Well or Not? A Selective Review of the Literature and Research Findings on the Well-being of Secondary School Pupils in Poland Today
Well or Not? A Selective Review of the Literature and Research Findings on the Well-being of Secondary School Pupils in Poland Today

Summary/Abstract: This article presents a selective review of the literature and research findings on the well-being of secondary school pupils in Poland today. The first section provides a theoretical background to the contemporary concept of 'well-being exploring key definitions of health and well-being, and tracing their philosophical origins in hedonistic and eudaimonistic traditions. It also introduces a selection of relevant positive psychology concepts, including Seligman's well-being theory (2011), Czapiński's onion theory of happiness (1994), and Ryff's psychological well-being model (1989). The second section contextualises well-being within the field of pedagogy, highlighting in particular the Finnish school well-being model (Konu & Rimpelä, 2002) and Szul-Fryda's (2023) view of young people's well-being as a social asset. The third section offers a comparative analysis of young people's well-being drawn from three recent studies (i.e. Kossakowska & Zadworna, 2019; Pyżalski, 2021; Mantur, 2023). This analysis examines key factors influencing pupils' quality of life, dominant emotional states, and stress levels, as well as the role of schools in fostering pupils' well-being. By integrating theoretical perspectives and empirical data, this article contributes to ongoing discussions about the role of schools in creating environments that support student well-being, understood not only as an individual experience but also as a long-term investment in social development. It also formulates conclusions relevant to education policy and pedagogical practice, highlighting the need to support both cognitive and emotional development in schools.

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