Literature on Wellness
The term wellness is a contemporary term that encompasses all aspects of health and well-being (Ardell, 1988; Also see Dr. Ardell's WellnessWeb). The term wellness is commonly used to broaden the previous definition of health (Dunn, 1977). There are many definitions of wellness (Dunn, 1977; Ardell, 1986, and 1988; Ardell & Langdon, 1989; Schafer, 1996; Canadian Oxford Dictionary, 1998). The definitions generally refer to holistic, multi-dimensional factors that affect individuals. All definitions focus on the nature of personal responsibility as being a key to wellness. There is also commonality amongst the definitions concerning the inter-relatedness of mind, body and spirit. However, as Ardell (1989) concluded, there is a need to define wellness on an individual basis to ensure meaning.
The term wellness is traced back to a series of lectures by Halbert L. Dunn M.D. in the late 1950’s. Dunn delivered these lectures after he had retired from a distinguished and varied career. The lectures, that were later compiled into High Level Wellness (1961, 1977), addressed the interrelationship between all living things, the value of a person’s lifestyle choices, and the significance of viewing and promoting health as a state of higher functioning that all person’s should strive toward.
Several noted wellness authors site the 1946 World Health Organization’s definition of health as a foundation for the contemporary term of wellness. "Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity" (cited in Dunn, 1977, p. 1).
Dr. John Travis was one of the people who embraced the ideals set forth by Dunn. In the mid- seventies, Travis and Ardell, as well as Dr. William Hettler, and Dr. Robert Allen published and promoted the preventive alternatives and healthy lifestyle choices that came to be know simply as "wellness" (Ardell, 1982, p.3).
Ardell and Langdon’s (1989) Worseness/Wellness Continuum offers a graphic depiction of the key concepts of wellness in the literature. Schafer (p. 34, 1996) also offers a slightly revised version of the continuum. Ardell and Langdon sought a definition of wellness that opposed the oxymoronic nature of the term health. The authors felt that "most health systems aren’t; that is, they are sickness systems" (p. 10).
Worseness Wellness
-10 ------------------------------------------------- 0 ------------------------------------------- +10
major illness signs symptoms complaints feeling ok high energy
Figure 1 The Worseness/Wellness Continuum (Langdon and Ardell, 1989, p 10)
To further categorize the term wellness or optimal health, Ardell (1989) and O’Donnell (1992) list five dimensions. The dimensions were social, intellectual, spiritual, physical, and emotional (sometimes referred to as mental) health (p. 2). More recently, wellness authors have added dimensions of time, environment (Schafer, 1996), occupation (Boston University Wellness Center, 2001)
The examination of the term wellness as it relates to teachers must incorporate the abundant research and literature that involved the concepts of stress, burnout, coping and renewal (Bolin and Falk, 1987; Claxton, 1989; Dunham, 1992; McConaghy, 1992; Cook, 1992; Schamer & Jackson 1996; Chorney, 1997). All of these authors expressed their concerns about the way that teachers deal with their stress. While there is a great deal of literature and research pertaining to stress, burnout, coping, and renewal there is corresponding literature to indicate that these issues remain a large concern for teachers (Lauzon, 2001). One must bear in mind the varying types of stress. As Schafer (1996) described stress can be neutral (or "neustress"), positive because of its help in enhancing performance and well-being, or distressful and damaging.
Trying to Teach (Alberta Teachers' Association, 1993) identified the effects of integration and inclusion of special needs students in regular classrooms, results based curriculum, program continuity, continuous progress, and increased external testing as just a few of the sources of frustration and exhaustion of teachers. In examining some of the stressors for teachers, Armstrong (1995) offered these barriers to teacher wellness: public and media perception that teachers are under worked and overpaid; responsibility to provide additional curricula; increasing diversity of students and their families; integrating special needs children; cutbacks; supervision and extra-curricular duties; and limited time for collegiality (1995, p. 26).
Armstrong concluded that students would benefit from the empowering nature that is produced in a learning environment that features teacher wellness. In support of achieving wellness, there is literature that suggests that wellness programs, including fitness and physical exercise strategies, have a positive impact on employee wellness (Flynn 1995; Anderson, 1999; WELCOA, 2000). From a general organizational perspective, Glasgow, McCaul and Fisher (1993) examined participation in work-site wellness programs. Their critique of the literature on participation by employees in work-site health promotions concluded that little has been done to study characteristics involved in employee participation and even less has been researched on ways to increase participation. The authors concluded that more study is necessary.
A more direct research approach to link wellness and teaching was the TeachWell project authored by Resnicow & Davis (1998). This wide ranging, three year project to improve health habits of students and teachers was inconclusive. It left the reader wondering about how intrusive the wellness treatments were on each teacher’s wellness.
Most literature on wellness discussed the role of supervisors or administrators. All of the literature that referred to the role of the supervisor indicated the need for the involvement of supervisors in employee wellness (Lester, 1988; McConaghy, 1992; Glasglow, Russell, &Fisher, 1993; Glasglow, Terborg, Hollis, Severson & Boles, 1995; Flynn, 1995; Dinham, 1996; Armstrong, 1995; Anderson, 1999, Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan, 1999 and 2000).
There is a growing amount of literature and research pertaining to wellness. However, there are only a few resources that have dealt with the nature of wellness and teachers. More research and information is needed toward the exploration of the concept of wellness in the teaching profession. For more information and resources in your search for wellness see the Links page in this site.
Some of the questions that need to be asked:
- How do teachers define wellness?
- What factors impact a teacher's wellness?
- What do teachers do to improve their wellness?
- What is the role of school and central administration in teacher wellness?
- Is wellness too broad and inclusive a term to apply to the betterment of individuals and organizations, especially given the importance of individual responsibility as a key to wellness?
These questions were the focus of this web page author's Master's of Education (Leadership and Administration) Research Project. The research was completed in the Fall of 2001. The research project, in its entirety, is available by contacting the Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Policy Studies, University of Alberta or by contacting the author by using the email link below.
You are encouraged to do some of your own searching, especially if you have a specific area of wellness in mind. I encourage you to share your ideas or findings Please email me if you have any items or questions.