The effects of a PROSPER-based intervention on well-being among pre-service preschool teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a randomized control trial

Abstract

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of an intervention program based on the PROSPER, a comprehensive framework which emphasises the importance of positivity, relationships, outcome, strength, purpose, engagement, and resilience in pre-service teachers’ well-being in Hong Kong. Participants were pre-service pre-school teachers (N = 77) who participated in a 1-month randomised control trial with four intervention workshops. They were randomly assigned to either intervention (n = 40) or wait-list control conditions (n = 37). A survey with measures that assessed PROSPER well-being components was administered to participants before and after the intervention. Findings of repeated measures MANCOVA revealed no significant time x group interaction effect, Wilks’ Lambda F(7, 50) = 1.66, p = .14, η² = .19. Results of univariate analyses showed that a significant time x group interaction effect existed in relationship component (η² = .08), indicating that the intervention was effective in facilitating pre-service pre-school teachers’ positive relationships with their peers. Findings underscore the potential benefits of designing positive psychological interventions for teachers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords:

• Positive education
• positive psychology
• randomised control trial
• pre-service teachers
• PROSPER model
• pre-school

Disclosure statement

No potential competing interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The work is supported by the Faculty of Education and Human Development, The Education University of Hong Kong, under the Strategic Area 7: Positive Education in Early Childhood Grant [1-F241-S9-02337] awarded to Kevin Kien Hoa Chung, Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong.