Assessment of Complete Social-Emotional Wellness: An International School Psychology Perspective

Central to the topics addressed in this chapter is a recognition that it is each school psychologist’s professional responsibility to provide children the opportunity to freely express judgments about the core psychological mindsets that build, foster, and sustain lifelong subjective well-being (SWB). Stated succinctly, school psychologists must not only ask if each child is happy, but they also need to ask deeper questions that consider a child’s core psychological mindsets (e.g., gratitude and self-efficacy) that are the foundations of contentment and life satisfaction. The answers to these deeper questions can help to guide prevention and intervention efforts that foster a higher quality of life for each child. This chapter presents a framework to guide school psychologists’ assessment strategies, considering core psychological mindsets that emerge naturally in each child and that shape the foundations of flourishing well-being. Drawing upon research and applications in the United States, Korea, and Japan, a school psychology perspective for shaping the assessment of students’ social-emotional wellness is proposed.