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Gunawardena H, Leontini R, Nair S, Cross S, Hickie I. Teachers as first responders: classroom experiences and mental health training needs of Australian schoolteachers. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:268. [PMID: 38263048 PMCID: PMC10804620 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17599-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schoolteachers are often the first to respond when a student presents with a mental health issue in the classroom. This places a burden on schools that impacts school staff, healthcare workers and teachers. More broadly, it places a responsibility on the education system to address students' mental health. This study examines Australian teachers' classroom experiences and the training areas identified by teachers as necessary to manage these issues. METHOD Interviews were undertaken with 18 in-service teachers between 2020 and 2021 from Catholic, Independent and Public schools. Data were gathered via multiple interviews and analysed using thematic content analysis. RESULTS The major mental health issues identified by teachers related to mental disorders, depression, anxiety, and a complex range of negative emotional states. Teachers requested training in child and adolescent mental health, counselling skills, early detection and intervention, and training skills to manage the complex relationship with parents and external health and community personnel. Teachers also reported the need to access mental health resources, support and training, which were differentially accessed along socioeconomic status and postcodes. CONCLUSION The data show that teachers are often placed as first responders when a student has a mental health issue but feel inadequately trained to manage these issues in the classroom. We identified mental health issues presenting in Australian classrooms and documented critical features of mental-health training asked for by teachers in order to address those issues. Given the increasing demands on teachers to address the mental health of children and adolescents, we argue that an urgent review of mental health training for teachers is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rose Leontini
- The University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia
| | - Sham Nair
- Department of Education, New South Wales, Australia
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Kingston B, Mattson SA, Dymnicki A, Spier E, Fitzgerald M, Shipman K, Goodrum S, Woodward W, Witt J, Hill KG, Elliott D. Building Schools' Readiness to Implement a Comprehensive Approach to School Safety. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 2019; 21:433-449. [PMID: 29961927 DOI: 10.1007/s10567-018-0264-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Research consistently finds that a comprehensive approach to school safety, which integrates the best scientific evidence and solid implementation strategies, offers the greatest potential for preventing youth violence and promoting mental and behavioral health. However, schools and communities encounter enormous challenges in articulating, synthesizing, and implementing all the complex aspects of a comprehensive approach to school safety. This paper aims to bridge the gap between scientific evidence and the application of that evidence in schools and communities by defining the key components of a comprehensive approach to school safety and describing how schools can assess their readiness to implement a comprehensive approach. We use readiness and implementation data from the Safe Communities Safe Schools project to illustrate these challenges and solutions. Our findings suggest that (1) readiness assessment can be combined with feasibility meetings to inform school selection for implementation of a comprehensive approach to school safety and (2) intentionally addressing readiness barriers as part of a comprehensive approach may lead to improvements in readiness (motivation and capacity) to effectively implement a comprehensive approach to school safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beverly Kingston
- Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, 1440 15th Street, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA.
| | - Sabrina Arredondo Mattson
- Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, 1440 15th Street, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
| | | | | | - Monica Fitzgerald
- Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, 1440 15th Street, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
| | - Kimberly Shipman
- Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, 1440 15th Street, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
| | - Sarah Goodrum
- Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO, USA
| | - William Woodward
- Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, 1440 15th Street, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
| | - Jody Witt
- Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, 1440 15th Street, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
| | - Karl G Hill
- Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, 1440 15th Street, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
| | - Delbert Elliott
- Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, 1440 15th Street, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA
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Splett JW, Chafouleas SM, George MWR. Accessing Behavioral Health Services: Introduction to a Special Issue of Research, Policy, and Practice. SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s12310-018-9262-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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