The relationship between Hong Kong adolescents’ support from peers and teachers and their subjective well-being : the role of happiness character strengths /

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Student Theses

2025

Xie, Meng

Hong Kong : The Education University of Hong Kong

Thesis

An exhilarating period of character and personality development occurs during adolescence. At the same time, however, adolescents may encounter multiple developmental difficulties. Notably, according to previous studies, Hong Kong adolescents’ well-being has decreased persistently for years, and it has become urgent to explore what factors can contribute to an increase in their subjective well-being (SWB). Adolescents’ SWB has been perceived in Western studies to be associated with certain specific positive character strengths (i.e., happiness character strengths), such as hope, zest, gratitude, love, and curiosity. In addition, appropriate social support from teachers and peers may be regarded as significant factors for enhancing adolescents’ SWB. However, limited research has investigated whether happiness character strengths, teacher support, and peer support can work together to increase adolescents’ SWB.The current project examined the associations of Hong Kong adolescents’ SWB with happiness character strengths, teacher support, and peer support, with the aim of building a framework for education that promotes Hong Kong adolescents’ SWB and helps schools and teachers provide appropriate social support more scientifically and efficiently. The project employed a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach. Four hundred and thirteen local junior secondary school students from four secondary schools in Hong Kong were involved in the project. Surveys and eight focus groups with interviews were conducted during the first and second semesters of academic year 2023/24 to gather a comprehensive picture within schools. First, the project explored the factors associated with Hong Kong adolescents’ SWB and found influences from multiple factors, such as age, gender, marital status of parents, academic performance, and character strengths. Second, the results showed a strong beneficial relationship between the adolescents’ SWB and their support from peers and teachers. Third, the project confirmed the mediating role that happiness character strengths play in the relationships between teacher support and the adolescents’ SWB, and also between peer support and their SWB. These findings address the crucial influence of the different types of peer support and teacher support in fostering adolescents’ SWB, and they suggest approaches that education practitioners could use to foster that support. Also, cultivation of happiness character strengths is another approach to enhance Hong Kong adolescents’ SWB. Education strategies and the creation of supportive learning environments not only could improve adolescents’ academic performance, but they also could contribute to the young people’s general happiness and life satisfaction.Finally, with the underlying mechanisms revealed and a better understanding of the developmental needs of Hong Kong adolescents, the current project contributes to the establishment of a theory-driven conceptual framework aimed at promoting adolescents’ SWB in secondary schools. Furthermore, the project’s results can arm stakeholders with solutions that could provide appropriate social support at school, which in turn would facilitate Hong Kong students’ positive development during adolescence. All rights reserved

LG51.H43 Dr 2025eb Xiem

https://educoll.lib.eduhk.hk/records/Xj4JXBRG