Handling the Student Wellbeing Crisis: A Comparative Case Study of a Centralized and a Decentralized School System in the Nordic Countries

Using student and teacher survey data, this study explores grade 7 students’ mental, social, and academic wellbeing and strategies utilized to mitigate illbeing in Denmark and Sweden, representing centralized and decentralized Nordic educational systems, respectively. While both countries have a significant proportion of students with high wellbeing, Sweden has a higher percentage of students with low wellbeing. Danish students on average score higher in mental and academic wellbeing, while no clear differences are found with respect to social wellbeing. The study highlights the greater support Swedish teachers feel from parents, school leadership, and colleagues compared to their Danish counterparts.