transition to a sustainable future, internal or inner developments should also be highly valued. For this dissertation, I…

The transitional years of early adulthood, with key tasks of identity and intimacy development, engender both opportunities and risks for well-being. We propose that the conceptualization and measurement of early adults' well-being can be improved through (a) an integration of ideas from developmental and psychological science on well-being, (b)…

This dissertation offered insights into the repercussions of safetyism within societies shaped by cognitive distortions and political correctness. Safetyism, which prioritized emotional safety over intellectual liberty and a multitude of viewpoints, contributed to heightened vulnerability among individuals. Protecting individuals from provocative…

This study investigated the relationships between context-based assets (personal, family, school, social, and community) and gratification delay, hedonic well-being, and psychological well-being. The study participants were 614 students selected from private, public rural, and public urban secondary schools. Data were collected using selected…

The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant changes to the student experience. Thus, there is a need to centre students' lived experiences in pedagogical research which explores the effects of the pandemic on student life. The current study aimed to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted undergraduate students, with a focus on students'…

Care-experienced children and young people are likely to experience early adversities that place them at increased risk of developing physical and mental health difficulties. Physical activity can help address the varied needs and interests of care-experienced children and young people and become a tool to manage mental health and well-being…

This study examines how students experienced and made meaning of a novel academic course in mindfulness, offered to foster holistic learning through self-knowledge. For this interpretive phenomenological analysis, data were collected through critical reflective journals and semistructured interviews. The findings suggest that the course allowed…

Psychological well-being and distress are critical components of college adjustment that are intricately entwined with student retention and success during and after college. This 5-wave longitudinal study used growth mixture modeling to explore heterogeneous trajectories of psychological well-being (self-esteem) and distress (depression, anxiety,…

Work hard in school, graduate from a top college, establish a high-paying professional career, enjoy the long-lasting reward of happiness. This is the American Dream--and yet basic questions at the heart of this competitive journey remain unanswered. Does competitive success, even rarified entry into the Ivy League and the top one percent of…

Background: Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability. Prior research has primarily focused on associated medical problems and skill deficits. This study takes a novel positive psychology approach by examining critical individual characteristics and environmental factors that facilitate exceptional quality of…

The literature on higher education student success offers a considerable set of definitions of this concept, reflecting its semantic polysemy. This is understandable, inasmuch that the highly competitive environment where higher education institutions operate requires that they constantly seek legitimation and competitive advantage based on their…

During the past decade, college students have experienced increasing levels of anxiety, depression, and substance use, which impacts both academic performance and daily functioning. At the same time, declining levels of civic engagement among young adults highlights the importance of higher education's explicit goal of fostering the development of…

In contemporary culture, it is natural to think that purchasing and owning the "right" possessions results in happiness. This belief supports our loyalty to consumer society. However, several lines of research demonstrate that high consumption lifestyles and materialistic values are not a trustworthy path to well-being. Instead,…

Participation in wildland recreation is associated with a range of individual-level outcomes. Although these outcomes have been extensively studied, few studies have systematically examined and summarized this empirical evidence. Therefore, the goals of this study include identifying (1) the breadth of individual-level outcomes associated with…