ABSTRACT
The contemporary zeitgeist in the field of psychology in the United States reflects both positive psychology (Gilman, Huebner, & Furlong, 2009; Linley, Joseph, Harrington, & Wood, 2006; Peterson, 2006; Snyder & Lopez, 2007) and a public health framework (Doll & Cummings, 2008; Merrell & Buchanan, 2006; Shinn & Walker, 2010; Strein, Hoagwood, & Cohn, 2003). Positive psychology emphasizes that wellness is more than the absence of disease symptoms (Huebner & Gilman, 2003; Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000) and advocates a change from a preoccupation with addressing deficits to also promoting mental health and well-being (Miller, Gilman, & Martens, 2008). The public health framework emphasizes the collective well-being of populations, including the social aspects of health and preventive education (Strein et al., 2003).
