Promoting Well-being in Meaningful Contexts: Theoretical Perspectives, Research, and Interventions

Well-being research within organizational psychology has increasingly emphasized the role of contextual factors in shaping individuals’ quality of life and professional development. Recent scholarship has highlighted that meaningful contexts—such as schools, universities, workplaces, associations, and voluntary organizations—serve as vital spaces where people construct goals, form aspirations, and engage in processes of identity development. Yet, while these contexts hold the potential to nurture psychological well-being and personal growth, structural constraints, rigid practices, and systemic prejudices can hinder these processes. Current debates focus on how organizations can move beyond deficit-focused models to embrace approaches that cultivate positive functioning, collective agency, and inclusive participation. Research evidence from positive psychology, career psychology, and community psychology converges on the importance of fostering resilience, empowerment, and a sense of belonging within these environments. However, despite considerable advancements, significant theoretical and empirical gaps remain in translating these insights into sustainable organizational practices that actively promote well-being across diverse populations.This Research Topic aims to integrate theoretical, empirical, and applied perspectives to explore how meaningful organizational and social contexts can serve as resources for promoting individual and collective well-being throughout the life course. Specifically, it seeks to advance understanding of the psychosocial processes and mechanisms that enable organizations to contribute to sustainable career trajectories, social inclusion, and quality of life. The initiative also aims to identify evidence-based practices and interventions that build people’s strengths, resources, and capacities for self-efficacy and agency. Key research questions include how organizations can develop context-sensitive approaches that address vulnerability, foster engagement, and encourage the co-construction of supportive environments that enhance both personal and collective flourishing.This Research Topic encompasses contributions from psychology, education, organizational studies, and social sciences that examine well-being from a contextual and interdisciplinary perspective. It focuses on interventions, practices, and theoretical developments relevant to diverse organizational settings and life stages. To gather further insights into these processes, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Educational contexts across all levels of schooling and higher education• Associations and voluntary work as frameworks for civic engagement and well-being• Mental health and well-being of individuals and groups in vulnerable situations• Psychological and social dimensions of well-being and quality of life• Career counselling, career education, and sustainable life trajectories• Organizational culture, leadership, and well-being at work• Work-life balance, stress management, and supportive environments• Diversity, inclusion, social justice, and belonging within organizations• Community participation, cooperation, and collective well-being• Positive psychology, psychosocial resources, and empowerment across contexts Topic editors: ERNESTO LODI, Paulo Cardoso, Rita Zarbo Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80519/promoting-well-being-in-meaningful-contexts-theoretical-perspectives-research-and-interventions