Assessment System for Subjective Well-being of Russian Schoolchildren: a Theoretical and Methodological Rationale

Abstract

The article considers the meaningful understanding of the category "subjective well-being of Russian schoolchildren" and determines the methodological rationale for developing an assessment system for it. The subjective well-being of Russian students' families is studied through the level of positive/negative emotions and the realization of personal potential, i.e. as satisfaction with such areas of life as family and education. The aim is to describe the methodology for developing an assessment system for subjective well-being of Russian schoolchildren at different stages of education, based on the theoretical analysis of existing meaningful interpretations of the "subjective well-being" category and methods for identifying its level. The task of developing the assessment system for subjective well-being is being solved by identifying and justifying social and psychological factors of family and school environment. Significant factors that affect the children's well-being can include family relationships, spiritual unity, material security, relations with classmates, learning achievements, educational environment. To develop the assessment system we used methods of system analysis, methods of induction and deduction, methods of mathematical analysis, the method of factor analysis and others. The methodology for determining the subjective well-being of Russian schoolchildren includes a criterial framework and assessment tools. Taking into account the identified social and psychological factors of family and school environment, the subjective well-being is studied in criteria of satisfaction/dissatisfaction (positive/negative emotions) and realization of a child's personality potential. The assessment system presents the criteria for identifying the subjective well-being of Russian schoolchildren at different levels of education as two blocks: family and educational well-being. The methodological structuring of the criteria allowed us to develop mathematical formulas which can be used to obtain numerical expressions of both the level of subjective well-being itself and the levels of family and educational well-being.