Background: Positive psychology is expanding rapidly, growing in breadth and depth (Kim et al., 2018; Rusk & Waters, 2013), yet there remains a dearth of lived experience informing wellbeing theories and models (Hone et al., 2014; Joshanloo, 2019). If we aspire to design evidence-based interventions that support wellbeing across domains and populations, it is vital to understand fundamental beliefs which drive behaviour.

Aim: This talk presents the findings of a doctoral study that bridges this gap, collecting lay conceptions of wellbeing and comparing them to prominent models and theories to produce the Model of Elemental Wellbeing (MEW).

Method: MEW was developed through a mixed-method study (Big-Qual) with a general sample (n=1064). An online survey (open-ended questions and self-report measures i.e., PHQ-9, Flourishing Scale) collected 200,000 words and 100,000 numerical items. A Reflexive Thematic Analysis process was conducted for theming (n=475; 60.1% female) (Braun & Clark, 2022) and comparative analysis for between-group comparison.

Results: The analysis illustrates that laypeople hold complex and nuanced understandings of wellbeing, and there are noticeable departures from wellbeing models (i.e., meaning, resilience, optimism). The Model of Elemental Wellbeing (MEW) contains four Elements (Inner self, Material Stability, Health, Connection) and three Golden Threads (Balance, Active pursuit, Freedom), which operate as analytical (i.e., a way to understand and evaluate); motivational (i.e., influencing choice and action); and axiological (i.e., judgments of worth and value) principles (Lomas, 2021). A comparative analysis found that all Elements and Golden Threads were present across all categories (i.e., ethnicity, age, sex, gender identity, flourishing, languishing), indicating new findings for wellbeing science. 

Conclusion: This study, located in New Zealand's unique bi-cultural environment (Māori/European), provides an opportunity to understand the influence of indigenous knowledge of wellbeing beyond the WEIRD samples often found in positive psychology studies. The Model of Elemental Wellbeing, informed by laypeople, offers a multifaceted perspective of wellbeing, representing mind, body, hedonic, eudemonic, subjective and objective drivers that support and thwart wellbeing.