I am Vasudha Singh pursuing Ph.D from Gitam University. I am planning to select my Ph.D. research area as positive psychology related to psychological capial,happiness, mental health issues and human wellbeing/human strength/thriving concept. As far as I reviewed psychological capital is very positive variable taken for employee’s assessment but in the area of students research is very less.
Can you please suggest how to relate psychological capital and happiness among students population if you can help me in terms of my study it will be a great help.
Looking forward to your support and guidance.
Thanks&Regards
Hi Mr. Singh,
I think that it’s great that you want to add to the current literature in positive psychology. I want to encourage you as you embark on your dissertation. This will be the last major work that you complete before completing your doctorate. It’s not about reinventing the wheel, as I am sure you have already heard. But, a key question your advisor and dissertation committee will inquire about are the specific ways your work adds to the extant literature?” This is a tough question because it is accompanied with the presupposition that you have a comprehensive knowledge and grasp of the research literature on positive psychology. As such, it will be expected that you will able to articulate in a lucid and concise manner the unique contributions of your study. Perhaps you are conducting this study with a sample of international participants, and to date there has been no studies with this population and variable in your investigation.
You noted that a dearth of research has been conducted with students. I wonder if students might respond differently than older individuals working to excel in the organization . Could it be that older individuals conceptualize “well being” differently than college students?
I think the notion of “happiness” can hold different meanings for people of different ages, demographics, cultures and so on. For many, college is a time of exploring their interests, passions, abilities, and overall identity. It often marks the first time they are away from their parents. And with this freedom, the fleeting experience of happiness may be accompanied by excitement, brightness, and enhanced mood whereas wellness, in comparison, may be perceived as lackluster and drearily dull.
In contrast, individuals who are older and employed may consider quality of life and wellness as ideal long-term objectives. They may be more focused on establishing financial, occupational, and social stability. For these older individuals, lackluster may welcomed.These developmental statuses may be important factors to consider.
You have a very interesting study. I think there is much potential. What has your advisor said? Any idea on research design? I hope these questions and comments help. I wish you the best.
Best,
Mark
Thank you Mark for sharing your idea u have given very valuable output.If u have any research paper related to my area please do share it will be a great help.
Thanks& Regards,
Vasudha
Hello Vasudha,
I am not aware of measures of happiness.
However, you could look at measures of mindfulness such as Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), which we have used in students. Also, you could look at perceived stress, anxiety and mind wandering as psychological constructs opposing the happiness. There are established tools to assess these constructs among students.
Regards,
Apar
Ask them!
As Mark says above " You noted that a dearth of research has been conducted with students. I wonder if students might respond differently than older individuals working to excel in the organization . Could it be that older individuals conceptualize “well being” differently than college students?" This was our premise in involving high-school students in action research on wellbeing. We have just published;
Halliday, Amber J., Margaret L. Kern, David K. Garrett, and Deborah A. Turnbull. 2018. "The student voice in well-being: a case study of participatory action research in positive education." Educational Action Research:1-24. doi: 10.1080/09650792.2018.1436079.
I hope this is an avenue you can take with your research.
I'm currently doing a Masters in how participating in service-learning and community based learning modules affects the well-being of students in higher education. Perhaps there is something there you could draw on?
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