Search

School teachers have demonstrated poor mental health and low levels of wellbeing, globally. Despite the high prevalence of depression, burnout, stress, and anxiety, few programs have been developed in collaboration with teachers that are appropriate for their needs and circumstances. The current mixed-methods study involved consultation with members of the teaching workforce in Australia to understand their preferences for a program to address their mental health and wellbeing. The sample included teachers and other key representatives from the education sector in New South Wales, Australia. There were 47 participants who completed online surveys, with a subset (n= 16) also attending two group workshops (n= 10 in the first workshop, n= 6 in the second workshop). Data were collected between May 2021 and October 2021. Descriptive statistics were calculated to summarise quantitative survey data, and thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Results from surveys and workshops found that a new approach is needed to address teacher mental health and wellbeing in schools. Participants expressed a preference for a strategy that combined a face-to-face approach with a digital component and focused on three areas: staff relationships, supportive leadership, and practical skill development. The results of this study provide guidance about areas to target to improve teacher mental health and wellbeing.

ABSTRACTThe feasibility of addressing the mental health needs of young people at school is influenced by how staff perceive their role, and the role of schools, in mental health care. Using qualitative methodology, this study investigated the roles of Australian school teachers and counselors. The aims were two-fold: (i) to explore how teachers and counselors perceive the role of the school in student mental health; and (ii) to explore their views about what is being practically done in schools to provide this support. Ninety-one secondary school teachers and 83 counselors (Mage = 39.45) across New South Wales responded to open-ended questions between November 2017 and July 2018. Key themes included support, being on the frontline, collaboration, and education, although there were some discrepancies between staff. Further, counselors endorsed evidence-based programs in schools that directly targeted student mental health. Results indicated that clear professional roles and a coordinated effort are needed to appropriately address student mental health.

Childhood emotional and behavioural problems can indicate a higher risk of developing mental illness in adolescence and beyond. Schools provide an appropriate setting in which to deliver universal preventions to improve well-being and protect against early risks for mental health disorder. However, interventions can often be difficult to implement in schools due to their perceived or actual burdensomeness and implementation challenges can affect effectiveness. Teacher-delivered well-being interventions that can be integrated into usual classroom teaching practices provide a potential solution. This study examines the efficacy of a teacher-delivered programme, the Good Behaviour Game, in Australian primary schools. The programme significantly reduced emotional and behavioural problems as measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire from baseline to post-intervention, suggesting that it may be an effective teaching practice for managing students in the classroom and for promoting well-being and development.

ABSTRACTObjective:Parents are important facilitators of mental healthcare for their adolescent children. An online, school-based, mental health service may assist parents in gaining access to care. This study explored parental attitudes towards this new type of service provision.Method:The study was undertaken in July and August 2016. Semi-structured interviews were used to understand parents’ attitudes towards a proposed online, school-based service called Smooth Sailing. Themes were identified through thematic analysis. Fourteen parents were interviewed.Results:Seven key themes emerged. Parents’ own experiences seeking help and awareness of mental health services, their perceived prevalence of mental health issues in youth and the appropriateness of online and school-delivered care, the desire to be involved in their child’s care, alongside concerns about stigma, service trust and credibility, and the availability of face-to-face support, were all found to influence parents’ attitudes to the proposed service.Discussion:This study confirmed that parents have both positive and negative attitudes towards online, school-based mental health service provision. By understanding these attitudes, service providers are better equipped to develop strategies to mitigate concerns and promote engagement. In doing so, parents are likely to be more supportive of their child seeking help for mental health in the school setting.

School counsellors play an important role in supporting student mental health but face several challenges that may increase their vulnerability to burnout. This study aimed to explore the factors associated with burnout among school counsellors in secondary schools in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. A cross-sectional, online survey was conducted to measure demographics, school counsellor background, school context, school counselling practice, openness towards evidence-based practices, and use of online resources. The final sample consisted of the 125 participants who responded they had (n= 65) or had not (n= 60) experienced burnout. Most participants were female (86%), with an average of 9 years’ experience (SD= 7.0). Burnout was associated with lower workload manageability, lower satisfaction with school mental healthcare, greater impact of work stress upon wellbeing, and greater frequency of providing care outside of school hours. No other significant associations were found. This study reinforces that school counsellors are vulnerable to burnout and that measuring job overload may help to identify those at increased risk. School counsellors may also benefit from additional support for students who require care beyond school hours. Greater awareness about the risks of burnout, coupled with efforts to improve resource allocation within the school setting, may improve school counsellors’ sustainability and optimise the mental healthcare available to students.

School counsellors play an important role in supporting student mental health but face several challenges that may increase their vulnerability to burnout. This study aimed to explore the factors associated with burnout among school counsellors in secondary schools in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. A cross-sectional, online survey was conducted to measure demographics, school counsellor background, school context, school counselling practice, openness towards evidence-based practices, and use of online resources. The final sample consisted of the 125 participants who responded they had (n= 65) or had not (n= 60) experienced burnout. Most participants were female (86%), with an average of 9 years’ experience (SD= 7.0). Burnout was associated with lower workload manageability, lower satisfaction with school mental healthcare, greater impact of work stress upon wellbeing, and greater frequency of providing care outside of school hours. No other significant associations were found. This study reinforces that school counsellors are vulnerable to burnout and that measuring job overload may help to identify those at increased risk. School counsellors may also benefit from additional support for students who require care beyond school hours. Greater awareness about the risks of burnout, coupled with efforts to improve resource allocation within the school setting, may improve school counsellors’ sustainability and optimise the mental healthcare available to students.

Abstract.Background:Bereavement by suicide is associated with a number of consequences including poor mental health outcomes and increased suicide risk. Despite this, the bereaved by suicide may be reluctant to seek help from friends, family, and professionals. Internet forums and social networking sites are a popular avenue of support for the bereaved, but to date there is a lack of research into their use and efficacy. Aims:To survey users of suicide bereavement Internet forums and Facebook groups regarding their help-seeking behaviors, use of forums, and perceived benefits and limitations of such use. Method:This study employed a cross-sectional design in which users of suicide bereavement Internet forums and Facebook groups completed an anonymous online survey. Results:Participants were 222 users of suicide bereavement Internet forums. Most participants (93.2%) had sought face-to-face help from sources other than Internet forums, but were more likely to seek help in the near future from informal rather than formal sources. Forums were perceived as highly beneficial and there were few limitations. Limitations:The generalizability of these results to other internet forums may be limited. Additionally, we were not able to examine differences between forums in terms of quality or user-reported efficacy. Finally, the data reflects the subjective views of forum users, which may differ from the views of moderators or experts. Conclusion:Internet forums, including Facebook groups, appear to be a useful adjunct to face-to-face help-seeking for supporting those who have been bereaved by suicide.

Abstract.Background:Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide. Identifying those at risk and delivering timely interventions is challenging. Social media site Twitter is used to express suicidality. Automated linguistic analysis of suicide-related posts may help to differentiate those who require support or intervention from those who do not. Aims:This study aims to characterize the linguistic profiles of suicide-related Twitter posts. Method:Using a dataset of suicide-related Twitter posts previously coded for suicide risk by experts, Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) and regression analyses were conducted to determine differences in linguistic profiles. Results:When compared with matched non-suicide-related Twitter posts, strongly concerning suicide-related posts were characterized by a higher word count, increased use of first-person pronouns, and more references to death. When compared with safe-to-ignore suicide-related posts, strongly concerning suicide-related posts were characterized by increased use of first-person pronouns, greater anger, and increased focus on the present. Other differences were found. Limitations:The predictive validity of the identified features needs further testing before these results can be used for interventional purposes. Conclusion:This study demonstrates that strongly concerning suicide-related Twitter posts have unique linguistic profiles. The examination of Twitter data for the presence of such features may help to validate online risk assessments and determine those in need of further support or intervention.

In view of the high co-occurrence of depression and insomnia, a novel way to reduce the risk of escalating depression might be to offer an insomnia intervention. We aimed to assess whether an online self-help insomnia program could reduce depression symptoms.

Depression and anxiety are prevalent among adolescents; however, many young people do not seek help from professional services. This is due, in part, to the inadequacies of existing healthcare systems. This article aims to review the current evidence for e-health interventions for depression and anxiety in youth, as a potential solution to the gaps in mental health service provision.

Secondary schools have attempted to address gaps in help-seeking for mental health problems with little success. This trial evaluated the effectiveness of a universal web-based service (Smooth Sailing) for improving help-seeking intentions for mental health problems and other related outcomes among students.