School wellbeing unveiled: insights from a systematic literature review

Purpose This article reports on a systematic review of school-based wellbeing research, synthesizing 159 peer-reviewed studies using a narrative configurative approach. The review addresses two core questions: how is wellbeing framed conceptually in interventions aimed at promoting student wellbeing, and what are the perspectives of teachers and students on wellbeing? Design/methodology/approach The protocol involved comprehensive searches across international and Scandinavian research databases, including ERIC, PsychInfo, Scopus, Bibliotek.dk, Libris and Bibsys (Oria). Studies published between 2012 and 2022 in English, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian were included, following explicit inclusion criteria. Findings The synthesis revealed three conceptualizations of wellbeing: (1) as a set of skills; (2) as positive emotions and relationships and (3) as a socioecological phenomenon. These framings inform intervention designs, ranging from individual-focused strategies to whole-school approaches. Notably, few studies engaged critically with theoretical foundations, highlighting a need for interdisciplinary perspectives that reflect the complexity of school life. Teachers often view wellbeing as central to their pedagogical role, but report conflicts with policy and performance pressures. Students describe wellbeing as multidimensional, shaped by social, physical and material school contexts, and emphasize the importance of respectful, fair teachers and opportunities for meaningful participation. Originality/value This work is one of the very few multilingual literature reviews exploring both conceptual frameworks and voices of teachers and students on school-based wellbeing, offering cross-context insights into how wellbeing is understood and enacted in schools.