Examining Pre-Service Teacher Mental Health Training and Self-Efficacy at One American University

With rates of mental health concerns among students increasing, teachers are expected to support the mental health needs of students in their classrooms. However, practising teachers report low levels of ability to support students with mental health needs. Mental health training during pre-service teacher preparation could proactively prepare teachers to support student mental health. The current study examined the level of mental health training that pre-service teachers receive, their reported level of mental health self-efficacy, and how self-efficacy differs based on exposure to mental health training. We surveyed undergraduate pre-service teachers at a public university in the United States Midwest (n = 105). Overall, participants reported minimal levels of mental health training that varied by year in the program. Most participants indicated some confidence in their capacity to successfully support students’ mental health needs. Results suggest that participants who reported some mental health training exposure also reported higher levels of self-efficacy to support students with mental health needs compared to participants with a lack of mental health training exposure. Implications for training pre-service teachers are reviewed