Explaining the lived experiences of school principals regarding the promotion of psychological capital of high school girls through promoting their health

Abstract

Background: Psychological capital, a vital factor in adolescents' success, interacts with health and the dimensions of health and is especially important in adolescent girls. The purpose of this research is to explain the lived experiences of school principals regarding the promotion of psychological capital of high school girls through promoting their health.

Materials and methods: The present study, which is based on a qualitative approach and a descriptive phenomenological method, has been carried out through studying 23 participants who were the principals of girls' high schools in Tabriz in 2022. Purposive sampling method was used and 23 semistructured interviews were conducted until theoretical saturation was reached. Data analysis was conducted based on the Colaizzi's seven-step method.

Result: Findings indicate that the lived experiences of school principals regarding the promotion of psychological capital of high school girls through promoting their health can be classified as follows: physical health including physical activity and sports, healthcare (teeth and mouth, eyes, skin, and hair), disease prevention, nutrition, and physical fitness; mental health including spirituality, life skills, academic skills, counselling, and peer relationships; and puberty health including awareness of puberty, appropriate modeling, and sex education.

Conclusion: The programs and behaviors related to health dimensions at schools are among the key grounds promoting psychological capital of high school girls.

Keywords: Mental health; physical health; psychological capital; puberty.