Women's health at work: a qualitative study on women's health issues in relation to work participation. Experiences and perspectives from female teachers and managers in Norwegian high schools.

BACKGROUND: Public health and working life are closely related. Even though Norway is one of the world's most equality-oriented countries, working life is still divided by gender. Women have a lower rate of participation in working life than men, they work more part-time and they have a higher sickness absence. Research has mostly focused on structural and cultural reasons for gender differences, rather than on the fact that women and men have different biology and face different health challenges. The aim of this project was to explore experienced associations between women's health and female participation in working life. METHODS: Qualitative methods were chosen for investigating women's experiences. We carried out in-depth interviews with 11 female high school teachers and supplemented the material with a focus group with five managers from the same organisation. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. We used the six steps of reflexive thematic analysis for consistency in the analysis process. RESULTS: The teachers shared a variety of experienced health issues within the field of women's health and perceived barriers in the work environment. Four main themes were identified: (1) invisibility of women's health at work, (2) complexity and lack of recognition of women's health at work, (3) women's health in work environment and (4) women's health and role conflicts. There were few contradictions between the two informant groups. We found that health, work and total life intertwine and that complexity, lack of recognition and invisibility of women's health appear at different levels in a mutual influence: for the women themselves, in the organisation and in society. CONCLUSION: Lack of recognition and invisibility of women's health in the work environment is suggested to influence women's work participation. The complexity of female health is not captured by gender-neutral structures in the work environment meant to protect and promote employees' occupational health. Recognition of women's health in the work context can therefore contribute to a gender-equal, health-promoting and sustainable working life.

Burnout syndrome among preschool teachers in Serbia.

Pedagogical work, especially with preschool children, is one of the most stressful professions, and the incidence of stress-related illnesses among preschool teachers is higher than in the general population. The aim of this cross-sectional study, conducted between October 2018 and April 2019, was to examine the prevalence of the burnout syndrome in a representative sample of 482 preschool teachers in Serbia and the factors associated with it. For this purpose, the participants completed a questionnaire composed of six sections: the socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics, health and lifestyle characteristics, workplace and employment characteristics; Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI); Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). The frequency of the total burnout was 27.1 %. The frequency of burnout on the CBI was 25.4 % for personal burnout, 27.0 % for work-related burnout, and 23.4 % for client-related burnout. Multivariate logistic regression analysis with total burnout as an outcome variable showed that being single (OR: 0.18; 95 % CI: 0.05-0.58), having poor (OR: 6.05; 95 % CI: 1.05-34.91), or average (OR: 3.60; 95 % CI: 1.57-8.25) self-rated health, not having didactic/play tools (OR: 2.71; 95 % CI: 1.21-6.04), having a higher score on the BDI (OR: 1.19; 95 % CI: 1.09-1.29) or SAS (OR: 1.10; 95 % CI: 1.03-1.18) was significantly associated with the total burnout among our participants. Our study shows the worryingly high prevalence of the burnout syndrome among preschool teachers in Serbia and points to its association with mental health issues, depression, and anxiety.

Physical and psychological health consequences of intimate partner violence among married primary school teachers in Delta South Senatorial Zone of Delta State, Nigeria: Implication for marital stability.

Background: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a serious health issue among couples which is recorded more among married partners. Dishearteningly, IPV among couples who are teachers is underreported due to shame, thereby increasing the prevalence of IPV in the area of the study. Objectives: The study examined physical and psychological health consequences of IPV on married primary school teachers. Methods: The design was a cross-sectional descriptive survey conducted on married primary school teachers in Delta South Senatorial zone of Delta State, Nigeria from 22nd February - 29th November, 2021. Three hundred and thirteen 313 (207 women and 106 men who have experienced various forms of IPV) who were identified as victims of IPV were used as participants in the study. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit information on physical and psychological health consequences of IPV on married teachers. Conclusion: The researchers concluded that there are severe and serious physical and psychological health consequences associated with IPV among married primary school teachers in Delta South Senatorial zone of Delta State, Nigeria. Urgent interventions such as public enlightenment, campaigns, workshops, seminars, community health talk-shows should be organized by government stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, community leaders on the prevention of IPV and its dare consequences for marital stability.

Improving knowledge, attitude and practice on norovirus infection diarrhea among staff of kindergartens and schools: a before-after study.

BACKGROUND: Norovirus gastroenteritis outbreaks were common in schools and kindergartens and were more related to faculty knowledge, attitude, and practice level. Gastroenteritis outbreaks caused by norovirus in educational institutions were the prominent cause of Public Health Emergency Events in China. This study aimed to explore the transformation in the contribution of KAP items related to outbreak prevention before and after intervention and the impact of demography factors on the intervention. METHODS: This study sampled 1095 kindergarten and 1028 school staff in Shenzhen, China. We created a questionnaire consisting of 35 items in 4 parts, and each item was rated on a scale of 1-5 according to the accuracy. Univariate analysis of non-parametric tests and binary logistic regression were used to estimate the score difference on demographic characteristics, each item and KAP. The odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence and intervals (CI) for the association between statistical indicators were mainly used to explain the effects before and after intervention. RESULTS: Overall, 98.72% and 74.9% of the kindergarten and school participants were female, and all respondents had the highest scores difference of practice. Following intervention, univariate analysis indicated that primary school and female respondents achieved higher knowledge scores. Staff age beyond 35 (OR = 0.56, CI:0.34-0.92; OR = 0.67, CI:0.50-0.90) and with more than ten years of service (OR = 0.58, CI:0.36-0.91; OR = 0.38, CI:0.17-0.84) demonstrated a significantly lower post-intervention score for attitude and practice in both kindergartens and schools. The staff members exhibited a general lack of familiarity with the transmission of aerosols and the seasonal patterns of NoVs diarrhea pandemics. Item analysis revealed that kindergarten staff aged 26 and above demonstrated superior performance in terms of the efficacy of medical alcohol for inactivation (OR = 1.93, CI:1.13-3.31) and management strategies for unexplained vomiting among students (OR = 1.97, CI:1.21-3.18). Private school personnel displayed more significant improvement in their practices following educational interventions. School administrators' negative attitudes were primarily evident in their perspectives on morning inspections (OR = 0.11, CI:0.05-0.84). CONCLUSIONS: The potential negative impact of faculty age on NoVs-related knowledge can be mitigated by the positive attitudes fostered through seniority. Furthermore, it is imperative to urgently address the lack of knowledge among administrators, and the identification and treatment of vomiting symptoms should be emphasized as crucial aspects of school prevention strategies. Therefore, education authorities should implement comprehensive public health interventions in the future.

Emotion regulation skills as a mediator of STEM teachers' stress, well-being, and burnout.

The teaching profession highly stressful, and teachers are often faced with challenging situations. This is particularly the case in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education, which is a uniquely demanding and challenging field. This study examined the role of emotional regulation (ER) skills in STEM teachers' stress, well-being, and burnout. The sample included 165 STEM teachers in middle and high schools who completed standard online questionnaires on ER, stress, well-being, and burnout. They were also asked to comment on three videos depicting authentic mathematical and pedagogical situations. The results indicated that contrary to popular belief, seniority was not linked with levels of stress, difficulties in ER, lower levels of well-being, or higher levels of burnout. A structural equation model and bootstrapping analysis showed teachers' levels of stress predicted their well-being, and this link between stress and well-being was mediated by teachers' level of difficulty in ER. The study highlights the importance of STEM teachers' well-being and suggests the need to reduce stress and burnout by providing tools for teachers to regulate their emotions in the classroom.

Processo de ensino e aprendizagem no período de suspensão das aulas presenciais em virtude da pandemia de COVID-19: estudo com professores / Teaching and learning process in the suspension period of classes in virtue of the COVID-19 pandemy: study with teachers / Proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje durante el período de suspensión de clases presencial por la pandemia del COVID-19: estudio con docentes

Introdução: Sabe-se que durante o período da pandemia do COVID-19, escolas e professores precisaram adaptar-se com alternativas para dar continuidade às aulas. Objetivo: Investigar estratégias e recursos pedagógicos de aprendizagem adotados por professores da rede pública e/ou privada de ensino, do interior de um estado brasileiro, durante o período de suspensão das aulas presenciais, em virtude da Pandemia de Covid-19 e seus efeitos para estudantes com e sem dificuldades de aprendizagem. Método: Aplicação de questionário on-line utilizando a ferramenta Google Forms para 37 professores atuantes do 1° ao 5° ano da rede pública e/ou privada no interior do estado, que tenham trabalhado remotamente durante a Pandemia no período de suspensão das aulas presenciais. Esse material continha questões de múltipla escolha e dissertativas e averiguava a forma de trabalho durante este período, as estratégias e os recursos adotados. Resultados: Os resultados mostraram que as estratégias mais utilizadas pelos professores foram uso de materiais impressos. Os professores relataram as dificuldades e os desafios em adotar o ensino remoto, referentes à desigualdade social dos alunos, a dificuldade de adaptação dos professores a esta forma de ensino e ao empenho restrito das famílias no processo de aprendizagem. Conclusão: foi possível verificar como ocorreu o processo de adaptação ao ensino remoto pelos professores. Verifica-se a necessidade de explorar o trabalho conjunto com a Fonoaudiologia, visando minimizar as dificuldades apresentadas pelos estudantes, o que auxiliaria no processo de ensino e aprendizagem dos alunos que, posteriormente, poderiam vir a ser futuros pacientes do setor de Fonoaudiologia. (AU)

Introduction: it is known that during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools and teachers needed to adapt with alternatives to continue classes. Purpose: Investigate pedagogical learning strategies and resources adopted by teachers from public and/or private schools in the interior of a Brazilian state during the period of suspension of face-to-face classes, due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and its effects on students with and without learning difficulties. Method: This research included the application of an online questionnaire through Google Forms to 37 active teachers from the 1st to the 5th year of the public and/or private network at Brasilian state who have worked remotely during the Pandemic during the suspension period of in-person classes. This material contained multiple choice questions and essays, referring to the way of working during this period, strategies and resources adopted. Results: The results showed that the most used strategies by teachers were the use of printed materials. Teachers reported the difficulties and challenges in adopting remote teaching, referring to the social inequality of students, the limited commitment of families in the learning process and the difficulty of teachers to adapt to this form of teaching. Conclusion: Among 37 teachers who joined the study, it was possible to verify how the process of adaptation to remote teaching took place. There is a need to explore the joint work with Speech Therapy, aiming to minimize the difficulties presented by students. Such clarifications would help in the teaching and learning process of students who could later become future patients in the Speech Therapy sector. (AU)

Introducción: se sabe que durante el período de la pandemia del COVID-19, las escuelas y los docentes requirieron adaptarse con alternativas para continuar las clases. Objetivos: Investigar estrategias y recursos pedagógicos de aprendizaje adoptados por profesores de escuelas públicas y/o privadas del interior de un estado brasileño durante el período de suspensión de clases presenciales, debido a la Pandemia Covid-19 y sus efectos en estudiantes con y sin dificultades de aprendizaje. Método: Esta investigación implicó la aplicación de un cuestionario en línea a través de Formularios de Google a 37 docentes que laboran del 1° al 5° año de la red pública y/o privada del interior del estado, que habían trabajado de manera remota durante la Pandemia en el período de suspensión de clases presenciales. Este material contenía preguntas de selección múltiple y desarrollo, referentes a la forma de trabajar durante este período, las estrategias y los recursos adoptados. Resultados: Los resultados mostraron que las estrategias más utilizadas por los docentes fue el uso de materiales impresos. Los docentes relataron las dificultades y desafíos en la adopción de la enseñanza a distancia, refiriéndose a la desigualdad social de los estudiantes, el compromiso restringido de las familias en el proceso de aprendizaje y la dificultad de adaptación de los docentes a esta forma de enseñanza. Conclusión: Entre 37 docentes que se sumaron al estudio, fue posible verificar cómo ocurrió el proceso de adaptación a la enseñanza a distancia. Existe la necesidad de explorar el trabajo conjunto con la Logopedia, con el objetivo de minimizar las dificultades presentadas por los estudiantes. Tales aclaraciones ayudarían en el proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje de los estudiantes que luego podrían convertirse en futuros pacientes del sector de Logopedia. (AU)

Occupational burnout and their determinants among schoolteachers in Nepal: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Burnout syndrome attributable to cumulative stressors is highly prevalent among teachers. Despite this, knowledge of burnout syndrome among schoolteachers in lower-middle-income countries are limited, therefore we aimed to investigate self-reported occupational burnout syndrome and associated factors among schoolteachers in Nepal. METHODS: A survey was conducted among randomly selected 37 community schools in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2022, with a total sample of 218 schoolteachers (70% male). Occupational burnout was assessed using the Nepali version of the validated Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-ES). MBI-ES consists of 22 items assessing occupational burnout, which were classified into emotional exhaustion (EE, 9 items, score range: 0-45), depersonalization (DP, 5 items, 0-23), and personal accomplishment (PA, 8 items; 3-48). The greater score in EE and DP and the lower score in PA indicate a higher level of burnout. Various socio-demographic, lifestyle, and work-related factors were examined as determinants of occupational burnout using ANOVA and multivariable linear regression models. RESULTS: The mean scores of EE, DP, and PA were 14.99 (Standard Deviation, SD = 9.79), 4.18 (SD = 4.57), and 42.11 (SD = 6.82) respectively. Poor/moderate work ability contributed to poorer ratings of all three dimensions. Teaching special needs students contributed to EE and DP, whereas low physical activity and alcohol intake were associated with PA only. Younger age, being married, language of teaching, having a disability, sub-optimal physical fitness, poor sleep quality, and ever smoking contributed to EE only. CONCLUSION: Occupational burnout among schoolteachers was relatively high. Marital status, lifestyle behavioral, and work-related factors were associated especially with EE and workability was a strong determinant of all three dimensions. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05626543.

A Study of Attitudes Toward Teacher-Student Sexual Misconduct Cases Based on Student Age, Student Gender, and Teacher Gender.

Teacher-student sexual misconduct is a serious instance of child sexual abuse that impacts an estimated 10% of students. We tested whether two effects seen in research about these types of cases replicated across online American adult and undergraduate samples: (1) sympathy toward younger students who experience sexual abuse compared to older students and (2) leniency in cases of female teachers engaging with male students compared to other gender dyads. Participants (N = 525) reviewed a mock teacher-student sexual encounter and then answered questions about their views and case-related outcomes. Student age emerged as the most influential factor across all our variables of interest, where cases with younger students were viewed as more egregious than those involving older students. Incidents involving boys who experienced abuse were perceived as more "normal" than those involving girls. We found some support for the idea that there is leniency toward women teachers, but limited support for a female teacher-male student leniency effect. While these cases were viewed to be more normal and acceptable than other gender dyads, there were no effects on the other dependent variables. Sample type effects were also minimal, as our adult sample viewed the teachers involved to be more responsible and student complainants as more credible versus the undergraduate sample.

Review of the effects of social and emotional learning on mental health and academic outcomes: The role of teacher training and supportive interactions.

Child and youth mental health in France has become an important public health priority. Social and emotional learning has been shown to contribute to mental health in children and adolescents. Therefore, an increasing number of interventions are being proposed in schools. However, teachers are not yet trained to develop these competencies through evidence-based interventions during their initial training. One way of increasing motivation and investment in teacher training in social and emotional learning is to increase awareness of the effects on academic outcomes. The aim of this scoping review based on systematic reviews and meta-analyses is to present the effectiveness of school-based social and emotional learning programs on mental health and academic success, while specifying the contributing processes such as motivation, teacher training, and student support. The discussion section suggests several avenues to promote the development of psychosocial competencies in school settings, notably based on teacher training.

A leadership-level culture cycle intervention changes teachers' culturally inclusive beliefs and practices.

Despite an abundance of support for culturally inclusive learning environments, there is little consensus regarding how to change educational contexts to effectively and sustainably foster cultural inclusion. To address this gap, we report findings from a research-practice partnership that leveraged the Culture Cycle Framework (CCF) to expand educators' praxis to include both independent and interdependent models of self. Most U.S. schools validate independent cultural models (i.e., those that prioritize individuality, uniqueness, and personal agency) and overlook interdependent models (i.e., those that prioritize connectedness, relationality, and collective well-being), which are more common among students from marginalized racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Using a quasi-experimental longitudinal design, we trained school leadership to integrate ideas about cultural inclusion (i.e., validating the importance of both independent and interdependent cultural models) into school-wide flagship practices. We assessed downstream indicators of culture change by surveying teachers and students across the district and found that a) leadership-level training enhanced school-wide beliefs about cultural inclusion, b) teachers' endorsement of culturally inclusive beliefs predicted their use of culturally inclusive practices, and c) teachers' use of culturally inclusive practices predicted enhanced psychosocial and academic outcomes among students. This research represents a comprehensive culture change effort using the CCF and illustrates a means of fostering inclusion-focused educational culture change and assessing downstream consequences of culture change initiatives.

Infant embodied requests and teacher-practitioner offers during early childhood education mealtimes.

The importance of building healthy relationships with food in children's early years is of paramount importance. Building on prior work exploring the social and linguistic practices in infant eating interaction experiences, this research uses a multimodal conversation analysis approach to explore how mealtime interactions are managed as a co-constructed activity between infants (0-2 years) and early childhood teacher-practitioners. Here we will explore video data recorded during mealtimes in an early childhood setting in Mid-Wales, where infants orient to recruitments for assistance and teachers provide offers of help with food items throughout the data. Analysis demonstrates 1) infant recruitment of help through embodied 'showing' an item causing a problem in multimodal ways, initiating joint attention that mobilises an offer from an adult in the shape of 'do you want me to X' and 2) adult initiation of an offer of help in the shape of 'would you like me to X' that are not prompted by infants 'showing' an item. Such practices demonstrate infant social competence in recruiting assistance through multimodal resources, and adult's noticings that help is required and their initiation of provision of assistance. The detailed exploration into the ways in which mealtimes are a collaboratively achieved experience reveals how infants effectively contribute in resourceful ways, and how teacher-practitioner responses frame mealtimes as co-produced activities.

Do classroom relationships moderate the association between peer defending in school bullying and social-emotional adjustment?

Peer defending has been shown to protect bullied peers from further victimization and social-emotional problems. However, research examining defending behavior has demonstrated positive and negative social-emotional adjustment effects for defending students themselves. To explain these mixed findings, researchers have suggested that associations between defending behavior and social-emotional adjustment may be buffered by protective factors (i.e., defender protection hypothesis) or exacerbated by vulnerability or risk factors (i.e., defender vulnerability hypothesis). Consistent with these hypotheses, the present study aimed to investigate whether relationships with teachers and peers would moderate the association between defending behavior and social-emotional adjustment. This three-wave longitudinal study examined the association between peer nominated defending behavior and later self-reported depressive symptoms and self-esteem in 848 Belgian students in Grades 4-6 (53% girls; Mage = 10.61 years, SD = 0.90 at Wave 1). Peer nominated positive and negative teacher-student relationships (i.e., closeness and conflict) and peer relationships (i.e., acceptance and rejection) were included as moderators. Clustered multiple linear regression analyses demonstrated that defending behavior did not predict later depressive symptoms (ß = -0.04, p = .80) or self-esteem (ß = -0.19, p = .42). The lack of these associations could be explained by the defender protection and vulnerability hypotheses. However, contrary to our expectations, teacher-student closeness and peer acceptance did not play a protective role in the association between defending behavior and social-emotional adjustment (ß = -1.48-1.46, p = .24-0.96). In addition, teacher-student conflict and peer rejection did not put defending students at risk for social-emotional maladjustment (ß = -1.96-1.57, p = .54-0.97). Thus, relationships with teachers and peers did not moderate the association between defending behavior and later depressive symptoms and self-esteem.

Centering students' voices in the exploration of in-classroom culturally responsive practices.

Scholars have developed culturally responsive frameworks and interventions to support educators as they aim to create inclusive and equitable classroom environments. Despite the number of frameworks on the topic, research on culturally responsive practices (CRPs) is limited by the lack of clear definitions or evidence on the effectiveness of in-classroom culturally responsive interventions. With the aim to understand which characteristics are important for in-classroom CRPs, this qualitative study explored students' perceptions of practices teachers use to respond to students' learning and cultural identities. We conducted 23 focus groups with 103 Black, Latine, and White students in middle and high school from two midwestern schools. After analyzing the data, we identified four overarching themes: (a) inclusive classroom instruction, (b) emotional safety in the classroom, (c) relational quality with the teachers, and (d) racism and other "isms" in the classroom. Students consistently commented on the importance of teacher support for students' emotional and academic well-being while also describing teachers that demeaned them or their peers, in turn, obstructing their learning. The findings hold promise to clarify and strengthen professional development CRP interventions as students offer insight about teacher cultural responsiveness and non-responsiveness.

Positive student-teacher relationships and exclusionary discipline practices.

Teacher-student relationships are beneficial for students and especially important in the middle school context. Suspensions are critical to reduce as it can be detrimental to the educational trajectory of students, particularly for marginalized students in underfunded schools. This study looked at the relations between teacher-student relationships and suspensions across the academic year in a sample of students (N = 541) and teachers (N = 51) in two urban school districts in the Midwest. A brief measure of teachers' perceptions of relationships with students completed in the fall of the academic year predicted the odds of receiving in-school suspension (ISS; odds ratio [OR] = 0.65) and out-of-school suspension (OSS; OR = 0.72) by the end of the school year. Student reports of the relationships were also associated with ISS (OR = 0.94), but not OSS. On average, teachers' report on the scale improved over the course of the school year (d = 0.11); however, student report of the relationships worsened (d = 0.30). The difference in the student report of the relationships from fall to spring was also associated with the odds of receiving ISS and OSS (ORs = 0.94). These findings suggest that student and teacher perceptions together are associated with harsh discipline practices that can negatively impact students' developmental trajectories. Relationships can change but direct action is necessary to develop, maintain, and repair relationships during the academic year.

Relationships of paraeducators and teachers with their autistic students.

Paraeducators play an important role in the classroom experiences of many autistic students. Although previous research has indicated that autistic students typically have strained relationships with their teachers, little is known about their relationships with paraeducators. We examined relationship quality reported by teachers (N = 171) and paraeducators (N = 28) with their elementary-age autistic students (IQ ≥ 50, ages 4-8 years, Grades PreK-3). Paraeducators reported strained relationships with their autistic students relative to normative means. This was especially apparent when compared with teacher report as paraeducators reported significantly lower overall relationship quality with their autistic students marked by higher conflict and dependency, yet similar reports of closeness. Indirect effect analysis indicated that higher conflict between paraeducators and their autistic students was accounted for by their fewer years of classroom experience compared to teachers. These findings should encourage school psychologists to consider the systemic factors likely contributing to paraeducators' fewer years of experiences and, as members of special education teams, use a consultative framework to provide supports needed to foster positive relationships between paraeducators and their autistic students.

Risk Factors Affecting Stress and Burnout Among Teachers: A Cross-Sectional Study From Chonburi, Thailand.

This study aimed to investigate the risk factors affecting stress and burnout among teachers after the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. The sample comprised 400 school teachers in the municipality of Chonburi province. The results found that the factors affecting stress were working more than 8 hours per day (2.03; 95%CI, 1.01-4.09), and being sick but having to come to work (2.30; 95%CI, 1.12-4.70). Factors affecting teacher burnout in the emotional exhaustion dimension were having frequent or almost constant time pressure (2.57; 95%CI, 1.92-6.73), a low level of job satisfaction (4.00; 95%CI, 1.55-10.34), and a low level of their own ability to work (2.57; 95%CI, 1.92-7.17). Factors affecting the cynicism dimension were having daily conflicts at work or having a moderate to high level of work-related problems (5.55; 95%CI, 1.71-18.04), and a low level of their own ability to work (3.40; 95%CI, 1.41-8.17). It is recommended that the schools' personnel development department allocate work to suit the needs and expertise of teachers so that they can work to their full potential.

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on physical activity and sedentary behaviour in secondary school teachers: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Mid-March 2020, Belgium went in lockdown to combat the COVID-19-pandemic. Having to provide school-based day care and adapt to online teaching, while all social, cultural and sports events and activities were cancelled, secondary school teachers' physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) may have been affected considerably. This study investigates the impact of the first Belgian lockdown on PA and SB in Flemish secondary school teachers. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted throughout the 2019-2020 school year. PA and SB measured in March/April 2020 were compared with a pre-lockdown measurement in January/February 2020. Other pre-lockdown measurements (September/October 2019 and November/December 2019) and one other during-lockdown measurement (May/June 2020) allowed us to control for confounding. Validated questionnaires were used to assess participants' PA and SB. Generalized linear mixed models were applied in R. RESULTS: Among 624 participants (77·2% females, 43·3 ± 10·3 years), increases were observed for total PA (+ 108 min/week; p = 0·047), moderate PA (+ 217 min/week; p = 0·001), domestic and garden PA (+ 308 min/week; p < 0·0001) and leisure-time PA (+ 131 min/week; p < 0·0001), whereas work-related PA (-289 min/week; p < 0·0001) and active transportation (-38 min/week; p =0·005) decreased. No differences were observed for walking (p = 1·0) and vigorous PA (p = 0·570). Increases were found for total SB (+ 972 min/week; p < 0·0001), work-related SB (+ 662 min/week; p < 0·0001) and leisure-time SB (+ 592 min/week; p = 0·0004), whereas transport-related SB (-290 min/week; p < 0·0001) decreased. CONCLUSION: During the lockdown, we found in our sample that Flemish secondary school teachers showed an increase in SB that was 9 times as high as their PA increase. As a government, education network or school, it is crucial to sensitize, promote, and facilitate sufficient MVPA and/or walking, but likewise to discourage SB during pandemic-induced lockdowns.

Preparation of the pre-service teacher to deliver comprehensive sexuality education: teaching content and evaluation of provision.

BACKGROUND: Despite the extensive benefits associated with the provision of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) within a school context, many initial teacher training programs inadequately prepare pre-service teachers to deliver this content. Programs that do provide such instruction do not routinely share details of their curriculum, syllabi, or evaluation data. METHODS: This paper outlines the structure of an Australian undergraduate course for pre-service teachers that focuses on instruction in CSE. This course spans twelve teaching weeks, aligns with evidence-based principles for sexuality education, prioritises experiential learning and requires students to complete authentic, practical assessment tasks. Formative, process, and short-term impact evaluation data, based upon five years of delivery, are described. RESULTS: Students completing this course reported statistically significant improvements in attitudes associated with CSE and comfort in facilitating all domains of learning (knowledge, attitudes, skills). CONCLUSIONS: Positive process and short-term impact data provide strong evidence for the provision of CSE to pre-service teachers, regardless of future teaching speciality. Proposed amendments include the creation of a fully online tuition pattern and an expansion of content to incorporate other audiences, such as community-based educators.

"I'm not sure whether I will implement it": exploring barriers and facilitators to implementing a digital "healthy eating" resource in early education and care settings - teachers' perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Scaling up effective interventions to promote healthy eating habits in children in real-world settings is a pressing need. The success of implementation hinges crucially on engaging end-users and tailoring interventions to meet their specific needs. Building on our prior evaluation of a digital "healthy eating" resource for early childhood education and care (ECEC) staff; this qualitative study aims to pinpoint the barriers and facilitators that influence the successful implementation of such interventions. METHODS: We conducted twelve semi-structured interviews with ECEC teachers in a Norwegian municipality. Interview participants were later invited to participate in focus groups where two discussions were conducted with five of the participants to reflect on the initial interview findings. Thematic analysis, facilitated by NVivo software, was employed to analyse the data, aiming to identify and summarize teachers' subjective experiences and perspectives. RESULTS: Teachers' perceptions of barriers to the implementation of an upcoming digital "healthy eating" resource included: (1) No established tradition of using digital resources at work; (2) Uncertainty regarding the achievable outcomes of implementation; (3) Perception of the new "healthy eating" resource as cooking-focused and unnecessary; and (4) Hectic everyday life serving as a barrier to the long-term use of a digital resource. Facilitators for implementation included: (1) A user-friendly format; (2) Newsletters featuring seasonal tips inspire and serve as effective reminders; (3) Emphasis on research and legislation; and (4) Structuring the resource as a series and an idea bank. CONCLUSIONS: The findings underscore the essential need for tailored strategies and comprehensive support structures to successfully implement a culturally appropriate digital "healthy eating" resource for ECEC staff, ensuring effectiveness and feasibility. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was not registered in a trial registry as it is not a clinical trial or intervention study but serves as a pilot for the Nutrition Now study, trial identifier ISRCTN10694967 ( https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN10694967 ), registration date: 19/06/2022.

Teachers' competence: How to protect teachers' mental health from the burden caused by students' private in-class use of technical devices?

The current study investigated how students' private in-class use of technical devices is associated with teachers' mental health. Data of 361 teachers from primary and secondary schools in Germany were assessed via online surveys. The present cross-sectional results show a positive association between burden caused by the students' private in-class use of technical devices and teachers' depression symptoms. Both were negatively linked to teachers' positive mental health (PMH) and teachers' competence in handling students' private in-class use of technical devices. In a moderated mediation analysis, the association between burden and depression symptoms was mediated by PMH. Teachers' competence moderated the link between PMH and depression symptoms. Specifically, the higher the competence, the weaker the relationship between both variables. Thus, the protective effect of teachers' competence could be especially important in persons with low PMH. Competence training in handling students' use of technical devices is discussed as a potential step that could protect teachers' mental health.