Toward Understanding the Subjectivity of Teacher Well-Being: An Application of Q Methodology

Abstract

Although many instruments exist to assess teacher well-being (TWB), this study developed the PERMA Q Sort (PERMA-Q) and applied Q methodology to examine the subjectivity of TWB. Data were collected through a card-sorting task and semi-structured interviews with 62 Thai secondary school teachers who were recognized as “happy teachers.” By-person factor analysis was conducted to reveal shared viewpoints on potential sources of TWB, namely, students’ success, social support, instructional pride, and students’ experience. Across participant clusters, student-related meanings were prominent but differed in emphasis (outcomes versus classroom experience). Collegial relationships and a sense of belonging defined one cluster, whereas another focused on accomplishment through improving instruction and seeing students’ progress. In addition to its empirical evidence, this study offers methodological contributions by demonstrating how Q methodology can be used to identify and compare distinct viewpoints that may be overlooked by large-sample surveys.