Work pressure impacts on mental health of 51% of teachers, study finds

Seven out of 10 teachers feel they lack the training to help pupils with mental health problems – while just over half say the pressures of the job have contributed to them suffering from conditions such as depression and anxiety.

These were some of the findings of a survey carried out by the Mental Health Foundation Scotland.

A total of 51% of the teachers questioned said the job had either led to them developing a mental health problem or had made an existing condition worse.

Meanwhile, when it came to helping pupils with mental health difficulties, 71% said they lacked the skills to do this – with only 13% of teachers having received mental health first aid training.

More than nine out of 10 (92%) want to see mental health training become a key part of teacher training courses, something which the foundation is also calling for.

Figures show some courses provide student teachers with as little as 15 hours of training in health and wellbeing over the fouryear duration of their courses, it said.

However, 85% of the 418 primary and secondary teachers who were surveyed said if they were given more training in this area, it could help them better take care of their own emotional condition.

Toni Giugliano, policy manager at the Mental Health Foundation Scotland, said: “It’s remarkable that despite the growing number of children struggling to cope, mental health is still not a core part of the teacher training curriculum.

“Understanding child brain development, emotional vocabulary, self-esteem, selfcare and managing stress are not extra-curricular – they should be core to what teachers learn from day one and throughout their careers to help them perform their job.

“Our research also shows that around half of teachers have struggled with their own mental health due to the pressures of their job.

“It’s clear that investing in training will not only benefit pupils but will help teachers look after their own emotional health.”