Abstract
Topics of well-being and personal development within education have gained popularity in the United States over the last few decades (Grabinger & Dunlap, 1995; Hirshberg et al., 2020). This
is due to the idea that traditional teaching and learning methods fail to consider social and
emotional development when it comes to curriculum design and student engagement (Marsh &
Willis, 2007). Contemporary researchers and educators have paved the way for social-emotional
well-being (SEWB) within the educational sector. However, much of the existing research
focuses on the SEWB development of K-12 students and ignores post-secondary learners (Jacobs
& Hyman, 2010). This study was designed to explore post-secondary students’ perceptions of
SEWB and their academic and non-academic engagement. Additionally, I aim to contribute this
information to an already existing body of research for educators, administrators, and researchers
in education and psychology. A focus on SEWB in post-secondary education will provide insight
on post-secondary students and their perceptions of their SEWB, and the degree to which SEWB
impacts their academic and non-academic engagement.
