Research Article
Open Access
Rising Beyond the Self: Awe, Self-Transcendence, and Optimism in College Students, A Quantitative Correlational Analysis in the Philippine Context
1
Psychology Department, Philippine Women's University, Manila 1004, Philippines
Corresponding Author:
Leilani Santos,
[email protected]
Volume 1, Issue 1
2026
Received: 22 October 2025
Accepted: 26 November 2025
Published: 07 February 2026
Article Information
Volume/Issue
Volume 1, Issue 1, 2026
Pages
1-11
Abstract
This study examined the relationships among awe, self-transcendence, and optimism among Filipino college students within the framework of positive psychology and the Sustainable Development Goals. Using a quantitative correlational design, data were gathered from 134 college students enrolled in various higher education institutions in Metro Manila, selected through convenience sampling. Standardized instruments—the Awe Experience Scale, Self-Transcendence Scale, and Life Orientation Test—were administered through an online survey using Google Forms. Descriptive statistics were used to determine levels of awe, self-transcendence, and optimism, while Pearson Correlation assessed relationships among variables. The findings showed that students generally reported moderate levels of awe, self-transcendence, and optimism. Significant relationships were found among the three variables, suggesting that awe and self-transcendence may contribute to students’ optimistic outlook. These results highlight the psychological strengths that support Filipino students’ well-being in the context of academic demands and social challenges. The study underscores the importance of cultivating awe-inspiring experiences, reflective practices, and values-based learning as pathways for enhancing resilience and holistic development. Implications were discussed for educational programs that aim to promote students’ mental health and positive functioning. The study suggests incorporating awe-inspiring experiences into academic and counseling curricula to enhance students' comprehensive development and psychological resilience.
Keywords
awe
self-transcendence
optimism
Data Availability Statement
Data will be made available on request.
Funding
This work was supported without any funding.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
AI Use Statement
The authors declare that no generative AI was used in the preparation of this manuscript.
Ethical Approval and Consent to Participate
Not applicable.
References
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APA Style
Santos, L., Alcazaren, M. N., Macaraya, H., & Lagmay, L. R. (2026). Rising Beyond the Self: Awe, Self-Transcendence, and Optimism in College Students, A Quantitative Correlational Analysis in the Philippine Context. PWU Journal of Research, Innovation, and Transformation, 1(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.62762/JRIT.2025.770754
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TY - JOUR AU - Santos, Leilani AU - Alcazaren, Melissa Necitas AU - Macaraya, Hafsah AU - Lagmay, Lloyd Ryan PY - 2026 DA - 2026/02/07 TI - Rising Beyond the Self: Awe, Self-Transcendence, and Optimism in College Students, A Quantitative Correlational Analysis in the Philippine Context JO - PWU Journal of Research, Innovation, and Transformation T2 - PWU Journal of Research, Innovation, and Transformation JF - PWU Journal of Research, Innovation, and Transformation VL - 1 IS - 1 SP - 1 EP - 11 DO - 10.62762/JRIT.2025.770754 UR - https://www.icck.org/article/abs/JRIT.2025.770754 KW - awe KW - self-transcendence KW - optimism AB - This study examined the relationships among awe, self-transcendence, and optimism among Filipino college students within the framework of positive psychology and the Sustainable Development Goals. Using a quantitative correlational design, data were gathered from 134 college students enrolled in various higher education institutions in Metro Manila, selected through convenience sampling. Standardized instruments—the Awe Experience Scale, Self-Transcendence Scale, and Life Orientation Test—were administered through an online survey using Google Forms. Descriptive statistics were used to determine levels of awe, self-transcendence, and optimism, while Pearson Correlation assessed relationships among variables. The findings showed that students generally reported moderate levels of awe, self-transcendence, and optimism. Significant relationships were found among the three variables, suggesting that awe and self-transcendence may contribute to students’ optimistic outlook. These results highlight the psychological strengths that support Filipino students’ well-being in the context of academic demands and social challenges. The study underscores the importance of cultivating awe-inspiring experiences, reflective practices, and values-based learning as pathways for enhancing resilience and holistic development. Implications were discussed for educational programs that aim to promote students’ mental health and positive functioning. The study suggests incorporating awe-inspiring experiences into academic and counseling curricula to enhance students' comprehensive development and psychological resilience. SN - pending PB - Institute of Central Computation and Knowledge LA - English ER -
BibTeX Format
Compatible with LaTeX, BibTeX, and other reference managers
@article{Santos2026Rising,
author = {Leilani Santos and Melissa Necitas Alcazaren and Hafsah Macaraya and Lloyd Ryan Lagmay},
title = {Rising Beyond the Self: Awe, Self-Transcendence, and Optimism in College Students, A Quantitative Correlational Analysis in the Philippine Context},
journal = {PWU Journal of Research, Innovation, and Transformation},
year = {2026},
volume = {1},
number = {1},
pages = {1-11},
doi = {10.62762/JRIT.2025.770754},
url = {https://www.icck.org/article/abs/JRIT.2025.770754},
abstract = {This study examined the relationships among awe, self-transcendence, and optimism among Filipino college students within the framework of positive psychology and the Sustainable Development Goals. Using a quantitative correlational design, data were gathered from 134 college students enrolled in various higher education institutions in Metro Manila, selected through convenience sampling. Standardized instruments—the Awe Experience Scale, Self-Transcendence Scale, and Life Orientation Test—were administered through an online survey using Google Forms. Descriptive statistics were used to determine levels of awe, self-transcendence, and optimism, while Pearson Correlation assessed relationships among variables. The findings showed that students generally reported moderate levels of awe, self-transcendence, and optimism. Significant relationships were found among the three variables, suggesting that awe and self-transcendence may contribute to students’ optimistic outlook. These results highlight the psychological strengths that support Filipino students’ well-being in the context of academic demands and social challenges. The study underscores the importance of cultivating awe-inspiring experiences, reflective practices, and values-based learning as pathways for enhancing resilience and holistic development. Implications were discussed for educational programs that aim to promote students’ mental health and positive functioning. The study suggests incorporating awe-inspiring experiences into academic and counseling curricula to enhance students' comprehensive development and psychological resilience.},
keywords = {awe, self-transcendence, optimism},
issn = {pending},
publisher = {Institute of Central Computation and Knowledge}
}
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Copyright © 2026 by the Author(s). Published by Institute of Central Computation and Knowledge. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made.
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