Bohmian Dialogue Supporting Student Well-being in a Higher Education English Course

Abstract

This study explores the impact of a university language course—Dialogue: Constructive Talk at Work, based on Bohmian dialogue—on student well-being. Bohmian dialogue aligns with principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which are known to support well-being. A mixed-method design without a control group was used. Quantitative data from 125 students were collected using the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire for University Students. No statistically significant changes were observed at the group level, potentially due to low post-intervention participation (41.6%). However, qualitative analysis of student blog posts revealed increased awareness related to the course themes. This suggests that dialogue-based language instruction may support well-being over time. The findings highlight the potential of integrating dialogue approaches into foreign language education to enhance student well-being in higher education. Such integration demonstrates how language teaching can contribute to broader educational and psychological outcomes in academic settings.