Beginning Teachers' Perceived Competence to Support Students' Mental Health: Developing Mental Health Literacy

Abstract

Mental health issues are prevalent in society and the issue of adolescent mental health is becoming increasingly scrutinised. It is estimated that, during adolescence, one in five young people within Australia will experience a mental health problem (Mission Australia, 2017). As Australia’s young people spend the vast majority of their time within a school environment, educators have a unique opportunity to recognise and help support young people with mental health concerns. The purpose of this study was to explore beginning teachers’ perceptions of their understanding and skills when responding to issues of student mental health. The study further sought to determine the level of perceived competence and mental health literacy among teachers in their first five years of teaching. The conceptual lenses that underpinned the investigation were teacher perceived efficacy and the influence of the environment on a person’s development. These concepts draw on Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. The research focused on one school environment as a single intrinsic case study, generating qualitative data. The school principal, a school psychologist, and five beginning teachers within their first 5 years of teaching were interviewed, and relevant school and government mental health and wellbeing documents were analysed. Three major findings from this research were identified. The first finding encompasses beginning teachers’ perceptions of their role, including responding to concerns and events, referring students appropriately, and responding to the complexities that can develop in the classroom as a consequence of poor student wellbeing. The second finding involves teacher-level challenges, including difficulty accessing information, a lack of specific pre-service teacher training, and the impact on teacher wellbeing. The third finding centres upon school-level challenges, including limitations in school structure and resources, community mental health restrictions, and the need for mental health training for teachers. Recommendations are made concerning key changes and strategies to be initiated by secondary schools, initial teacher education providers, and federal and state governments. These include further resourcing in schools and initial teacher education programs to provide teachers with a greater knowledge base on student mental health. Further recommendations draw upon the need for community health and schools to work together to provide appropriate professional development to improve teacher capacity and self-efficacy. Recommendations offered for the school site include improving the communication channels between school leadership and teachers so that teachers – including beginning teachers – are able to support their students’ mental health; providing a mental wellbeing induction program; and developing wellbeing mentors for beginning teachers.