PHSW01 - A systematic review of internet-based interventions for supporting teachers’ mental health and wellbeing

Overview

The teaching profession is a rewarding yet intensive occupation, with teachers being at increased risk of mental health disorders. Poor mental health does not only affect the wellbeing of teachers but can also have ramifications on the health and wellbeing of students with whom teachers interact (Harding et al., 2019). Although there is a large body of research that focuses on student mental health and wellbeing, less attention has been given to understanding mental health interventions targeting teachers. Furthermore, despite the global transition to online and hybrid education and the increasing use of new digital media platforms, less knowledge is available on internet-based interventions targeting mental health and wellbeing. The aim of this study is to review research and offer collective insights into the effectiveness of internet-based interventions focusing on the mental health and wellbeing of primary/secondary education teachers. The results of the review will allow us to understand which interventions and in what context help teachers maintain and improve their mental health and wellbeing. This research project has the potential to inform the review of existing policies/interventions, including employer responsibilities and management guidelines.

Research activities

You will work with Dr Adem Sav and meet regularly to design the literature search strategy, including identifying suitable keywords and developing inclusion and exclusion criterion. You will then conduct a systematic literature search for peer-reviewed articles in the following databases: Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scops, PubMed, and Web of Science. You will then design a template to extract data, analyse key themes, and draft a report intended to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal. Inter-rater reliability checks will be performed in each research step above with the collaboration of the project supervisor.

Outcomes

You will have the opportunity to submit the findings to a high impact journal, with the aim to have you become a co-author. There may also be an opportunity to present the findings at a national academic conference.

Skills and experience

The ideal VRES student needs to be passionate about the topic, diligent and disciplined. You need to be able to work independently and with your supervisor. Prior experience in using Endnote software referencing program and a thorough understanding of referencing would be highly valuable.

Keywords

• teacher mental health
• internet-based interventions
• psychosocial health
• wellbeing
• well being

Contact

Contact the supervisor for more information.