Objective Academic Achievement and Subjective Personal Well-Being

This paper examines the relationship between objective academic achievement (OAA) and subjective well-being (SWB). Using a sample of 515 adolescents from ten different high schools across a small country, semi-structured interviews, academic records and observations provided relevant data for the study. OAA was measured from examination results and SWB was measured using with permission Jackson's Personality Research Form (PRF)-Form E. Allowing for psychological factors, qualitative and quantitative results showed that high achievers felt better about themselves compared to their low achieving counterparts. Strategies for assisting low achievers are discussed. Further research unraveling how OAA impacts SWB could assist policy makers and curriculum planners in being more student focused. Successful implementation of teaching innovations like self assessment in the classroom requires that early attention be paid to potential sources of student resistance. It is hoped that this research would serve as a catalyst for further studies in this area. A bibliography is included. (Contains 3 tables.)