Social influence and the role of teachers in school-based mental health
Abstract
The current study aimed to increase the efficacy of the implementation of a large-scale school-based mental health service model in a public school district in collaboration with a university-led community mental health coalition. Specifically, the study evaluated the effectiveness of a web-based social intervention targeted for teachers designed to enhance their role clarity and identification within school-based mental health practices. Youth mental health challenges are prominent and rising, with many schools adopting a MTSS model focused on prevention (Merikangas et al., 2010; Reinke et al., 2008). While a teacher's role in youth mental health has been consistently emphasized, (Flaherty et al., 1996; Reinke et al., 2011; Weist et al., 1999), their involvement, engagement, and attitude towards their role have been questioned (Ekornes, 2015; Weist et al., 2012). Applying Social Influence Theory Principles of Persuasion (i.e., reciprocation, social validation (norming), legitimate authority, liking, scarcity, and commitment/consistency), (Cialdini & Griskevicius, 2010) the present study aimed to provide a brief training to teachers to decrease their role confusion and increase their role identification as gatekeepers of mental health in schools to further the use of data-based decision making in universal screening and utilizing evidence-based behavioral interventions in the classroom. The study contributes to the field of school psychology by emphasizing the need of school-community partnership while increasing teacher understanding of mental health supports in schools, firmly establishing prevention efforts in systems-level capacity building to enhance intervention efforts.
Degree
Ph. D.