Prospective teachers' mental health and their help-seeking behaviours

Amaç: Öğretmenlik mesleğinin stresli olması ve eğitim sürecinde öğretmenlerin ruh sağlığının öğrenciler üzerindeki etkilerinin bilinmesine rağmen öğretmen adaylarının, eğitim ve seçiminde ruh sağlığı ihmal edilmektedir. Halbuki öğretmen adaylarının yetişme sürecinde ruh sağlığı ve yardım arama davranışlarına ilişkin bilgiler, ruhsal sağlıklarını arttırmaya hizmet edebilir. Bu nedenle bu çalışmada, öğretmen adaylarının ruhsal durumlarının belirlenmesi ve ruhsal sorunlarını aşmada yararlı olabilecek yardım arama davranışlarının ortaya konulması amaçlanmıştır. Yöntem: Çalışmanın örneklemini Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesinde öğrenim gören 501 (%69.2)'i kadın, 223 (%30.8)'ü erkek olmak üzere toplam 724 öğretmen adayı oluşturmaktadır. Çalışmada verileri toplamak amacıyla Kısa Semptom Envanteri (KSE) ve araştırmacılar tarafından hazırlanan Kişisel Bilgi Formu kullanılmıştır.Bulgular: Çalışma sonucunda, öğretmen adaylarının %40.6'sının rahatsızlık ciddiyeti yüksek bulunmuştur. En sık yaşanan ruhsal belirtiler ise depresyon ve hostilite olarak belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca öğretmen adaylarının daha çok informel kaynaklara başvurduğu, %39.2'sinin ise yardım aramadığı bulunmuştur. Ruhsal belirtiler açısından informel kaynak olarak anne ve özellikle de baba ve kardeşten yardım arama ve formel kaynak olarak psikolog ve psikiyatristten yardım arama ruh sağlığı ile ilişkili bulunmuştur. Yardım aramada engelleyici faktörler olarak ileri sürülen anlaşılmama, yardımcı olunacağına inanmama kaygıları ve başkaları tarafından yargılanma korkuları, yardım almaktan çekinme ve nereye başvurulacağını bilememe ruhsal belirtilerle ile ilişkili bulunmuştur. Sonuç: Çalışma sonuçlarına göre, öğretmen adaylarının ruh sağlığının dikkate alınması, formel kaynakların desteklenmesi, informel kaynak olarak baba ve kardeş desteğine önem verilmesi ve yardım aramaya yönelik engellerin giderilmesinin gereği ortaya çıkmıştır. Koruyucu ruh sağlığı hizmetleri kapsamında öğretmen adaylarının ruhsal sağlıklarını arttırmaya yönelik psikolojik yardım hizmetlerinin geliştirmesinin yararlı olabileceği düşünülmüştür

Öğretmen adaylarının ruh sağlığı ve yardım arama davranışları

Objective: Although the teaching profession is stressful and despite the known impact of teachers' mental health on students during teaching, prospective teachers' mental health is neglected in training and selection. However, knowledge about teacher candidates' mental health during their training process and about their help-seeking behavior can contribute to improving their mental health. Therefore, this study aims at determining the mental state of teacher candidates and elucidating help-seeking behaviors that may be useful for overcoming mental problems.Method: Our sample consisted of 724 prospective teachers studying at the Faculty of Education of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University in Canakkale; 501 (69.2%) were women, 223 (30.8%) were men. Data were collected using the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and a Sociodemographic Data Form prepared by the researchers. Results: At the end of the study, in 40.6% of the prospective teachers a high severity of distress was detected. The most commonly determined mental symptoms were depression and hostility. The teaching candidates had mostly referred to informal sources, but 39.2% had not sought any help. For mental symptoms, they had mostly sought help informally from their mother or father and siblings, and formally from psychologists or psychiatrists. As factors inhibiting help-seeking, assumed inability of understanding, lack of faith in the possibility of help, and fear of being judged by peers, hesitation to accept help and lack of knowledge about where to look were related to mental symptoms.Conclusions: The study shows the necessity to pay attention to prospective teachers' mental health, promote formal sources, emphasize the role of informal sources like father and siblings, and overcome obstacles in the way of seeking help. It appears that, in the context of prophylactic mental health services, the development of psychological support may be useful in order to increase prospective teachers' mental health

PDF

___

Zimmermann L, Unterbrink T, Pfeifer R, Wirsching M, Rose U, Stößel U, Nübling M, Buhl-Grießhaber V, Frommhold M, Schaarschmidt U, Bauer J. Mental health and patterns of work-related coping behaviour in a German sample of student teachers: a cross-sectional study. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2012; 85:865-876. [CrossRef]
Girgin G, Baysal A. A Occupational burnout level in teachers of mentally handicapped students and some variables (Izmir example). Pamukkale University Journal of Education 2005; 18:1- 10. (Turkish)
Yager Z. Developing wellbeing in first year pre-service teachers: a trial of a personal approach to professional education. Journal of Student Wellbeing 2009; 3:52-72.
Ripski JB, LoCasale-Crouch J, Decker L. Pre-service teachers: Dispositional traits, emotional states, and quality of teacher student interactions. Teacher Education Quarterly 2011; 38:77- 93.
Travers CJ, Cooper CL. Mental health, job satisfaction and occupational stress among UK teachers. Work Stress 1993; 7:203-219. [CrossRef]
Ballou GW. A discussion of the mental health of public school teachers. International Journal of Business Humanities and Techonology 2012; 2:184-191.
Davari S, Bagheri M. Mental health status and demographic factors associated with it in teachers. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 2012; 12:340-346.
Mehdinezhad V. Relationship between high school teachers' wellbeing and teachers' efficacy. Acta Scientiarum Education 2012; 34:233-241. [CrossRef]
Kessler RC, Wang PS. The descriptive epidemiology of commonly occurring mental disorders in the United States. Annu Rev Public Health 2008; 29:115-129. [CrossRef]
Hunt J, Eisenberg D. Mental health problems and help-seeking behavior among college students. J Adolescent Health 2010; 46:3-10. [CrossRef]
Aylaz R, Kaya B, Dere N, Karaca Z, Bal Y. Depressive symptom frequency among health high school students and the associated factors. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 2007; 8:46-51. (Turkish)
Ceyhun AG, Ceyhun B. The use of suicide probability scale in high school and university students in Turkey. Clinical Psychiatry 2003; 6:217-224. (Turkish)
Izgic F, Akyuz G, Dogan O, Kugu N. The prevalence of social phobia in university student population. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 2000; 1:207-214. (Turkish)
Galagher RP. National survey of counseling center directors. Alexandria, VA: International Association of Counseling Service 2008, 4-9.
Erdur-Baker O, Aberson CL, Barrow JC, Draper MR. Nature and severity of college students' psychological concerns: A comparison of clinical and nonclinical national samples. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 2006; 37:317- 323. [CrossRef]
Galagher RP. National survey of counseling center directors. Alexandria, VA: International Association of Counseling Service 2011, 4-9.
Zivin K, Eisenberg D, Gollust SE, Golberstein E. Persistence of mental health problems and needs in a college student population. J Affect Disord 2009; 117:180-185. [CrossRef]
Eisenberg D, Golberstein E, Gollust SE. Help-seeking and access to mental health care in a university student population. Med Care 2007; 45:594-601. [CrossRef]
Eisenberg D, Downs MF, Golberstein E, Zivin K. Stigma and help seeking for mental health among college students. Med Care Res Rev 2009; 66:522-541. [CrossRef]
Rughani J. Adolescents' help-seeking for mental health problems: Development and evaluation of a school-based intervention. Doctor of Psychology (Clinical) thesis, School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Australia, 2011.
Rickwood D, Deane FP, Wilson CJ, Ciarrochi J. Young people's help seeking for mental health problems. Aust e-J Advancement Mental Health 2005; 4:1-34. [CrossRef]
Wilson CJ, Deane FP, Ciarrochi J. Measuring help-seeking intentions: Properties of the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire. Couns Psychol Q 2005; 39:15-28.
Rickwood D, Thomas K. Conceptual measurement framework for help-seeking for mental health problems. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2012; 5:173-183. [CrossRef]
Wilson CJ, Deane FP, Ciarrochi JV, Rickwood D. Adolescent barriers to seeking professional psychololgical help for personal- emotional and suicidal problems. Suicide Prevention Australia 9th Annual Conference, Proceeding Book, 2002, 1-8.
Rickwood DJ, Braithwaite VA. Social-psychological factors affecting help-seeking for emotional problems. Soc Sci Med 1994; 39:563-572. [CrossRef]
Houle J, Chagnon F, Lafortune D, Labelle R, Belleville-Paquette K. Correlates of help-seeking behaviour in adolescents experiencing a recent negative life event. Canadian Journal of Family and Youth 2013; 5:39-63.
Arslantas H, Dereboy IF, Asti N, Pektekin C. Factors influencing adults' psychological help-seeking attitudes. Meandros Medical Journal 2011; 12:17-23. (Turkish)
D'Avanzo B, Barbato A, Erzegovesi S, Lampertico L, Rapisarda F, Valsecchi L. Formal and informal help-seeking for mental health problems. A survey of preferences of Italian students. Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health 2012; 8:47-51. [CrossRef]
Cebi E. University students' attitudes toward seeking psychological help: effects of perceived social support, psychological distress, prior help-seeking experience and gender. Unpublished Master Thesis, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, 2009.
Wilson CJ, Bushnell JA, Caputi P. Early access and help seeking: Practice implications and new initiatives. Early Interv Psychiatry 2011; 5(Suppl.1):S34-S39. [CrossRef]
Wilson CJ. General psychological distress symptoms and help- avoidance in young Australians. Advances in Mental Health 2010; 9:63-72. [CrossRef]
Ciarrochi J, Wilson CJ, Deane FP, Rickwood D. Do difficulties with emotions inhibit help-seeking in adolescence? The role of age and emotional competence in predicting help-seeking intentions. Couns Psychol Q 2003; 16:103-120. [CrossRef]
Mundia L. The status of a trainee teacher with mental-health problems: Dilemmas on inclusion and exclusion in higher education. Global Journal of Health Science 2010; 2:172-183.
Sahin NH, Durak A. Brief symptom inventory: Adaptation for Turkish youth. Turkish Journal of Psychology 1994; 9:44-56. (Turkish)
Derogatis LR, Melisaratos N. The Brief Symptom Inventory: an introductory report. Psychol Med 1983; 13:595-605. [CrossRef]
Sahin NH, Durak-Batigun A, Ugurtas S. The validity, reliability and factor structure of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Turk Psikiyatri Derg 2002; 13:125-135. (Turkish)
Aydemir O, Koroglu E. Clinical scales used in Psychiatry. Ankara: Physicians Publication Association, 2000, 33-41. (Turkish)
Cuhadaroglu F. Psychiatric Symptom Distribution in University Students. Scientific Studies of XXII National Congress of Psychiatric and Neurological Sciences, Izmir: Ege University Press, 1986, 35-39. (Turkish)
Azizoglu S. A comparison of crisis intervention center applicants and non-applicants in terms of the variables that affect psychological help-seeking behaviour. Journal of Crisis 1993; 1:143-149. (Turkish)
Holi M. Assessment of Psychiatric Symptoms Using the SCL-90. Academic Dissertation, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 2003.
Simsek-Bekir H, Sahin H, Sanli HS. Study of the level of burnout of the students studying in faculty of education according to some variables. NWSA-Vocational Education 2012; 7:18-32. (Turkish)
Cavusoglu I. An analysis of the burnout level of primary school teaching department student teachers. Master's Thesis, Cukurova University Institude of Social Sciences, Adana, 2009. (Turkish)
Ani C, Kinanee J, Ola B. Psychological distress among trainee teachers in Nigeria: Association with religious practice. European Journal of Educational Studies 2011; 3:163-172.
Koc M, Polat U. The mental health of university students. International Journal of Human Sciences 2006; 3:1-22. (Turkish)
Hysenbegasi A, Hass SL, Rowland CR. The impact of depression on the academic productivity of university students. J Ment Health Policy Econ 2005; 8:145-151.
Christie KA, Burke JDJ, Regier DA, Rae DS, Boyd JH, Locke BZ. Epidemiologic evidence for early onset of mental disorders and higher risk of drug-abuse in young-adults. Am J Psychiatry 1988; 145: 971- 975. [CrossRef]
Andrade L, Walters EE, Gentil V, Laurenti R. Prevalence of ICD- 10 mental disorders in a catchment area in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2002; 37:316-325. [CrossRef]
Gulliver A, Griffiths KM, Christensen H. Perceived barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking in young people: A systematic review. BMC Psychiatry 2010; 10:113. [CrossRef]
Addis ME, Mahalik JR. Men, masculinity, and the contexts of help seeking. Am Psychol 2003; 58:5-14. [CrossRef]
Kizildag S, Demirtas-Zorbaz S, Genctanirim D, Arici F. Hacettepe University students' perceptions of getting psychological counseling help and the units which provide the help. Mersin University Journal of the Faculty of Education 2012; 8:185-196. (Turkish)
Raviv A, Sills R, Raviv A, Wilansky P. Adolescents' help-seeking behaviour: the difference between self- and other-referral. J Adolesc 2000; 23:721-740. [CrossRef]
Schonert-Reichl KA, Muller JR. Correlates of help-seeking in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence 1996; 25:705- 731. [CrossRef]
Erkan S, Cihangir-Cankaya Z, Terzi S, Ozbay Y. An assessment of university counseling and guidance centers. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Universitesi Egitim Fakultesi Dergisi 2011; 22:174-198. (Turkish)
Ozbay Y, Terzi S, Erkan S, Cihangir-Cankaya Z. A primary investigation of professional help-seeking attitudes, self- concealment and gender roles of university students. Pegem Journal of Education 2011; 1:59-71. (Turkish)
Nam SK, Chu HJ, Lee MK, Lee JH, Kim N, Lee SM. A meta- analysis of gender differences in attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help. J Am Coll Health 2010; 59:110- 116. [CrossRef]
Deane FP, Wilson CJ, Ciarrochi J, Rickwood D. Mental health help seeking in young people. (Report for the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, Grant, YS060). Wollongong, NSW: University of Wollongong Illawarra Institute for Mental Health, 2002.
Andrews G, Issakidis C, Carter G. Shortfall in mental health service utilisation. Br J Psychiatry 2001; 179:417-425. [CrossRef]
Akhun A, Onsoy R, Ozguven E, Fidan N, Baykul Y. Anticipation and problems of students sheltered in dormitories of Higher Education Credit and Dormitories Institution. Ankara: General Directorate of Credit and Dormitories Institution, 1988. (Turkish)
Komiya N, Good GE, Sherrod NB. Emotional openness as a predictor of college students' attitudes toward seeking psychological help. J Couns Psychol 2000; 47:138-143.
Tucker CJ, Updegraff K.The relative contributions of parents and siblings to child and adolescent development. New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2009; 126:13-28. [CrossRef]
Branje SJ, van Lieshout CF, van Aken MA, Haselager GJ. Perceived support in sibling relationships and adolescent adjustment. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2004; 45:1385-1396. [CrossRef]
Bauer J, Stamm A, Virnich K, Wissing K, Müller U, Wirsching M, Schaarschmidt U. Correlation between burnout syndrome and psychological and psychosomatic symptoms among teachers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2006; 79:199-204. [CrossRef]
Zhang J, Lu A. Review of teachers' mental health research in China since 1994. Front Frontiers of Education in China 2008; 3:623-638. [CrossRef]
Sar AH, Isiklar A, Aydogan I. The examination of variables that predict life satisfaction of teacher candidates waiting for assignment. Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Journal of Education Faculty 2012; 23:257-271. (Turkish)
Tosevski DL, Milovancevic MP, Gajic SD. Personality and psychopathology of university students. Curr Opin Psychiatry 2010; 23:48-52. [CrossRef]
Cicchetti D, Rogosch FA. A developmental psychopathology perspective on adolescence. J Consult Clin Psychol 2002; 70:6- 20. [CrossRef]
Hendren R, Weisen RB, Orley J. Mental Health Programmes in Schools. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1994.
Royal College of Psychiatrists. The mental health of students in higher education (Council Report CR166). Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, 2011.
Kitzrow MA. The mental health needs of today's college students: Challenges and recommendations. NASPA Journal 2003; 41:167-181. [CrossRef]