Stable roles,changed skills: teacher candidate responses to instruction about adolescent psychosocial support practices

Abstract

By virtue of their day-to-day contact with students, teachers are uniquely positioned to notice and respond to student psychosocial issues, both mental health problems and issues like peer harassment that can contribute to mental health problems. Yet, teachers’ opportunities to learn about providing psychosocial support remain scattered. The present study investigates the impact of one teacher education program’s efforts to promote productive teacher interactions with students experiencing psychosocial issues. The intervention – a six-week module that comprised part of a master’s-level teacher education practicum support course – aimed to increase candidates’ ability to recognize and respond to student psychosocial issues in the classroom. This study’s pre-test/post-test design asked 72 candidates to respond to vignettes portraying situations of student psychosocial distress, and also gauged candidates’ preference for working with populations experiencing psychosocial distress. Pre- to posttest change was gauged first with a rubric and then compared using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. While candidates’ sense of their preferred role responsibilities regarding work with students experiencing psychosocial distress did not change, their demonstrated knowledge and practice skills in specific areas related to student psychosocial issues, particularly consultation and referral, did. Implications for teacher education regarding student support needs, and school-based mental health practice that engages teachers, are discussed.     

Perceptions of teacher preparation and attitudes regarding students' mental health in Kenya

This study was conducted to identify whether high school teachers in Kenya perceive themselves as well prepared to effectively work with students who present with mental health concerns. The study also assessed teachers' attitudes toward the importance of mental health training as it relates to teaching success in the classroom. Gender and teaching experience differences on teachers' perception and attitudes were assessed as well as areas of need. Data were collected from 121 secondary school teachers in Kenya. Results of statistical analyses indicated that while the majority of teachers in Kenya rate their preparation positively, there are differences between male and female teachers, and teachers at different levels of teaching experience. The findings highlight the need for strengthening pre-service and in-service training for teachers in Kenya to increase teachers' ability to identify and manage mental health issues in schools.     

Are Teachers Ready? Preservice Teacher Knowledge of Classroom Management and ADHD

It is well documented that teachers feel unprepared to handle classroom management challenges in their classrooms. This lack of preparedness in classroom management, specifically for students with mental health concerns, is one of the leading reasons for teacher attrition. Yet, little is known about what teachers know about classroom management strategies and children’s mental health difficulties upon entering the classroom. The present study seeks to understand preservice teachers’ knowledge of classroom management strategies and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the United States. Participants were preservice teachers (n = 107; 95.3% female; 75.4% Hispanic) about to enter their student teaching internship. Teachers’ accurate knowledge of classroom management strategies, accurate knowledge of ADHD, misperceptions of ADHD, and lack of knowledge of ADHD were investigated and related to teacher characteristics (i.e., hours of professional development) and sense of efficacy. Teacher knowledge of classroom management stategies, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and sense of efficacy were evaluated using self-report measures. Overall, preservice teachers achieved 60.7% accuracy on the measure of classroom management strategies and 49% accuracy on the knowledge of ADHD measure. There were no associations between teachers’ knowledge of ADHD or classroom management strategies and teacher efficacy or characteristics. The results of this study reveal large gaps in preservice teachers’ knowledge of ADHD and classroom management strategies. Implications for teacher training programs are discussed.     

Teachers’ experiences collaborating in expanded school mental health: implications for practice,policy and research

Abstract

Teachers are critical partners in expanded school mental health (ESMH) collaborations that aim to bring educators, community mental health professionals and families together to leverage expertise and resources for addressing non-academic barriers to learning. Although teachers are in a unique position to observe the day-to-day mental health needs of students, their roles in ESMH collaborations have been largely ignored leaving little research-based guidance for maximizing this practice strategy. To address this gap, this study explored 384 teachers’ experiences with ESMH collaboration including the types of collaborations they are engaged in, what influences those relationships and what they perceive to be the benefits of this practice strategy. The findings support previous conceptual and research contributions focused on collaboration, as well as suggest some specific influences on collaborative relationships between teachers and community mental health professionals. Implications for practice, policy and research are offered.     

Implementation of a School-Based Mental Health Promotion Programme in Ireland

This paper reflects on the challenges associated with developing, implementing and evaluating a universal curriculum - based module promoting positive mental health for 15-18 year olds in Irish schools. The module consists of 13 classroom sessions over two years, and uses experiential learning techniques to address issues such as coping strategies and sources of support. The paper is structured around the implications of a conceptual model of implementation for school-based preventive interventions developed by Greenberg et al (2001b), covering three phases of programme implementation: pre-adoption - adapting principles of best practice to local circumstances, teacher training; delivery - school ethos, stakeholder involvement, measuring implementation, selecting appropriate outcome indicators, designing an activity-based evaluation workshop for students; and post-delivery - development of quality indicators for teachers to use on an ongoing basis, scaling-up issues.     

MAKINGtheLINK: a school-based health promotion programme to increase help-seeking for cannabis and mental health issues among adolescents

Aim: There is increasing concern regarding the use of cannabis among adolescents, especially given recent evidence highlighting its link with later mental disorders. Encouraging young people with mental health or drug issues to seek professional help is an important early intervention strategy; however, adolescents are typically reluctant to do so and instead turn to their peers for help. Peers may not have the skills or knowledge required to assist their friends to access professional help. This paper describes the development and evaluation of MAKINGtheLINK, a school‐based health promotion programme that promotes help‐seeking behaviour for mental health and cannabis use issues among young people. Methods: The MAKINGtheLINK programme was piloted with 182 Year 10 students at a secondary school in Melbourne, Australia. Forty teachers received the MAKINGtheLINK staff professional development session. Results: The delivery of the MAKINGtheLINK programme was found to be both acceptable and feasible within a school setting. Students and teachers described it as a fun, engaging, helpful and important programme. Students reported increased confidence and awareness of how to seek help for themselves or a friend, and teachers indicated increased confidence and awareness of how to assist students to seek help for cannabis use and/or mental health problems. Conclusions: MAKINGtheLINK was successfully implemented within the school curriculum. We believe this is the first school‐based programme that specifically focuses on facilitating professional help‐seeking for cannabis use and mental health problems among young people, and demonstrates that utilizing peer models for help‐seeking is a valuable resource for early intervention initiatives.     

On the Fault Line: A Qualitative Exploration of High School Teachers’ Involvement with Student Mental Health Issues

School-based mental health (SBMH) research often underplays the crucial role that teachers play in supporting student mental health, even as teachers often find themselves encountering student mental health issues. Further, teachers’ and school-based mental health practitioners’ (SBMHPs) work with shared students has historically tended toward distance rather than collaboration. This article explores the virtual fault line where SBMHPs’ and teachers’ work intersect, concerning student mental health issues. Drawing on qualitative data gathered at three high schools that, to varying degrees, required teachers’ involvement with student mental health issues, this study analyzes the nature of teachers’ work in this area. In particular, the study identifies ways in which teachers provided psychosocial support, as well as how teachers’ and SBMHPs’ work intersected. Findings indicate that uncertainty existed at the three schools about teachers’ involvement with student mental health issues, and that this uncertainty was reinforced by organizational structures that promoted a separation of teaching from SBMH. Implications for practice, professional learning, and research are discussed.     

Teaching and Learning about Mental Illnesses: An Australian Perspective

We observed teaching and learning using the MindMatters teaching resource Understanding Mental Illnesses in three Year 10/11 (age range 14–17 years) classes in South Australia. We held focused discussions with the class teachers and a teacher reference group, and administered a questionnaire to measure changes in the students’ knowledge, social distance attitudes and behavioural intentions. Paired sample t-tests showed statistically significant improvements in students’ scores from pre-teaching to post-teaching. Teachers highlighted pedagogical concerns, such as making a complex issue like mental illness accessible to diverse students at different phases of social, emotional and cognitive development, and designing teaching materials that do not trivialise such profound subject matter. Teachers stressed the imperative for teaching about mental illness, but called attention to 1) the need to reach all students, 2) fitting mental health promotion into the timetable of an already crowded curriculum and 3) identifying frameworks of scope and sequence across the years of the secondary school curricula.     

School nurses' perceived prevalence and competence to address student mental health problems

Due to under-identification of student mental health problems and limited specialty mental health providers in schools, school nurses are often faced with identifying and addressing student mental health needs. This exploratory study assessed prevalence and types of student mental health problems encountered by school nurses, as well as their prior training, perceived competence and levels of comfort addressing such problems. Data collected at a 2010 National Association of School Nurses conference from 78 school nurses suggest that in their view, 31% of students present with mental health concerns as their ‘primary’ presenting issue. School nurses reported moderate levels of comfort identifying specific problem areas, but limited comfort in mental health intervention and pre-service training to identify, assess, make referrals and/or intervene. Perceived competence identifying mental health concerns overall was predictive of perceived competence to make referrals. Implications and recommendations for professional development are presented.     

Antonovsky Revisited – Implications for Mental Health Promotion Practice

The paper assesses the validity of Antonovsky's (1996) assertion that health promotion should use the salutogenic model of health to guide practice, by drawing on the results of an evaluation of a supported further education programme for people with long-term mental health needs. Three consecutive cohorts of further education (FE) students with a long-term mental health diagnosis were assessed before and after participation, using Antonovsky's (1987) short form Sense of Coherence questionnaire (SOC-13). Students with SOC13 scores 52 and above at entry showed no significant change. However, students with entry SOC13 scores below 52 made statistically significant positive gains in their exit scores. A causation model was developed from qualitative evidence from students’ accounts of participation in the programme. The results of short questionnaires provided numerical data for building a model of the relationships between the themes and SOC13 scores. The model suggests that peer support is an important factor in the success of the programme and that the activity of learning reduced symptoms and raised positive affect. The results of this study support the value of Antonovsky's salutogenic health perspective for mental health promotion staff and allied professionals, and highlight the need for mental health professionals to pay attention to the pathogenic and salutogenic paradigms for understanding the health needs of people with long-term mental health needs.     

Social comparison,competition and teacher–student relationships in junior high school classrooms predicts bullying and victimization

This cross-sectional research examines how social comparison, competition and teacher–student relationships as classroom characteristics are associated with bullying and victimization among junior high school students in grades 7 and 8 in Canada. The study tests a conceptual model of youth outcomes that highlights the importance of modeling the effects of teaching practices as proximal structural conditions at the classroom level (N = 38) that affect bullying outcomes at the individual level (N = 687). Results of Hierarchal linear modeling (HLM) revealed significant classroom-level effects in that increased social comparison, competition and teacher–student relationships were related to bullying and victimization. An interaction for teacher–student relationships and gender also emerged. These findings may guide future intervention programs for junior high schools that focus on enhancing cooperation and pro-social behavior in classrooms. The findings could also inform programs that focus on building strong relationships between students and teachers to help prevent bullying and victimization, particularly among boys.     

Development and Piloting of a Classroom-Focused Measurement Feedback System

The present study used a community partnered research method to develop and pilot a classroom-focused measurement feedback system (MFS) for school mental health providers to support teachers’ use of effective universal and target classroom practices related to student emotional and behavioral issues. School personnel from seven urban elementary and middle school classrooms participated. Phase I involved development and refinement of the system through a baseline needs assessment and rapid-cycle feedback. Phase II involved detailed case study analysis of pre-to-post quantitative and implementation process data. Results suggest that teachers who used the dashboard along with consultation showed improvement in observed classroom organization and emotional support. Results also suggest that MFS use was tied closely to consultation dose, and that broader support at the school level was critical. Classroom-focused MFSs are a promising tool to support classroom improvement, and warrant future research focused on their effectiveness and broad applicability.     

Increasing knowledge and self-efficacy through a pre-service course on promoting positive school climate: the crucial role of reducing moral disengagement

Abstract

Teachers play an important role in promoting a positive school climate, which in turns supports academic achievement and positive mental health among students. This study evaluated the impact of a pre-service teacher education course addressing a range of contributors to school climate. Participants included a cohort of 212 pre-service teachers (75.2% female) who were surveyed during the first week of their teacher preparation program. A second cohort of pre-service students (n?=?199, 60.8% female) was used as a comparison group. Pre- and post-tests demonstrated positive gains in the knowledge about bullying and self-efficacy in responding and reporting to incidents of students’ exposure to violence. Changes in moral disengagement were associated with improvements in knowledge, whereas personal experience with violence predicted changes in self-efficacy. Findings underscore the need for specific instruction in the area of promoting school climate.     

Teachers' role breadth and perceived efficacy in supporting student mental health

Teachers are considered well placed to identify issues concerning students' mental health and well-being and can play a critical role in the helping process for their concerns. However, little is known about the views of teachers regarding their role in supporting student mental health and how well-equipped they feel to fulfil it. The aim of this study was to investigate teachers' perceived role breadth and perceived self-efficacy in supporting students' mental health. Interviews were conducted with 21 teachers from Canberra, Australia. Teachers viewed supporting student mental health as part of their role, though perceived a lack of knowledge and skills in mental health-related areas. They clearly emphasized the need to work within a well-coordinated pastoral care system. Additional training in mental health and clear role delineation within the school may assist teachers to feel better prepared to effectively and appropriately support student mental health.     

Teachers’ psychological well-being: a comparison among teachers in U.S.A., Turkey and Pakistan

Assessing teachers’ psychological well-being (PWB) is the first step in protecting teacher’s mental health and providing them an environment that helps flourish their professional and personal development. It is also crucial for good teacher–student interactions, which in turn, may affect student self-efficacy, social abilities, and even mental health. However, research about the subject is limited in the literature, and it lacks comparison of the levels of PWB among teachers from different countries. This study has primarily focused on the variations in teachers’ PWB from three different countries: U.S.A., Turkey, and Pakistan. In total, 403 teachers from U.S.A., 990 teachers from Turkey, and 715 from Pakistan completed the survey that contained demographic questions and the PWB scale. Results indicated that the U.S. sample had the highest PWB means followed by teachers in Turkey and in Pakistan, respectively. Results are discussed in light of the literature and implications are presented.     

Student’s Academic Engagement: the Relation between Teacher’s Academic Optimism and Female Student’s Perception of School Climate

The goal of the present research is to identify the correlation between students’ perception of their school climate, their teachers’ academic optimism, and how these two factors affect overall academic engagement among students. The research sample comprised of 1200 female students and 48 teachers. Findings indicated that the perception of teacher’s support and perception of student’s autonomy have significant impact on the student’s academic engagement. Further, the relationship between a teacher’s efficacy and positive role in student engagement was found to be significant.     

‘It just doesn’t feel right’: a mixed methods study of help-seeking in Irish schools

Schools are a key setting for mental health promotion and the provision of emotional support to students. As teachers and school counsellors are adults with whom adolescents have regular contact, it is likely they would be used as a help source by distressed students however there are few studies on this from an Irish context. A mixed methods design was used to identify the extent of adolescent help-seeking in addition to exploring what influences a young person’s decision to seek help in school. Findings generated through surveys (N = 856) and four focus group interviews (N = 35) with adolescents indicate that young people do not regard teachers and school counsellors as a potential help source. Barriers to seeking help include dislike of the dual role of counsellor/teacher and concerns about confidentiality. The provision of independent school counselling and increased mental health education were identified as factors that might increase help-seeking in school.     

Qualitative analysis of key informant interviews about adolescent stigma surrounding use of school mental health services

Given the increased access to mental health services that schools provide, there has been a growing consensus among mental health professionals for the delivery of services for youth in schools. Building the capacity of schools to provide evidence-based socio-emotional supports across a continuum of care has been prioritized in recent decades. However, despite policy changes to implement more mental health services in schools, these services still remain widely underutilized by adolescents experiencing mental health problems. Understanding the factors impacting students’ decisions to seek help or use resources provided in a school setting is crucial for actually increasing utilization of care. Yet, little is known about the role of stigma in students’ underutilization of school mental health services. The current study examined stigma about mental health and services in schools through a qualitative analysis of 15 school personnel and student interviews at three high schools in South Carolina. Thematic analysis of interviews indicated that students have a negative outlook of mental health services because of fear of being stereotyped or embarrassed as a result of receiving school counseling. Data from this exploratory study directly contribute to the field of education by providing a model for professionals to implement strategies to eliminate the stigma that causes underutilization of school mental health services.