Teachers as mental health promoters: a study of teachers' understanding of the concept of mental health

Abstract

Based on results from a mixed method approach, using focus group interviews (N = 15) and survey research (N = 1575, this paper explores Norwegian K12 teachers' understanding of the concept of mental health. The theoretical framework of analysis is a socio-ecological and systemic perspective, seeing conceptual understanding as a result of a complex interplay between factors on individual, organizational and state/society levels. Existing research indicates that mental health is an unfamiliar term in a school context, and often negatively loaded. Our results support this, but show significant differences in school type, where teachers in higher grades report more frequent use of the term, more positive term-loading and less tendency to prefer ‘well-being’ as a substitute, rather than as a complementary term to mental health. These teachers also report significantly higher levels of organizational support on mental health promotion. At individual level, experience and further education were important for differences in conceptual understanding.

Keywords:

• teacher conceptual understanding
• school mental health promotion
• well-being
• socio-ecological perspective

Notes

^1. In Norway, the noun ‘well-being’ and the verb ‘to thrive’ are used with much the same meaning. This is a translational challenge, as the Norwegian language also has a noun form of the verb ‘to thrive’. In this study, this is consistently translated into ‘well-being’, even though the meaning is slightly more limited.

^2. Universal prevention: directed at all pupils (e.g. by raising the awareness and knowledge about mental health through school-based training programmes). Selective prevention: directed at groups of pupils with a known and increased risk of developing problems (e.g. minor refugees or pupils with learning disabilities). Indicated prevention: directed at pupils with high degrees of symptom load, but without qualifying for a medical diagnosis.

^3. The counties were Møre & Romsdal, Sogn & Fjordane and Hordaland. These represent both rural and urban areas in the western part of Norway.

^4. The programmes available to the Norwegian school system are as follows: Zippys' friends (1–4 grades), ‘Mental health for everyone’ (8–10 grades), VIP (13 grade), STEP – Young people meet young people (11 and 12 grades), What is up with Monica? (8–13 grades) and Venn1.no (12 and 13 grades). The programmes were implemented in 2004/2005 and are coordinated through the secretariat of ‘Mental health in Schools’. It is optional for each school and/or municipality to attend these programmes.