Research Summary: Integrating well-being strategies into STEM education

A study published in Frontiers in Education explores the integration of well-being strategies into STEM education, particularly in South Africa, to address student stress, engagement, and belonging. It highlights the high demands of STEM programs and the compounding challenges of historical inequalities, using Self-Determination Theory as a guiding framework.

Why it matters

Addressing student well-being in demanding educational fields like STEM is critical for talent development and maintaining a skilled workforce. This research underscores the need for educational institutions to strategically integrate support systems that foster psychological health, thereby enhancing student retention and overall academic outcomes.

Key insights

• Student well-being is a critical factor influencing academic engagement, persistence, and success in higher education.
• STEM programs inherently present high cognitive demands, intensive assessment, and practical requirements that can elevate student stress and diminish a sense of belonging.
• In South Africa, existing challenges in STEM education are exacerbated by historical inequalities and limited access to academic and psychosocial support.
• The study, guided by Self-Determination Theory, investigated embedding well-being strategies to support students' psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
• The research employed a qualitative, interpretivist design, conducting semi-structured interviews with 20 unnamed participants.

Source

Frontiers in Education — https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1832158