PERMA Model
QUOTE
Vivian Greene once said…
“The happiest people don't have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything.”
CONCEPT
PERMA Model
The PERMA Model is a framework for understanding and promoting well-being, developed by positive psychologist Martin Seligman. The model identifies five essential elements that contribute to human happiness and flourishing:
Positive Emotion (P): Experiencing joy, gratitude, and other positive emotions in daily life.
Engagement (E): Becoming fully absorbed in activities and experiencing a sense of flow.
Relationships (R): Cultivating strong, supportive connections with others.
Meaning (M): Having a sense of purpose and contributing to something greater than oneself.
Accomplishment (A): Pursuing and achieving personal goals, fostering a sense of mastery and competence.
STORY
Happier People ... Actually Do Better?
In 2010, Geelong Grammar School in Australia decided to embark on an ambitious journey to integrate positive psychology and the PERMA Model into its curriculum and school culture.
The goal was to enhance the well-being and happiness of students, staff, and the broader school community.
The school collaborated with Dr. Martin Seligman and his team to develop a comprehensive well-being program. The initiative, known as the Positive Education Program (PEP!), aimed to teach students and staff the skills and habits necessary to cultivate each of the five elements of the PERMA Model.
To achieve this, Geelong Grammar School incorporated positive psychology principles into its curriculum, teaching students about gratitude, mindfulness, character strengths, resilience, and goal-setting. Additionally, the school created an environment that encouraged strong relationships, fostered a sense of meaning and purpose, and provided opportunities for engagement and accomplishment.
The Positive Education Program yielded impressive results.
Students demonstrated a 6.4% increase in their overall well-being, a 9.1% increase in positive emotions, and a 9.3% decrease in negative emotions. They also had better academic outcomes, exhibiting a 12% increase in their GPA and a 16.4% improvement in their standardized test scores compared to students who did not participate in the program.
On top of that, teachers who participated in the program reported a 7.3% increase in job satisfaction, an 8.9% increase in personal well-being, and a 9.6% increase in workplace engagement.
Suffice to say, not only did the program work—it worked incredibly well. Next time you're asking yourself how you can have a happier, healthier, and more resilient mind ... try PERMA.