Exploring Subjective Well-Being and School Sense of Community among High School Students through Photovoice

The incorporation of students’ voices is essential for subjectively assess their experiences and living conditions in schools. This article aimed to explore high school students’ perceptions regarding the relationship between subjective well-being and the school sense of community. A multi-case study using photovoice involved 170 students aged 14 to 18 who attended four Chilean high schools. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis supported by NVivo. Results showed three issues: multidimensionality in subjective well-being, interactions with the school community, and their relationship. The two-way connection between them was a central finding of this research. In the study, students perceived members of the school community such as peers, teachers, and other adults, as people with whom they developed positive and negative, as well as cognitive and emotional connections in a variety of school experiences, activities, or events occurring at the institution they belong. Similarities and divergences in student responses according to the type of school were discussed. This research contributes to the design of psychosocial interventions by considering the voices of high school students as active members of the school community.