Top

BMC Psychiatry

Published in:

Open Access 01-12-2021 | Schizophrenia | Research

A survey of mental health literacy in Japanese high school teachers

Authors: Satoshi Yamaguchi, Jerome Clifford Foo, Yuko Kitagawa, Fumiharu Togo, Tsukasa Sasaki

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Background

School teachers are well-positioned to recognize mental health problems in their students and to help them seek appropriate help. Therefore, teachers need to have high levels of mental health literacy (MHL). In East Asia, however, few studies have examined MHL levels in teachers. In this study, MHL levels were investigated in Japanese teachers.

Methods

Teachers (n = 665) from 27 Japanese high schools answered a self-administered questionnaire which assessed (a) knowledge about mental health/illnesses, (b) correct recognition of specific illnesses (depression, schizophrenia and panic disorder), (c) confidence in helping students with depressive symptoms, and (d) confidence in teaching mental health knowledge to students.

Results

The average proportion of correct answers to the knowledge questions (n = 20) was 58.1%. The proportion of those who correctly answered about the presence of a sharp increase of mental illnesses in adolescence was 51.7%. Few teachers correctly answered about the life-time prevalences of major mental illness in general (21.9%), depression (37.8%) and schizophrenia (19.8%). Depression, schizophrenia and panic disorder in vignette were correctly recognized by 54.1, 35.3 and 78.0% of teachers, respectively. Correct recognition was significantly lower in male than in female teachers. Only a small proportion of teachers had confidence in helping depressed students (19.9%) and in teaching mental health knowledge to students (11.1%).

Conclusions

MHL in Japanese high school teachers appears to be low. Education programs should be developed and implemented to improve teacher MHL with the aim of helping them to support students suffering from mental health problems.

Available only for authorised users

Kessler RC, Angermeyer M, Anthony JC, de Graaf R, Demyttenaere K, Gasquet I, et al. Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of mental disorders in the World Health Organization’s World Mental Health Survey Initiative. World Psychiatry. 2007;6(3):168–76.PubMedPubMedCentral

Kessler RC, Berglund P, Demler O, Jin R, Merikangas KR, Walters EE. Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005;62(6):593–602. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.593.CrossRefPubMed

Jorm AF. Mental health literacy: empowering the community to take action for better mental health. Am Psychol. 2012;67(3):231–43. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025957.CrossRefPubMed

Rickwood DJ, Deane FP, Wilson CJ. When and how do young people seek professional help for mental health problems? Med J Aust. 2007;187(S7):S35–9. https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.2007.tb01334.x.CrossRefPubMed

Johnson C, Eva AL, Johnson L, Walker B. Don’t turn away: empowering teachers to support students’ mental health. Clearing House. 2011;84(1):9–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.2010.484441.CrossRef

Rossetto A, Jorm AF, Reavley NJ. Examining predictors of help giving toward people with a mental illness: results from a national survey of Australian adults. SAGE Open. 2014;4(2):215824401453750. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244014537502.CrossRef

Jorm AF, Blewitt KA, Griffiths KM, Kitchener BA, Parslow RA. Mental health first aid responses of the public: results from an Australian national survey. BMC Psychiatry. 2005;5(1):9. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-5-9.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Rossetto A, Jorm AF, Reavley NJ. Predictors of adults’ helping intentions and behaviours towards a person with a mental illness: a six-month follow-up study. Psychiatry Res. 2016;240:170–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.037.CrossRefPubMed

Jorm AF, Korten AE, Jacomb PA, Christensen H, Rodgers B, Pollitt P. “Mental health literacy”: a survey of the public's ability to recognise mental disorders and their beliefs about the effectiveness of treatment. Med J Aust. 1997;166(4):182–6. https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.1997.tb140071.x.CrossRefPubMed

10.

Milin R, Kutcher S, Lewis SP, Walker S, Wei Y, Ferrill N, et al. Impact of a mental health curriculum on knowledge and stigma among high school students: a randomized controlled trial. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016;55(5):383–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2016.02.018.CrossRefPubMed

11.

Naylor PB, Cowie HA, Walters SJ, Talamelli L, Dawkins J. Impact of a mental health teaching programme on adolescents. Br J Psychiatry. 2009;194(4):365–70. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.108.053058.CrossRefPubMed

12.

Perry Y, Petrie K, Buckley H, Cavanagh L, Clarke D, Winslade M, et al. Effects of a classroom-based educational resource on adolescent mental health literacy: a cluster randomized controlled trial. J Adolesc. 2014;37(7):1143–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2014.08.001.CrossRefPubMed

13.

Ravindran AV, Herrera A, da Silva TL, Henderson J, Castrillo ME, Kutcher S. Evaluating the benefits of a youth mental health curriculum for students in Nicaragua: a parallel-group, controlled pilot investigation. Glob Ment Health. 2018;5:e4. https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2017.27.CrossRef

14.

Swartz K, Musci RJ, Beaudry MB, Heley K, Miller L, Alfes C, et al. School-based curriculum to improve depression literacy among US secondary school students: a randomized effectiveness trial. Am J Public Health. 2017;107(12):1970–6. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2017.304088.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

15.

Ojio Y, Foo JC, Usami S, Fuyama T, Ashikawa M, Ohnuma K, et al. Effects of a school teacher-led 45-minute educational program for mental health literacy in pre-teens. Early Interv Psychiatry. 2019;13(4):984–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.12746.CrossRefPubMed

16.

Ojio Y, Yonehara H, Taneichi S, Yamasaki S, Ando S, Togo F, et al. Effects of school-based mental health literacy education for secondary school students to be delivered by school teachers: a preliminary study. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2015;69(9):572–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/pcn.12320.CrossRefPubMed

17.

Yamaguchi S, Ojio Y, Foo JC, Michigami E, Usami S, Fuyama T, et al. A quasi-cluster randomized controlled trial of a classroom-based mental health literacy educational intervention to promote knowledge and help-seeking/helping behavior in adolescents. J Adolesc. 2020;82:58–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2020.05.002.CrossRefPubMed

18.

Kutcher S, Sasaki T, Wei Y. Mental health literacy and schools: effectively applying a similar model to help build good youth mental health outcomes in Japan and Canada. Jpn J Sch Health. 2018;60:141–6.

19.

Masillo A, Monducci E, Pucci D, Telesforo L, Battaglia C, Carlotto A, et al. Evaluation of secondary school teachers’ knowledge about psychosis: a contribution to early detection. Early Interv Psychiatry. 2012;6(1):76–82. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-7893.2011.00298.x.CrossRefPubMed

20.

Monducci E, Battaglia C, Forte A, Masillo A, Telesforo L, Carlotto A, et al. Secondary school teachers and mental health competence: Italy-United Kingdom comparison. Early Interv Psychiatry. 2018;12(3):456–63. https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.12345.CrossRefPubMed

21.

Collins A, Holmshaw J. Early detection: a survey of secondary school teachers’ knowledge about psychosis. Early Interv Psychiatry. 2008;2(2):90–7. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-7893.2008.00063.x.CrossRefPubMed

22.

Langeveld J, Joa I, Larsen TK, Rennan JA, Cosmovici E, Johannessen JO. Teachers’ awareness for psychotic symptoms in secondary school: the effects of an early detection programme and information campaign. Early Interv Psychiatry. 2011;5(2):115–21. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-7893.2010.00248.x.CrossRefPubMed

23.

Herbert JD, Crittenden K, Dalrymple KL. Knowledge of social anxiety disorder relative to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among educational professionals. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2004;33(2):366–72. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15374424jccp3302_18.CrossRefPubMed

24.

Reinke WM, Stormont M, Herman KC, Puri R, Goel N. Supporting children’s mental health in schools: teacher perceptions of needs, roles, and barriers. Sch Psychol Q. 2011;26(1):1–13. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022714.CrossRef

25.

Walter HJ, Gouze K, Lim KG. Teachers’ beliefs about mental health needs in inner city elementary schools. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006;45(1):61–8. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.chi.0000187243.17824.6c.CrossRefPubMed

26.

Kerebih H, Abrha H, Frank R, Abera M. Perception of primary school teachers to school children's mental health problems in Southwest Ethiopia. Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2018;30(1):20160089.

27.

Aghukwa NC. Secondary school teachers’ attitude to mental illness in Ogun State, Nigeria. Afr J Psychiatry. 2009;12(1):59–63. https://doi.org/10.4314/ajpsy.v12i1.30280.CrossRef

28.

Aluh DO, Dim OF, Anene-Okeke CG. Mental health literacy among Nigerian teachers. Asia Pac Psychiatry. 2018;10(4):e12329. https://doi.org/10.1111/appy.12329.CrossRefPubMed

29.

Bella T, Omigbodun O, Atilola O. Towards school mental health in Nigeria: baseline knowledge and attitudes of elementary school teachers. Adv School Ment Health Promot. 2011;4(3):55–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/1754730X.2011.9715636.CrossRef

30.

Kurumatani T, Ukawa K, Kawaguchi Y, Miyata S, Suzuki M, Ide H, et al. Teachers’ knowledge, beliefs and attitudes concerning schizophrenia: a cross-cultural approach in Japan and Taiwan. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2004;39(5):402–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-004-0758-0.CrossRefPubMed

31.

Marginson S. Higher education in East Asia and Singapore: rise of the Confucian model. High Educ. 2010;61(5):587–611. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-010-9384-9.CrossRef

32.

Cheng K-m. Advancing 21st century competencies in East Asian education systems. Center for Global Education Asia Society. 2017. https://asiasociety.org/files/21st-century-competencies-east-asian-education-systems.pdf. Accessed 3 Dec 2020.

33.

Lee S-y, Jun Sung H, Espelage DL. An ecological understanding of youth suicide in South Korea. Sch Psychol Int. 2010;31:531–46.CrossRef

34.

Zhao X, Selman RL, Haste H, Cheng M. Academic stress in Chinese schools and a proposed preventive intervention program. Cogent Educ. 2015;2(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2014.1000477.

35.

Bossy S. Academic pressure and impact on Japanese students. McGill J Educ. 2000;35:71–89.

36.

Chen TY, Chou YC, Tzeng NS, Chang HA, Kuo SC, Pan PY, et al. Effects of a selective educational system on fatigue, sleep problems, daytime sleepiness, and depression among senior high school adolescents in Taiwan. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2015;11:741–50. https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S77179.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

37.

Wong L, Chan CW. Promotion of adolescent mental health in Hong Kong—the role of a comprehensive child health policy. J Adolesc Health. 2019;64(6):S14–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.01.033.CrossRefPubMed

38.

Matricciani L, Blunden S, Rigney G, Williams MT, Olds TS. Children's sleep needs: is there sufficient evidence to recommend optimal sleep for children? Sleep. 2013;36(4):527–34. https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.2538.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

39.

Lee FS, Heimer H, Giedd JN, Lein ES, Sestan N, Weinberger DR, et al. Adolescent mental health—opportunity and obligation. Science. 2014;346(6209):547–9. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1260497.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

40.

Ando S, Yamasaki S, Shimodera S, Sasaki T, Oshima N, Furukawa TA, et al. A greater number of somatic pain sites is associated with poor mental health in adolescents: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry. 2013;13(1):30. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-13-30.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

41.

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 5th ed. Washington: American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2013. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.CrossRef

42.

Yap MB, Mackinnon A, Reavley N, Jorm AF. The measurement properties of stigmatizing attitudes towards mental disorders: results from two community surveys. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res. 2014;23(1):49–61. https://doi.org/10.1002/mpr.1433.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

43.

Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, Alessi C, Bruni O, DonCarlos L, et al. National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40–3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010.CrossRefPubMed

44.

Ojio Y, Nishida A, Shimodera S, Togo F, Sasaki T. Sleep duration associated with the lowest risk of depression/anxiety in adolescents. Sleep. 2016;39(8):1555–62. https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.6020.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

45.

Sartorius N, Chiu H, Heok KE, Lee MS, Ouyang WC, Sato M, et al. Name change for schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull. 2014;40(2):255–8. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbt231.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

46.

Wakuda T, Takei N. ‘Opening doors’ for long-term institutionalised patients with schizophrenia in Japan. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2021;143(3):277–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13269.CrossRefPubMed

47.

Deen TL, Bridges AJ. Depression literacy: rates and relation to perceived need and mental health service utilization in a rural American sample. Rural Remote Health. 2011;11:1803.PubMed

48.

Ghadirian L, Sayarifard A. Depression literacy in urban and suburban residents of Tehran, the capital of Iran; recognition, help seeking and stigmatizing attitude and the predicting factors. Int J Prev Med. 2019;10(1):134. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_166_18.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

49.

Gibbons RJ, Thorsteinsson EB, Loi NM. Beliefs and attitudes towards mental illness: an examination of the sex differences in mental health literacy in a community sample. PeerJ. 2015;3:e1004. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1004.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

50.

Robles-García R, Fresán A, Berlanga C, Martínez N. Mental illness recognition and beliefs about adequate treatment of a patient with schizophrenia: association with gender and perception of aggressiveness-dangerousness in a community sample of Mexico City. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2013;59(8):811–8. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764012461202.CrossRefPubMed

51.

Swami V. Mental health literacy of depression: gender differences and attitudinal antecedents in a representative British sample. PLoS One. 2012;7(11):e49779. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0049779.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

52.

Kaneko Y, Motohashi Y. Male gender and low education with poor mental health literacy: a population-based study. J Epidemiol. 2007;17(4):114–9. https://doi.org/10.2188/jea.17.114.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

53.

Wang J, Adair C, Fick G, Lai D, Evans B, Perry BW, et al. Depression literacy in Alberta: findings from a general population sample. Can J Psychiatr. 2007;52(7):442–9. https://doi.org/10.1177/070674370705200706.CrossRef

54.

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan). List of subjects of teacher education courses before and after the revision of the Education Personnel Certification Act and the enforcement regulations for the law. 2019. https://www.mext.go.jp/component/a_menu/education/detail/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2019/08/09/1415122_2_1.pdf. Accessed 3 Dec 2020.

55.

Yamaguchi S, Foo JC, Nishida A, Ogawa S, Togo F, Sasaki T. Mental health literacy programs for school teachers: a systematic review and narrative synthesis. Early Interv Psychiatry. 2020;14(1):14–25. https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.12793.CrossRefPubMed

56.

OECD (Orgnization for Economic Co-operation and Development). TALIS - The OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey 2018 Results (Volume ӀӀ): Teachers and School Leaders as Valued Professionals (Table ӀӀ.2.51). 2018. https://www.oecd.org/education/talis-2018-results-volume-ii-19cf08df-en.htm Accessed 3 May 2021.

57.

China Education Examination Network. Qualification examination standards for teachers in primary school, secondary school, and kindergarten (trial implementation). 2011. http://ntce.neea.edu.cn/html1/report/1508/332-1.htm. Accessed 3 Dec 2020.

58.

Laws and Regulations Retrieving System of Ministry of Education (Taiwan). The main points of the qualification examination for teachers of senior and middle school, and below. 1999. https://edu.law.moe.gov.tw/LawContent.aspx?id=GL000454. Accessed 3 Dec 2020.

59.

Education Bureau of The Government of the Hong kong Special Administrative Region. Teacher Registratino. 2020. https://www.edb.gov.hk/en/teacher/qualification-training-development/qualification/teacher-registration/index.html. Accessed 3 Dec 2020.

Title: A survey of mental health literacy in Japanese high school teachers
Authors: Satoshi Yamaguchi
Jerome Clifford Foo
Yuko Kitagawa
Fumiharu Togo
Tsukasa Sasaki
Publication date: 01-12-2021
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Schizophrenia
Mood Disorders
Panic Disorder
Affective Disorder
Published in: BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03481-y

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

A survey of mental health literacy in Japanese high school teachers

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2021

Mental disorder and PTSD in Syria during wartime: a nationwide crisis

Case report: delayed response after electroconvulsive therapy in a patient with major depressive disorder

A qualitative study of experiences of NHS mental healthcare workers during the Covid-19 pandemic

Patient and physician perspectives of a smartphone application for depression: a qualitative study

COVID-19 pandemic related long-term chronic stress on the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the general population

Functioning assessment short test (FAST): validity and reliability in adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder