Positive social and emotional wellbeing in students and its impact on cognitive wellbeing and educational development (Varela, Kelcey, Reyes, Gould, & Sklar, 2013), as well as the role of schools in supporting the development of positive wellbeing (Wood & Warin, 2014; Norrish, O’Connor and Robinson, 2013) are increasingly being recognized. Students with higher levels of wellbeing achieve the highest grades, lowest absenteeism after one year (Suldo, Falji, & Theron, 2011), and better health outcomes (Saab, & Klinger, 2010).

For the purpose of this research, the concept of social and emotional wellbeing inspired by the Cooker, Bailey, Stevenson and Joseph (2016) study, describes the positive affects resulting from a strong social relationship and good psychological health. Therefore, in this study, the constructs used to understand social and emotional wellbeing are: positive psychological characteristics - engagement, perseverance, optimism, connectedness with family, friends and teachers, and happiness (Kern, Benson, Steinberg, & Steinberg, 2016); satisfaction with life (self, living environment and school) and the social support appraisals (Malecki & Demaray, 2002).

Research has shown the existence of links between wellbeing and a sense of engagement (Bassi, Steca, Monzni, Greco & Fave, 2014); perseverance, which implies the tenacity to continue with a task or activity (Wagner & Ruch, 2015); optimism, related to the belief that good things will happen in important areas of life, and the sense of hope that the future will be positive (Krok, 2015); connectedness, implying the extent to which individuals feel they have people in their lives (family, friends, teachers) who love, support and value them (Uusitalo-Malmivaara, 2012); and, happiness used specifically to describe a feeling of contentment with life, expressed by positive emotions and experiences such as feeling cheerful, loving life and having fun (Thoilliez, 2011). Therefore, in this research, satisfaction with life will be analysed regarding the degree to which the student is satisfied with who he/she is and has a sense of self-esteem (satisfaction with self); the level of contentment with his/her house, neighbourhood and town (satisfaction with living environment); and the degree to which the student is satisfied with his/her learning environment (satisfaction with school) (Cooker et al., 2016). 

In Portugal, where this study has been carried out, the school curriculum should empower students with knowledge, attitudes and values to help them make choices and decisions, appropriate to their health, and physical, social and mental wellbeing, as well as the health and wellbeing of those around them, giving students an active and participatory role in school-based health and wellbeing promotion (Lopes, Ladeiras, & Lima 2015). Currently, the National Curriculum establishes that in order to achieve these goals, health and sexuality education should be a mandatory part of the school curriculum, as a cross-curricular component, included in a more comprehensive area of citizenship education (Decreto-Lei n.º 91/2013 de 10 de julho).

Therefore, positive psychology applied to social and emotional wellbeing (Cooker et al., 2016; Norrish, O’Connor, & Robinson, 2013), and a critical health education approach within the paradigm of health-promoting schools (e.g. Clift & Jensen, 2005; McNamara & Simovska, 2015), were used as a theoretical framework for this study.

Against this background, this study aims to investigate: i) What are the students’ life satisfaction perceptions regarding family, friends, school, living environment and self?;ii) What is the social support perceived by students (from 11 to 17 years old) from the most important network resources (family, peers, teachers and others in general)? Iii) Do any relationships exist regarding students’ life satisfaction, students’ social support and students’ perceptions about their health education practices in the last two years of schooling?

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