Psychological well-being as a relational and institutional process: a PERMA-informed focus group study with Chinese undergraduates

Purpose This study explored how undergraduates understood, experienced, negotiated, and sustained psychological well-being in everyday university life at a public university in Southwest China, using PERMA as a sensitising framework.Methods Between 20 December 2024 and 20 January 2025, six in-person semi-structured focus groups involved 36 purposively selected undergraduates aged 18–22 years across four year levels. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, anonymised, translated into English, and checked for conceptual accuracy. Reflexive thematic analysis used PERMA flexibly rather than as a fixed coding structure. The lead researcher coded and developed themes, with a second researcher contributing reflexive review and analytic discussion.Results Five PERMA-informed themes were generated: lived positive emotion, sustained engagement, relational growth and agency, meaning and purpose, and perceived accomplishment and mastery. Although broadly aligned with PERMA, the themes showed that well-being was interconnected and shaped by relational, academic, and institutional conditions. Accomplishment extended beyond achievement to competence development, task completion, problem-solving, contribution, and recognition of effort.Conclusions The findings extend applications of PERMA by showing how its elements were interconnected and sustained through relational and institutional processes. Student flourishing was shaped not only by individual experiences but also by relationships, opportunities for participation and competence development, and institutional recognition.