The Effects of a Positive Psychology Course Based on the PERMA-H Model on Vocational Students' Well-Being

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of a positive psychology course based on the PERMA-H theory on the well-being of vocational students. The PERMA-H model includes Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment, and Health. A total of 160 vocational students participated, with 84 enrolled in the positive psychology course and 76 in a general mental health course. The PERMA-H Profiler (Butler & Kern, 2016) was administered to all students at the beginning and end of the semester to assess these six elements, along with additional measures for loneliness and negative emotions. Results show that students in the positive psychology course experienced significant improvements in Meaning (d = 0.34), Accomplishment (d = 0.52), and reduced Loneliness (d = -0.35). However, while Relationships showed improvement, it was not statistically significant (d = 0.12). Positive Emotion and Engagement also improved with moderate effect sizes (d = 0.18 and 0.24, respectively). The general mental health course also demonstrated positive effects but to a lesser degree. Gender differences were observed in overall well-being, health, and accomplishment, but economic status did not show a significant impact. Despite the non-randomized design and reliance on self-reported data, this study supports the integration of positive psychology courses in vocational education to enhance students' holistic well-being. Future research should use larger, randomized samples and explore the long-term effects across different student groups and settings.