Schools Are in the Future Business: Exploring Outcomes of a Positive Education Programme for Adolescents in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong adolescent mental health is of great concern, with both the number of suicides and the suicide ideation figures doubling in recent years. As such there is an increasing need to implement positive education programmes in schools in order to equip students with skills to counteract mental health crises. This study evaluated a positive education (PosEd) programme for sixth-form students attending an international school in Hong Kong. Employing a mixed methods quasi-experimental design, a purposive sample of 102 sixth-form students was recruited for this study. Quantitative data was collected utilising three norm-referenced questionnaires pre and post intervention, while semi-structured interviews with two focus groups (N =15) formed the bulk of the qualitative data. Quantitative results demonstrated a slight decrease in all self-reported measures post-intervention, which was not the desired or expected outcome. Employing the acronym EQUIP, qualitative findings provided useful information as to possible reasons why the students felt the outcomes of the programme were not helpful, affirming or constructive. The importance of the contribution of this research to addressing how such programmes can be tailored to more effectively meet the needs of the students is discussed, with recommendations for future research.