Teachers’ Perceptions about Factors Undermining their Role in Pupils’ Mental Health Promotion

Abstract

This study explores the complexity of teachers’ perceptions regarding factors that could potentially affect their understanding of the mental health concept, and their overall role in promoting their pupils’ mental health in the context of Kuwaiti middle schools. The study sheds light on teachers’ perceptions of the contextual factors shaping their perceptions and the barriers they identify could hinder the implementation of the promotion process, and the changes required to put such a promotion process into practice in the Kuwaiti educational context. A mixed-methodological research approach has been adopted and comprises two stages. A total of 497 Kuwaiti middle-school teachers completed a systematic survey, whilst another twelve teachers were chosen purposely to take part in semi-structured interviews. Findings from the study showed that teachers’ perceptions were markedly embedded within the socio-cultural and religious context of the study. A variety of personal, interpersonal, socio-cultural and structural-organizational barriers were perceived by teachers, which could undermine and impact in terms of moving towards the implementation of promoting pupils’ mental health.