Cultural nuances of well-being: Exploring Asian teachers’ well-being in the schools.

Abstract

Despite the increasing diversity of students in the schools, Asian teachers remain an underrepresented group whose experiences are unexplored. There is also limited literature on understanding the definitions of well-being among Asian teachers. Using focus groups, this study explored how Asian teachers define well-being and their experiences with well-being initiatives. Findings reveal that Asian teachers’ definition of well-being encompasses (a) universal elements, such as components in the positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishments model of well-being; (b) contextual factors (e.g., sense of safety); and (c) cultural-specific factors, including fairness, inclusion, and community support. These insights contribute to a nuanced understanding of Asian teacher well-being and offer practical recommendations to create more inclusive and supportive educational environments for Asian teachers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)