Teachers' Recognition of Children's Mental Health Problems

Authors: Loades, Maria E.; Mastroyannopoulou, Kiki

Source: Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Volume 15, Number 3, September 2010 , pp. 150-156(7)

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Abstract:

Background:

Teachers have a significant role to play in identifying children with mental health problems. However, teachers' perceptions of children's mental health problems are relatively unexplored. Method:

Primary school teachers (N = 113) completed a questionnaire, composed of vignettes describing children with symptoms of a common emotional disorder and a common behavioural disorder, following which they were asked a number of questions regarding problem recognition and help-seeking. Results:

Teachers were able to recognise the existence of a problem and rate its severity. They were significantly more concerned about a vignette of a child with symptoms of a behavioural disorder than an emotional disorder. The gender of the child was found to independently predict teachers' accurately recognising when a child had a problem. Conclusion:

Teachers are good at recognising whether a child presents with a problem. However, their problem recognition is affected by both the gender of the child and the type of symptomatology being displayed (emotional versus behavioural).

Keywords: Externalising disorder; internalising disorder; school; assessment

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-3588.2009.00551.x

Publication date: 2010-09-01