Testing the Effectiveness of an Intervention to Improve Romanian Teachers' LGBT+-Related Attitudes, Cognitions, Behaviors, and Affect: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Repeated stigmatization due to group membership constitutes a recurrent stressor with negative impact on physical and mental health (minority stress model). Among European countries, Romania ranks low on LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. The "+" represents individuals whose identities do not fit typical binary notions of male and female [nonbinary]) inclusion, with 45% of Romanian LGBT+ respondents reporting discrimination in at least 1 area of life in the year preceding the survey. Importantly, while all LGBT+ people might experience minority stress, younger sexual minority individuals are more prone to the detrimental impacts of stigma on their mental and physical health. As such, interventions are necessary to improve the inclusion climate within schools, where young people spend most of their time. Until now, most interventions addressing this topic have been conducted on undergraduate students in Western countries, with no studies conducted in countries that have widespread anti-LGBT+ attitudes. OBJECTIVE: This paper describes the research protocol for a randomized controlled trial investigating whether LGBT+ stigma and bias among Romanian school teachers can be reduced using an internet-based intervention focusing on education and contact as primary training elements. METHODS: A sample of 175 school teachers will be randomly assigned to either the control or experimental group. The experimental group participants will receive the intervention first and then complete the outcome measures, whereas the control group will complete the outcome measures first and then receive the intervention. The 1-hour multimedia intervention is developed for internet-based delivery under controlled conditions. It includes 2 interactive exercises, 2 recorded presentations, animations, and testimonies from LGBT+ individuals. Data for attitudinal, behavioral, cognitive, and affective measures will be collected during the same session (before or after the intervention, depending on the condition). We also plan to conduct a brief mixed methods follow-up study at 6 to 8 months post participation to investigate potential long-term effects of training. However, due to attrition and lack of experimental control (all participants will have completed the intervention, regardless of the condition), these data will be analyzed and reported separately using a mixed methods approach. RESULTS: This paper details the protocol for the teacher intervention study. Data collection began in December 2022 and was completed by February 2023. Data analysis will be performed upon protocol acceptance. Follow-up measures will be completed in 2024. Results are expected to be submitted for publication following analysis in the spring of 2024. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study will establish the effectiveness of an internet-based intervention intended to lessen anti-LGBT stigma and sentiment in a nation where these views have long been prevalent. If successful, the intervention could end up serving as a resource for Romanian teachers and guidance counselors in high schools. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN 84290049; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN84290049. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/54254.

Empowering School Staff to Support Pupil Mental Health Through a Brief, Interactive Web-Based Training Program: Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Schools in the United Kingdom and elsewhere are expected to protect and promote pupil mental health. However, many school staff members do not feel confident in identifying and responding to pupil mental health difficulties and report wanting additional training in this area. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the feasibility of Kognito's At-Risk for Elementary School Educators, a brief, interactive web-based training program that uses a simulation-based approach to improve school staff's knowledge and skills in supporting pupil mental health. METHODS: We conducted a mixed methods, nonrandomized feasibility study of At-Risk for Elementary School Educators in 6 UK primary schools. Our outcomes were (1) school staff's self-efficacy and preparedness to identify and respond to pupil mental health difficulties, (2) school staff's identification of mental health difficulties and increased risk of mental health difficulties, (3) mental health support for identified pupils (including conversations about concerns, documentation of concerns, in-class and in-school support, and referral and access to specialist mental health services), and (4) the acceptability and practicality of the training. We assessed these outcomes using a series of questionnaires completed at baseline (T1), 1 week after the training (T2), and 3 months after the training (T3), as well as semistructured qualitative interviews. Following guidance for feasibility studies, we assessed quantitative outcomes across time points by comparing medians and IQRs and analyzed qualitative data using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 108 teachers and teaching assistants (TAs) completed T1 questionnaires, 89 (82.4%) completed T2 questionnaires, and 70 (64.8%) completed T3 questionnaires; 54 (50%) completed all 3. Eight school staff members, including teachers, TAs, mental health leads, and senior leaders, participated in the interviews. School staff reported greater confidence and preparedness in identifying and responding to mental health difficulties after completing the training. The proportion of pupils whom they identified as having mental health difficulties or increased risk declined slightly over time (medianT1=10%; medianT2=10%; medianT3=7.4%), but findings suggested a slight increase in accuracy compared with a validated screening measure (the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). In-school mental health support outcomes for identified pupils improved after the training, with increases in formal documentation and communication of concerns as well as provision of in-class and in-school support. Referrals and access to external mental health services remained constant. The qualitative findings indicated that school staff perceived the training as useful, practical, and acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that brief, interactive web-based training programs such as At-Risk for Elementary School Educators are a feasible means to improve the identification of and response to mental health difficulties in UK primary schools. Such training may help address the high prevalence of mental health difficulties in this age group by helping facilitate access to care and support.

Healthy lifestyle behaviors among teachers working in public primary schools and affecting factors.

Healthy lifestyle behaviors have been recognized as a key strategy to achieve a policy of health for all. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of health promotion lifestyle behavior among teachers working in public primary schools. The present study also investigated the effects of selected socio-demographic characteristics on these behaviors. The research was designed using the survey model, one of the quantitative research methods. The sample of the research consisted of public primary school teachers (n = 372). Research data were collected using the Health-Promotion Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II) scale. As a result of the research, it was put forward that there were statistically significant differences in levels of health promotion lifestyle behaviors based on taking courses on health promotion, and following programs and articles about healthy living (p < 0.05). It was revealed that primary teachers' taking courses on health promotion, and following programs and articles affected their healthy lifestyle behaviors. Public primary school teachers' health promotion lifestyle behaviors were found to be moderate. It was found that the primary teachers obtained the highest mean score for the spiritual growth subscale of the health promotion lifestyle behaviors scale; however, the primary school teachers had the lowest mean score for the physical activity subscale, which indicates that they need support in improving their healthy lifestyle. Male teachers had higher mean scores in the physical activity subscale, whereas females had higher mean scores in all other subscales. Training programs to protect and improve the health of teachers should be organized.

The assessment of preschool children with ESSENCE symptoms: concordance between parents, preschool teachers and child psychologists.

BACKGROUND: It is important to detect children with Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations (ESSENCE) in order to implement early intervention and support for the child and family. Standardized instruments for assessment in different contexts of behaviour problems, engagement and psychosocial health obtain an objective picture of the preschool child's mental health. AIM: To explore and compare parents', preschool teachers' and child health care psychologists' assessment of behaviour, everyday function, engagement, social interaction and psychosocial health in children with ESSENCE symptoms. METHOD: Parents of 152 children (114 boys and 38 girls, 4.5 ± 1 years) with ESSENCE symptoms, 155 preschool teachers and 8 child psychologists participated. Parents and preschool teachers assessed externalizing and internalizing behavioural problems using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), including the SDQ supplement for assessing the impact of behavioral problems on daily function. Preschool teachers also assessed engagement and social interaction using the Children's Engagement Questionnaire (CEQ), and the child psychologists assessed psychosocial health with the Child Psychosocial Health Assessment (LillaLAPS) and template in conversations with parents of children with neurodevelopmental problems. RESULTS: Parents', preschool teachers' and child psychologists' assessment of the child's ESSENCE symptoms overall agreed. Both parents and preschool teachers see a strength in the child's social abilities. Differences in mean values show that parents assess more conduct, emotional symptoms and problems in daily life and more social skills, compared to the preschool teachers rating more peer problems. CONCLUSION: It is important to consider different contexts to identify the child's need for support in everyday life. Expanded use of validated screening instruments in clinical practice would promote detection of children not already identified as exhibiting neurodevelopmental problems.

Gendered pathways to socioemotional competencies in very young children.

Parent-child and teacher-child relationship closeness have been shown to be crucial for children's development of socioemotional competencies from preschool to school-age stages. However, less is known about the importance of developing close relationships with young infants and toddlers attending childcare group settings for their early socioemotional development. The current study aimed to address this gap and to explore how child gender may influence the associations. Participants included 378 Hong Kong Chinese children (196 girls; Mage = 22.05 months, SD = 9.81 months) enrolled in childcare centres, along with their parents and teachers. Parents reported on children's socioemotional competencies as well as their relationship closeness with children; teachers reported on their relationship closeness with children. Multiple group structural equation modelling was used to analyse the results. The findings showed that both parent-child and teacher-child closeness were positively associated with children's social competence, while teacher-child closeness was negatively associated with children's anxiety behaviour. Parents of girls reported greater parent-child closeness, higher levels of social competence, and higher levels of anxiety behaviours compared to parents of boys. Furthermore, teacher-child closeness was significantly associated with social competence exclusively among girls, while parent-child closeness was significantly associated with anxiety behaviours solely among boys. Findings are discussed in terms of the role of child gender in influencing the associations between parent-child closeness, teacher-child closeness, and children's socioemotional competencies in the earliest years.

Effect of psychological intervention in cushioning work-induced stress among secondary school home economics teachers: Implications for policy and administration.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Work demands in the contemporary Nigerian work environment are a critical concern to many including occupational stress researchers. This informed the current study to investigate the effect of psychological intervention in cushioning teachers' stress in public secondary schools in Nigeria. METHODS: A randomized control design was applied. The participants were 80 secondary school home economics teachers. They were randomized into 2 groups, that is, treatment and waitlisted arms. The former was designed as a 12-session cognitive behavior intervention while the latter was waitlisted and the members received theirs at the end of the study. Both group members were evaluated at the pretest, posttest, and follow-up test to understand the baseline of the problem, treatment outcome, and sustainability respectively. Perceived Stress Scale and Teacher irrational belief scale were used as test tools. Data from the 3-time tests were analyzed using multivariate statistic. RESULTS: The main effect results showed a significant reduction in teachers' stress and irrational beliefs due to cognitive behavior intervention. The follow-up test results also indicate that the impactful benefit of cognitive behavioral intervention on job stress reduction was significantly sustained over time. Regarding the influence of gender, the result shows no significant influence of gender on teachers' job stress in schools. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that cognitive behavior intervention can decrease work-induced stress among secondary school home economics teachers. Therefore, the management of schools is enjoined to deploy the services of cognitive behavior therapists to monitor the mood and mental health of teachers.

"Your Kid Has Potential, But They Need Sleep": Teacher Perspectives on School-Based Sleep Promotion in Alberta, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Insufficient sleep is a growing public health concern. Thirty percent of Canadian children and youth are not meeting national sleep recommendations. Inadequate sleep can negatively influence students' academics and physical and psychosocial health. Schools have been identified as ideal health promotion settings to influence children's health including their sleep behaviors. The objective of this study was to explore teachers' perspectives on sleep behaviors and their role in school-based sleep promotion. METHODS: Nineteen elementary teachers were purposively sampled from the greater Edmonton area, Alberta, Canada. Interpretive description was used as the guiding method, and data were generated through one-on-one semi-structured interviews. Inductive descriptive thematic analysis was used to identify interview themes. RESULTS: Three themes related to teachers' perspectives on sleep behaviors and school-based sleep promotion were identified: the importance of students' sleep, prioritizing sleep as part of teaching and learning, and a culture of healthy sleep habits. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that teachers considered sleep to be essential for elementary students' academic success and wellbeing, and a whole school approach was necessary to support a healthy sleep culture in schools.

School Safety and Mental Health Awareness: Recommendations from K-12 Texas Public School Teachers.

BACKGROUND: Mass school shootings have created fear in the American public. The results of this fear have been the hardening of schools, lockdowns, and active shooter drills, yet the mass shootings have not ended. The goal of this study was to analyze the mental health awareness of K-12 public schools teachers in Texas with a goal to identify the connections between mental health awareness and school safety. METHODS: Data were used from an archival database of K-12 teacher responses in the 2020 Texas Educators' Needs Assessment Regarding School Safety and Victims Services to assess the current state of student mental health concerns and the connection of these concerns to school safety. This needs assessment included one mixed methods survey that was collected from Texas K-12 educators and Texas educators working in higher education in 2020. The original study included 25,161 usable responses (6.1%). For the purpose of this study, only K-12 teacher responses were used in the analysis. The K-12 teacher participants (n = 19,888) included the following institutional levels: (a) special setting, 2,919 (14.7%); (b) elementary school, 6,813 (34.3%); (c) middle/intermediate school, 4,189 (21.1%); (d) high school, 5,864 (29.5%); and (e) district level, 103 (0.5%). A total of 8,053 participant's qualitative responses and 10 of the original quantitative survey questions from the archival data were used to identify all findings in the study. RESULTS: Collected qualitative and quantitative participant responses' outlined a need to improve student mental health by strengthening the focus on supporting all stakeholders (e.g., teachers, parents, counselors, and students) in mental health awareness and education. Participant comments focused on the lack of training, counselor support, and community support regarding the mental health needs of their students. CONCLUSION: Recommendations to improve student mental health that were developed from this study identified key goals in school counselor role and responsibility to student mental health, increased involvement of community agencies, and improvement to in-school mental health counseling. Final recommendations of this study were focused on the need to improve student mental health if stakeholders want to develop a positive school environment. The failure to build an environment that is focused on student mental health will continue to affect the goal to improve overall school safety.

Multidimensional analysis of schoolteachers' occupational stress by the New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire: focusing on gender differences.

This study investigated teachers' occupational stress using a comprehensive job stress questionnaire, or the New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire, while considering gender differences. A total of 1,825 elementary and junior high school teachers participated in the study. The results revealed that female teachers significantly exhibited more psychological and physical stress reactions and perceived less job resource availability than did male teachers. Moreover, multiple regression analyses demonstrated that support from family and friends was a larger factor associated with mental health outcomes among female teachers than among male teachers. The impacts of marital status also differed between male and female teachers. Job demands were strongly associated with psychological and physical stress reactions among teachers. Meanwhile, job resources were more strongly associated with positive workplace outcomes, such as workplace engagement and social capital, than were job demands. Administrators should consider the distinctive nature of teachers' occupational stress in addition to its gender specific influence. Organizational support, such as securing teachers' autonomy, encouraging their career development, and acknowledging diversity, should be considered to foster teachers' work engagement and create a cohesive environment in the school workplace.

Teachers during COVID-19: Examining burnout levels and their work-life.

BACKGROUND: In March 2020, with the scope to reduce the spread of COVID-19, most national governments around the world canceled in-person education and moved to online learning. Therefore, teachers and students had to adapt a new way of teaching. Most of Italian teachers never had such an experience before and encountered difficulties in effectively carrying out this process on their own. Difficulties that can naturally increase anxiety and stress, leading, in situations perceived as extreme, to burnout syndrome. OBJECTIVES: This paper endeavored to verify levels of job stress and burnout of Italian teachers caused by the COVID-19 pandemic using the validated Maslach Burnout Inventory-General. This study aimed to measure the association among the three main dimensions of burnout and the variables of teachers' personal and working lives that changed due to COVID-19. METHOD: The aim of this paper was to verify burnout state and to measure the association among the three dimensions of burnout and the personal and working lives of Italian teachers using structural equation model analysis. The analysis was conducted in December 2021 and considered the situation in which the Italian teachers (from primary to middle and upper school) are working since March 2020. RESULTS: The results showed that teachers were emotionally exhausted; they did not feel able to fully fulfill their task towards the students. This involved a high absenteeism, a lower quality of work performance and the impossibility of making an objective evaluation of the students with an inevitable flattening of the class level. In contrast, the study shows that teachers who experienced few problems had relatively low levels of burnout. CONCLUSION: The findings brought out some proposals to reduce the risk of burnout and increase the individual well-being of schoolwork organization with positive effects on the lives of students: to strengthen social identity, to avoid a full-time online connection, to promote a psychological support service and to promote resilience training.

"We Try to Fix Things Quietly, and We Do Not Take Revenge": Christian Arab Teachers' Experiences Coping with Child Sexual Abuse Among Their Pupils in Israel.

Teachers are at the frontlines of the fight to identify and cope with child sexual abuse (CSA) among their pupils. Their methods of coping with CSA cases, both personally and professionally, are strongly influenced by their socio-cultural contexts and religious beliefs. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the experiences of Christian Arab teachers in Israel coping with the CSA of their pupils. Twelve Christian Arab elementary school teachers in Israel were recruited for the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and a qualitative thematic analysis was employed based on a descriptive phenomenological-psychological approach. Two key themes emerged from the analysis: (a) The teachers' intense emotional reactions regarding the CSA of their students and the empowerment some found in handling such difficult situations, and (b) The teachers' Christian beliefs and identity strongly affected their understanding of CSA and their approach to intervention. The findings indicated the dialectical position of the teachers' religio-cultural context, particularly the duality of the Christian value of forgiveness, a powerful resource for their coping, yet with adverse implications for children's vulnerability. This unique risk should inform training teachers regarding CSA matters. Teachers must also have systems that support them and allow them to reflectively examine their coping styles.

The role of school-based creative expression interventions in the aftermath of migration: A qualitative exploration of parents' and teachers' perspectives.

This study explored supportive relational processes for immigrant children's well-being between peers, teachers, and parents in the development of school-based creative interventions in European multi-ethnic societies. Within the present study, we integrated the perspectives of teachers and parents to broaden the dominant focus on the assessment of individual symptomatology within the existing body of studies of school-based interventions studies. As a part of a larger multi-method study on the implementation of a creative expression program for immigrant children ages 8-12 years in three schools in Belgium, we conducted focus group discussions to learn parents' and teachers' perspectives on the role of school-based creative interventions in children's coping with histories of migration and life in exile. Parents and teachers identified the need for the intervention to foster emotional expression impacting children's self-esteem and social connectedness with peers and to foster emotional connections between parents, teachers, and children. Parents also stressed the importance of the intervention within society as a forum to engage with social conditions, promote cultural belonging, and social integration. Results identified the importance of school-based interventions in terms of individual benefits as well as connectedness and coherence in entire communities, thereby strengthening the development of transcultural research evidence for school-based interventions in multi-ethnic societies.

Associations between teacher stress and school leadership: A mixed methods study with implications for school psychologists.

School psychologists have the psychological and consultative expertise necessary to support teachers who are vulnerable to stress. Transactional theory offers a lens to guide such support, as it posits that each teacher's unique appraisals of their work demands and resources determine the degree to which they are at risk for stress. This study used a multiphase sequential mixed method design with a transactional theory lens to examine the association of leadership quality and stability with teachers' ratings of workplace conditions. The four phases consisted of (a) input from an expert panel, (b) scale development and validation, (c) interviews with key informants, and (d) multilevel modeling informed by all previous phases. Through key informant interviews, district-level administrators provided ratings of the quality and stability of school leadership. The researchers examined the associations between these ratings and teacher appraisals of classroom demands, classroom resources, job satisfaction, and perceived levels of instructional support collected via a district-wide climate survey. Multilevel models with key informant ratings and school characteristics at Level 2 (Nschools = 47) and teacher characteristics and perceptions at Level 1 (Nteachers = 1,850) demonstrated that the quality and stability of school leadership were associated with teachers' appraisals of their occupational demands and resources, job satisfaction, and ratings of instructional support. Findings show that the quality and stability of school leadership play an important role in the incidence of stress vulnerability, suggesting important pathways for school psychologists seeking to promote the occupational health of teachers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A survey of suicide literacy in Japanese school teachers.

School teachers are in a unique position to recognize suicide-related problems in their students and to appropriately support them; teachers may need high levels of suicide literacy. However, few studies have examined current levels of suicide literacy in teachers. This study aimed to investigate suicide literacy in school teachers. Teachers (n = 857) from 48 Japanese schools (primary and junior-/senior-high) answered a self-administered questionnaire assessing (a) knowledge about suicide, (b) intention to ask about students' suicidal thoughts/plans, and (c) attitudes towards talking to students with mental health problems. The average proportion of correct answers to the knowledge questions (10 items) was 55.2%. Over half of the teachers knew that suicide is a leading cause of death in adolescents (55.0%), and that asking about suicidality is needed (56.2%). Half of the teachers intended to ask students about their suicidal thoughts (50.2%) and fewer intended to ask about experiences of planning suicide (38.8%). Most of the teachers (90.4%) agreed with the idea that talking to students with mental health problems was a teacher's responsibility. Intention to ask about students' suicidal thoughts/plans were higher in teachers in their 20s (vs. 40s-60s) and working at junior-/senior-high schools (vs. primary schools). Suicide literacy in Japanese school teachers was observed to be limited. However, teachers felt responsibility for helping students with mental health problems. The development and implementation of education programs may help improve teachers' suicide literacy, which, in turn, could encourage effective helping behaviors of teachers for students struggling with suicidality.

Public school teachers' occupational stress across different school types: a nationwide survey during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.

Objectives: School teaching is regarded as one of the most stressful professions worldwide. To maintain schoolteachers' mental health, the factors influencing occupational stress among schoolteachers must be clarified. This study aimed to investigate public school teachers' work-related stress considering the differences in school types using data from a large-scale nationwide survey conducted during the prolonged coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Japan. Methods: Data from a nationwide survey of public school teachers performed between June 2019 and December 2022 were analyzed. The dataset consisted of repeated cross-sectional data. The total number of participants was 270,777 in 2019, 296,599 in 2020, 299,237 in 2021, and 307,866 in 2022. Information on working hours, job demands, workplace support, stress response, and perceived main stressors were assessed for each type of public school. Results: Regardless of school type, quantitative workload and long working hours were the most significant factors affecting teachers' stress responses. However, stress-related factors among teachers varied significantly between school types. The percentage of junior high school teachers who perceived "extra-curricular club activities" as their main stressor was the highest among all school types. The highest proportion of elementary school teachers perceived "dealing with difficult students" as their main stressor. Meanwhile, interpersonal conflict scores were the highest among special needs school teachers. Teachers' workload and stress levels significantly increased in the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic (2022) compared to the pre-pandemic year (2019) in all school types despite the marginally small score differences. Conclusions: This study highlighted the importance of reducing teachers' workload for their mental health regardless of school types. Meanwhile, perceived work-related stress among teachers differed significantly between school types. Given the possible prolonged impacts of the pandemic on teachers' occupational stress, teachers' stress levels must be monitored throughout and after the pandemic. The results suggest that increasing the number of schoolteachers and support staff and providing adequate organizational support are necessary to prevent teachers' sick leave due to mental disorders. In addition, taking comprehensive countermeasures against teachers' occupational stress, considering the differences in school types, is crucial for safeguarding schoolteachers' mental health.

Structural modeling of EFL/ESL teachers' physical activity, mental health, psychological well-being, and self-efficacy.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) is known to positively affect individuals' mental and physical health, especially those who experience high levels of stress, such as teachers. Previous studies have examined the relationship between teachers' PA, mental health, and well-being. Still, there is a lack of research on the direct and indirect effects of PA and self-efficacy. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the structural relationship between teachers' PA, mental health, well-being, and self-efficacy among ESL/EFL teachers. A total of 364 Chinese English language teachers were selected through convenience sampling. Mental health, physical activity, psychological well-being, and self-efficacy instruments were used. METHODOLOGY: The data was analyzed using Smart PLS software, and the hypothesized model was evaluated. The results indicated an acceptable level of divergent and convergent validity and goodness of fit. RESULTS: The findings revealed that PA directly predicts teachers' mental health and well-being, but the direct structural relationship between teachers' PA and self-efficacy was not confirmed. However, the results showed that teachers' PA contributes to their self-efficacy by enhancing their mental and psychological well-being. The total effect of teachers' PA on their self-efficacy was significant. Additionally, mental health and psychological well-being strongly influenced teachers' self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, regular weekly physical activity can help EFL/ESL teachers foster their mental health, psychological well-being, and self-efficacy. These findings have theoretical and practical significance for teachers, trainers, and educational psychologists.

Feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of a culturally informed intervention to decrease stress and promote well-being in reservation-based Native American Head Start teachers.

BACKGROUND: While benefiting from strong cultural ties to family, land and culture Native Americans residing on reservations experience psychological distress at rates 2.5 times that of the general population. Treatment utilization for psychological health in reservation-based communities is low with access to culturally appropriate care lacking. Evidence suggests that for mental health treatment, Native Americans prefer culturally informed care that respects Native perspectives on health and well-being. METHODS: To decrease stress and promote well-being in tribal Head Start teachers we adapted and implemented a culturally focused intervention within a community-based participatory research framework using mixed methods. Feasibility and acceptability of the adapted 5-session curriculum was tested in a single arm intervention study with a sample of 18 teachers on the Fort Peck Reservation. Participants completed surveys at baseline and upon completion of the intervention. Within session observations and two post-intervention focus groups (n = 8, n = 10) were conducted to elaborate and explain the quantitative results eliciting participant experience of intervention effectiveness and feasibility, acceptably and appropriateness. Implementation outcomes were assessed quantitatively using the Acceptability of Intervention, Intervention Appropriateness, and Feasibility of Intervention measures. RESULTS: Quantitively, attendance rate overall was 93% with no dropouts. Pretest/posttest surveys were analyzed using t-tests and Hedges g to measure effect size. Contrary to our hypothesis, self-perceived stress showed a small positive effect size, indicating that participants were more stressed post intervention. However, depression decreased, with tribal identity and resilience showing positive effect sizes. Content analysis for the qualitative data collected within session observations and post intervention focus groups revealed how lifetime traumas were affecting participants, providing some explanation for the increase in stress. Teachers reported that the sessions helped their psychological health and well-being, supporting feasibility of future interventions. Acceptability scored highest with a mean (SD) of 4.25 (.84) out of 5, appropriateness 4.18 (.86) and feasibility 4.06 (.96) supporting intervention to be acceptable, appropriate, and feasible. CONCLUSION: Utilizing a culturally based intervention to buffer stress and support the well-being of reservation-based teachers showed promise in helping them recognize their cultural strengths, stress, and need for ongoing support. Implementation outcomes show that intervention scale-out is feasible.

Disaster exposure and mental health among Puerto Rican teachers after Hurricane Maria.

The purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence rates of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) outcomes among teachers (N = 8,167) exposed to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. The findings indicate that the rates of likely significant symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD were 13.1%, 8.7%, and 5.4%, respectively. There were no significant disparities in psychopathological symptoms based on sex, except that female participants were more likely to exhibit anxiety symptoms than their male counterparts, odds ratio (OR) = 1.53. Key disaster-related factors, such as perceived threat, actual threat, and disruption of life were found to significantly influence all psychopathology outcomes, ORs = 1.20-3.57, whereas increased social support significantly buffered the manifestation of clinically significant psychopathology symptoms across all domains, ORs = 0.30-0.46. These outcomes, strongly linked to peritraumatic consequences, were not constrained by geographical or socioeconomic boundaries, highlighting the wide-ranging impact of the hurricane. Nevertheless, social support emerged as a significant counteracting force, reducing the likelihood of detrimental mental health symptoms. Consistent with prior studies, this study emphasizes the crucial role of social support in nurturing posttraumatic resilience and curbing the severity of posttraumatic stress outcomes, thus underscoring the need for incorporating robust social support systems within disaster response strategies.

A Lenz into the predictive power of language teacher emotion regulation and self-evaluation on L2 grit, teaching style preferences, and work engagement: a case of Chinese EFL instructors.

An individual's capacity to successfully control their emotional experiences and react to them requires them to engage in a number of processes, including those that are physiological, behavioral, and cognitive. When educators engage in self-evaluation, they investigate and assess the quality of their professional work. These two teacher-related conceptions have the potential to open up valuable perspectives in the course of the professional pursuits of teachers. Even though earlier research has shown their significance, the potential implications of these factors on the resiliency and teaching style preferences of language instructors have not been emphasized. As a result, the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a language teacher's ability to regulate their emotions while carrying out self-evaluation procedures may accurately predict their level of resilience as well as their preferred method of instruction. To accomplish this, 399 English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers were asked to reflect on their experiences by responding to the following related questionnaires: The Language Teacher Emotion Regulation Inventory (LTERI), The Core of Self-evaluation Questionnaire (CSEQ), the L2-teacher Grit Scale (L2TGS), Grasha Teaching Style Inventory (TSI) and the Engaged Teacher Scale (ETS). The results demonstrated that those EFL teachers who maintained healthy emotional control were grittier and more engaged. They also tended to teach in a manner focused on the students. The pedagogical implications of this research are discussed further in depth.

Factors influencing life satisfaction in basic education teachers / Fatores que influenciam a satisfação de vida em professores da educação básica / Factores que influyen en la satisfacción de vida en docentes de educación básica

This study explored how the following aspects may influence basic education teachers' life satisfaction: self-esteem, general self-efficacy, self-compassion, positive and negative feelings, moral competence, social support, positive relationships with a colleague, work engagement, age, professional experience (in years), time teaching in the same school, number of schools currently teaching, and approximate number of students per week. One hundred primary and high-school teachers (74 women) participated in the study (mean age 40.9; SD = 10.01). Network analysis provided a model which encompasses the six most relevant aspects that interfere in the life and work of basic education teachers: life satisfaction, self-efficacy, self-esteem, positive affects, work engagement, and giving instrumental social support. In addition, the yielded model showed that self-efficacy presented the closest relationship with life satisfaction. We discuss the results in line with previous studies on self-efficacy. Interventions directed at basic education teachers may be more effective if self-efficacy is part of the program.(AU)

Este estudo explorou como os seguintes aspectos influenciam a satisfação de vida de professores da educação básica: autoestima, autoeficácia, autocompaixão, sentimentos positivos e negativos, competência moral, suporte social, relacionamento positivo com colega, engajamento no trabalho, idade, experiência profissional, tempo de ensino na mesma escola, número de escolas e de estudantes. Cem docentes do ensino básico (74 mulheres) participaram do estudo (média de 40,9 anos de idade; DP = 10.01). A análise de rede proporcionou um modelo com os seis aspectos mais relevantes para a vida e o trabalho de professores: satisfação de vida, autoeficácia, autoestima, afetos positivos, engajamento no trabalho e dar suporte social instrumental. Além disso, o modelo mostrou que a autoeficácia apresentou a relação mais próxima com satisfação de vida. Os resultados são discutidos com base em estudos prévios sobre autoeficácia. Intervenções dedicadas a docentes da educação básica podem se beneficiar da inclusão da autoeficácia como parte da programação.(AU)

Este estudio exploró cómo los siguientes aspectos influyen en la satisfacción de vida de los profesores de educación básica: autoestima, autoeficacia, autocompasión, sentimientos positivos y negativos, competencia moral, apoyo social, relación positiva con compañeros, compromiso laboral, edad, experiencia profesional, tiempo de enseñanza en la misma escuela, número de escuelas y número de estudiantes. Cien profesores de educación básica (74 mujeres) participaron en el estudio (edad media 40,9 años; DS = 10,01). El análisis de red proporcionó un modelo con los seis aspectos más relevantes para la vida y el trabajo: satisfacción con la vida, autoeficacia, autoestima, afecto positivo, compromiso en el trabajo y proporcionar apoyo social instrumental. Además, el modelo mostró que la autoeficacia tiene la relación más cercana con la satisfacción en la vida. Los resultados son discutidos con base en estudios previos sobre la autoeficacia. Las intervenciones dirigidas a profesores de educación básica pueden beneficiarse al incluir la autoeficacia como parte del programa.(AU)