scholarly journals Building Educators’ Skills in Adolescent Mental Health (BEAM): A pilot study examining the preliminary effectiveness and acceptability of a web-based training program for Australian secondary school teachers. (Preprint)

10.2196/29989 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda Louise Parker ◽  
Melissa Anderson ◽  
Philip J Batterham ◽  
Aimee Gayed ◽  
Mirjana Subotic-Kerry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Secondary School Teachers ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Web Based

Building Educators’ Skills in Adolescent Mental Health (BEAM): Examining the acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of a web-based training program for Australian secondary school teachers. (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda Louise Parker ◽  
Melissa Anderson ◽  
Philip J Batterham ◽  
Aimee Gayed ◽  
Mirjana Subotic-Kerry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Secondary School Teachers ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Post Test

BACKGROUND Secondary schools are increasingly supporting adolescent students’ mental health and wellbeing, yet many teachers report that they lack the skills and confidence to do so. The Building Educators’ Skills in Adolescent Mental Health (BEAM) is a web-based training program developed to improve secondary school teachers’ knowledge and confidence in caring for students’ mental health. OBJECTIVE This pilot study aimed to evaluate the acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of this new training program for improving mental health knowledge, attitudes, confidence, helping behaviors and psychological distress among secondary school teachers. METHODS A single arm, pre-post pilot trial was conducted from July to December 2019 among secondary school teachers located in New South Wales, Australia, who were in leadership positions responsible for managing student wellbeing (i.e., Year Advisors). Participants had access to the BEAM program for six weeks. Self-report surveys, delivered at baseline, post-intervention (6-weeks post-baseline) and follow-up (19 weeks post-baseline) were used to measure changes in mental health outcomes. Acceptability was assessed by program use, barriers, satisfaction, and participants’ perceptions of program effectiveness. RESULTS A total of 70 secondary school teachers took part (Mage=36.5 years, SD=9.41, range=24-60). Significant improvements in confidence were reported at post-test and follow-up, as well as psychological distress at post-test, and helping behaviors at follow-up. Participants agreed that the program was easy to understand and relevant; but completion was challenged by lack of time, competing priorities, and forgetfulness. CONCLUSIONS Findings indicate that the BEAM program may be an effective way to enhance secondary school teachers’ abilities to care for students’ mental health; however, modifications are required to improve adherence and attrition. CLINICALTRIAL Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12619000821190; Universal Trial Number (UTN): U1111-1232-7680.

scholarly journals A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of the Building Educators’ Skills in Adolescent Mental Health (BEAM) Training Program: Trial Protocol (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda Louise Parker ◽  
Cassandra Chakouch ◽  
Mirjana Subotic-Kerry ◽  
Philip J Batterham ◽  
Andrew Mackinnon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Training ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Mental Health Knowledge

BACKGROUND In Australia, secondary school educators are well positioned to recognize mental illness among students and provide support. However, many report that they lack the knowledge and confidence to do so, and very few mental health training programs available for educators are evidence-based. To address this gap, the Black Dog Institute developed a web-based training program (Building Educators’ Skills in Adolescent Mental Health; BEAM) that aims to improve mental health knowledge, confidence, and helping behaviors among secondary school educators in leadership positions. A pilot study of the training program found it to be positively associated with increased confidence and helping behaviors among educators and reduced their psychological distress. An adequately powered Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) is now needed. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this cluster RCT is to evaluate the effectiveness of the BEAM program for improving educators’ confidence in managing student mental health. The trial will also evaluate the effect of the BEAM program in increasing educators’ frequency of providing help to students and improving their mental health knowledge, and reducing educators’ psychological distress and stigma towards students with mental health issues. METHODS The target sample size is N=234 educators in 47 secondary schools across New South Wales, Australia. Four waves of recruitment and enrolment into the trial are planned. Schools will participate in one wave only and will be randomized to the intervention or waitlist control conditions. Participants from the same school will be assigned to the same condition. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, post-test (10-weeks after baseline) and follow-up (22-weeks after baseline) using the Black Dog Institute e-health research platform. Intervention participants will receive access to the BEAM program for 10-weeks upon completion of baseline and the control condition will receive access for 10-weeks upon completion of the follow-up assessment. RESULTS Recruitment for this trial began on 21st July 2020, with the first baseline assessments occurring on 17th August 2020. To date, 295 participants from 71 schools have completed baseline. Due to the unexpected success of recruitment in the first three waves, the final fourth wave has been abandoned. Intervention participants are currently receiving the program with follow-up due for completion in March 2021. CONCLUSIONS This is one of the first RCTs to examine the effectiveness of a web-based, adolescent mental health training program for Australian secondary school educators in leadership positions. If found to be effective, this training program will offer a sustainable and scalable delivery method for upskilling educators in caring for students’ mental health. CLINICALTRIAL Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12620000876998; registered 03/09/2020) and Universal Trial Number (U1111-1253-3176).

Mental Health of Secondary and Higher Secondary School Teachers - An Analysis

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-119
Author(s):  
P.Pachaiyappan P.Pachaiyappan ◽  
◽  
Dr. D.Ushalaya Raj Dr. D.Ushalaya Raj
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary School Teachers ◽  
School Teachers

Mental Health Training Programs for Secondary School Teachers: A Systematic Review

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 489-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Anderson ◽  
Aliza Werner-Seidler ◽  
Catherine King ◽  
Aimée Gayed ◽  
Samuel B. Harvey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary School Teachers ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Mental Health Training ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Health Training
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