Supporting Children's Mental Health in School Over a Decade Later: Current Teacher Perspectives

Over a decade ago, teacher perspectives of supporting student mental health in schools were assessed, including perceptions of mental health needs; their knowledge, skills, and training needs; their roles for supporting children's mental health; and barriers to supporting mental health needs in their school settings. The purpose of this study was to again assess teacher perceptions on these same topics to determine the current landscape for supporting student mental health. Findings from a sample of 420 teachers indicate that the majority of teachers agree that schools should be involved in supporting the mental health of students. Most teachers also felt that they should be involved in implementing classroom interventions and social-emotional learning curriculum. Teachers continue to report that they do not have the knowledge to meet the mental health needs of students, in particular students from diverse backgrounds. The top areas for professional development were identifying mental health issues, classroom behavior management, and culturally responsive practices. The most identified mental health issue in schools was disruptive behavior problems. Finally, the vast majority of teachers now recognize the term evidence-based interventions/practices as compared to the prior study, but teachers note the same barriers to implementing mental health supports as over a decade ago. Implications for practice are discussed.