Student well-being: an integral definition and conceptual framework

Research from Frontiers in Education highlights the lack of a consistent definition and conceptual framework for student well-being, which impedes effective research, measurement, and intervention development. A new definition and conceptual framework have been proposed, guided by four philosophical postulates and expert input, to standardize understanding and practice in this critical area.

Why it matters

A unified understanding and framework for student well-being are crucial for consistent data collection, comparative analysis, and the development of effective, evidence-based support systems. This foundational work allows for more targeted resource allocation and improved outcomes in educational and developmental contexts.

Key insights

• Multiple conceptualizations of well-being hinder research and practical efforts in student well-being.
• The absence of a standardized definition and framework impacts the development of measurement tools and interventions.
• A new definition and conceptual framework for student well-being has been developed to address these issues.
• The framework is based on four guiding postulates derived from established philosophical perspectives on well-being.
• Development involved synthesizing existing literature and incorporating expert input.

Source

Frontiers in Education — https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1838714