Date Approved

4-15-2026

Embargo Period

4-15-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ed.D. Educational Leadership

Department

Educational Leadership

College

College of Education

Advisor

Hajime Mitani, PhD

Committee Member 1

Ane Turner Johnson, Ph.D.

Committee Member 2

Anne C. Jones, D.O. M.P.H.

Keywords

dimensions of wellness;osteopathic medical students;perceived stress;perceived wellness;satisfaction with life;well-being

Disciplines

Education | Higher Education

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative study was to assess the well-being of medical students and identify the primary factors influencing their well-being. In this manuscript-style dissertation, the empirical article assesses the well-being of medical students through the dimensions of wellness and investigates the significance of differences between each dimension and self-perceived levels of happiness, stress, and satisfaction with life. The practitioner article provides recommendations to practitioners to further support the well-being of osteopathic medical students. The sample for this study was medical students at an osteopathic medical school in the Philadelphia region. Data was collected using seven validated survey instruments: Perceived Wellness Survey (PWS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), InCharge Financial Distress/Financial Well-Being Scale (IFDFWS), What’s Happening in This School (WHITS) Questionnaire, Subjective Happiness Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS). The analysis showed the interrelated connections between occupational, physical and intellectual wellness and levels of perceived stress. Both physical and occupational wellness predicted happiness, and surprisingly, higher physical wellness scores were associated with lower levels of life satisfaction.

Download

Share

COinS