The Influence of an Interactive Online Learning Module on Pre-Service Teachers’ Mental Health Literacy

• Main Author: D'Agostino, Bianca
• Other Authors: Whitley, Jessica
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa 2019
• Subjects: mental health literacy; pre- and in- service teachers; factor analysis; education
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10393/39213; http://dx.doi.org/10.20381/ruor-23461

Ensuring that teachers have high mental health literacy (MHL) is paramount, particularly because the prevalence rate for mental illness among children and adolescents is 10-20% (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2013). Currently, there are few programs designed to increase the MHL of teachers, and the research base examining these is scant. As a result, more research is required to find effective methods of improving MHL among teachers. The current study explored the influence of a new, interactive MHL learning module on the MHL levels of B.Ed. candidates. A questionnaire largely adapted from existing measures was developed and factor analysis was conducted. Pre- and post-module MHL scores were analyzed using descriptive approaches and a repeated-measures MANOVA. Results indicate that pre-service teachers have high knowledge and non-stigmatizing beliefs in relation to MHL which did not change post- module completion; self-efficacy levels did show a small, non-significant increase.