A manual-based group program to improve mental health: what kind of teachers are interested and who stands to benefit from this program?

Teacher Self-Efficacy and Mental Health-Their Intricate Relation to Professional Resources and Attitudes in an Established Manual-Based Psychological Group Program

Introduction: Teaching is considered a mentally challenging occupation. Teacher self-efficacy is a personal resource which buffers the experience of stress and may be important in maintaining mental health. The preventive intervention "Manual-Based Psychological Group Program for Teachers" (MBPGPT) was applied and evaluated state-wide to improve the mental health of teachers. This study aims to investigate the intricate relation between teacher self-efficacy and mental health and their changes in the course of the intervention. Method: Using a single-group pre-/post-design, the relation between teacher self-efficacy and mental health was investigated in 742 teachers. Pre- and post-changes in teacher self-efficacy and their interaction with mental health were examined in a subsample of 171 teachers, who met the conservative inclusion criteria. In ancillary analyses, correlations with underlying changes in work-related behavior and experience patterns were analyzed to better understand the intricate link between teacher self-efficacy and mental health. Results: Teacher self-efficacy showed a significant, moderate correlation with mental health. Self-efficacy was moderately higher after the intervention than before the intervention, but independent of changes in mental health. Teacher self-efficacy was related to work-related psychological resistance and positive emotions. An increase in teacher self-efficacy was accompanied by an improvement in life satisfaction and distancing ability. A decrease in teacher self-efficacy went hand in hand with reduced experience of social support. Discussion: This study confirmed teacher self-efficacy as an important, reliable resource and its correlation with psychological resistance. The absence of a control group limits what causal conclusions can be drawn from the study. Nevertheless, self-efficacy seems to be a worthwhile goal of preventive interventions for teachers and should be promoted due to its wide-ranging implications. Suggestions for further studies and interventions are made.

Long-Term Effectiveness of a Stress Management Intervention at Work: A 9-Year Follow-Up Study Based on a Randomized Wait-List Controlled Trial in Male Managers

Objective

Short- and medium-term effectiveness (up to 3 years) of individual level stress management interventions (SMI) at work were demonstrated, yet long-term effectiveness remains unexplored. We therefore aimed to address this research gap.

Methods

94 male middle managers participated in a randomized wait-list controlled trial between 2006 and 2008 and in a post-trial-follow-up survey in 2015. During the first two years, all received an 18-hour psychotherapeutic SMI intervention which was based on the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) model: tackling stressor on mismatch between effort and reward and promoting recovery on overcommitment. Work stress (i.e., ERI indicators) was the primary outcome, and the secondary outcome was depressive symptoms. The long-term effectiveness of the SMI was examined by mixed modeling, using an external control group (n = 94).

Results

Effort and reward were substantially improved with significant intervention ⁎ time interaction effects (p < 0.001) compared to the external control group; effects on overcommitment and depressive symptoms were also significant (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, resp.), though their trajectories in the intervention group were less sustainable.

Conclusions

The effectiveness of this psychotherapeutic SMI at work based on the ERI model was observed over a 9-year period, particularly on the effort-reward ratio.

Positive Mental Health and Prevalence of Psychological Ill-Being in University Nursing Professors in Catalonia, Spain

The aim of the current study was to examine the prevalence of psychological ill-being among university nursing professors in Spain and determine their grade of positive mental health. A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2013 to December 2013 with a sample of 263 university nursing professors. Sociodemographic and occupational variables, as well as variables related to daily habits and lifestyle, were collected. Psychological ill-being was measured using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and positive mental health was evaluated with the Positive Mental Health Questionnaire (PMHQ). Prevalence of psychological ill-being (GHQ-12 score >2) among the sample was 27% (range = 21.8% to 32.6%), with a higher prevalence in teachers from first and second cycles (Bachelor's degree and Master's degree, respectively) and a lower prevalence in those having very satisfactory social relationships. Significant differences were found in relation to consumption of tranquilizer drugs and Bach flower remedies. PMHQ scores were lower among teachers with a GHQ-12 score >2. Participants presented a good level of positive mental health. Preventive policies should be applied with the aim of reducing psychological ill-being among professors and potentiating positive mental health. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 55(7), 38-48.].