The Effectiveness of Life Skills Training on Mental Health and Professional Performance of Teachers

Background and Objective: Teaching is among professions which are influenced by stress due to its crucial and influential role in the development of individuals and the sensitivities of the field. Therefore, mental health in this profession and the role of life skills is essential to improve the mental health and professional performance of teachers. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of life skills training on mental health and professional skills among teachers in Gonbad-e-Kavoos, Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out with semi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test and a control group with participation of 66 teachers of Gonbad-e-Kavoos city in the 2011-2012 academic year. Sampling was done by multistage random cluster sampling. The experimental group participated in a life skills training program (including 11 sessions, one hour each). Mental health and professional performance questionnaires were used for data collection. Data analysis was performed by using multivariate covariance analysis in SPSS-22 software. Results: The mean (SD) score of mental health components increased after life skills training in the experimental group compared to the control group after intervention: physicalization 1.1(0.6) vs. 0.5(0.4), P<0.01; obsessive-compulsive 1.2(0.7) vs. 0.5(0.4), P<0.01; interpersonal sensitivity 1(0.6) vs. 0.4(0.4), P<0.01; depression 0.8(0.7) vs. 0.2(0.4), P<0.01; anxiety 1.1(0.6) vs. 0.4(0.6), P<0.01; panic 0.9(0.6) vs. 0.4(0.4), P <0.01); paranoid thinking 0.9(0.6) vs. 0.4(0.4), P< 0.01; and psychological discrepancy 0.9(0.5) vs. 0.4(0.4), P<0.0). In addition, life skills training led to increased score of professional performance components compared to control group: teaching methods 3.6(0.6) vs. 4.4(0.4), P< 0.01; educational technology 3.1(0.8) vs. 3.9(1), P<0.01; educational design 3.7(0.7) vs. 4.5(0.4), P<0.01; and evaluation 3.6(0.8) vs. 4.3(0.5), P