This mixed-methods study explored the Wellbeing Experience of International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) Students and their Transition into the DP. The study aimed to understand the effect that the transition into the DP would have for students who were already within the IB programmes and for those who were transitioning from non-IB schools.
During the first phase, quantitative data was collected through Reddit and two European IB Schools from 154 current IB DP students using the Heubner 41 item Multidimensional Student’s Life Satisfaction Scale (MSLSS) (Huebner E. , 2001) as a measure of their wellbeing. Two additional qualitative questions were included in the survey which asked participants to identify their biggest source of stress and how they coped with this stress. During the second phase four individual interviews were conducted as well as one focus group of eight participants. The qualitative data was gathered through one of the European IB Schools to provide more insight into the factors which may be impacting IB DP students’ wellbeing and provide a more holistic view of their wellbeing.
Quantitative data analysis was conducted to see whether factors, such as age, gender, grade, and students’ transition from a non-IB school, influenced their wellbeing. The qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006).
The findings show that wellbeing is impacted by multiple factors, including transition, grade, and age. These findings were echoed in half of the individual interviews and throughout the group discussion which occurred within in the focus group. Themes concerning the responsibility which DP students take on emerged throughout the qualitative measures as well as the shared theme of overwhelming academic workload. However, the individual interviews also revealed that some participants did not feel negatively impacted by the DP and that they were able to thrive and flourish within the IB environment. Finally, analysis of the two qualitative survey questions revealed that IB DP students’ main sources of stress were their academic workload, in particular their examinations, and their marks. Most participants responded that they did not cope well with their stress and that they did not turn to others for help.
Whilst this research focuses on the experiences of IB DP students this research contributes to our knowledge of how high school students’ wellbeing may be negatively impacted during school transitions, whether this be in changing schools or moving from one school stage to the next. Furthermore, when faced with increased academic stress and pressure high school students’ wellbeing is negatively impacted. Finally, these factors also have a demonstrable impact on how students engage with and access self-care and support within schools
