Introduction: Teaching is considered a mentally challenging occupation. Teacher self-efficacy is a personal resource which buffers the experience of stress and may be important in maintaining mental health. The preventive intervention “Manual-Based Psychological Group Program for Teachers” (MBPGPT) was applied and evaluated state-wide to improve the mental health of teachers. This study aims to investigate the intricate relation between teacher self-efficacy and mental health and their changes in the course of the intervention.Method: Using a single-group pre-/post-design, the relation between teacher self-efficacy and mental health was investigated in 742 teachers. Pre- and post-changes in teacher self-efficacy and their interaction with mental health were examined in a subsample of 171 teachers, who met the conservative inclusion criteria. In ancillary analyses, correlations with underlying changes in work-related behavior and experience patterns were analyzed to better understand the intricate link between teacher self-efficacy and mental health.Results: Teacher self-efficacy showed a significant, moderate correlation with mental health. Self-efficacy was moderately higher after the intervention than before the intervention, but independent of changes in mental health. Teacher self-efficacy was related to work-related psychological resistance and positive emotions. An increase in teacher self-efficacy was accompanied by an improvement in life satisfaction and distancing ability. A decrease in teacher self-efficacy went hand in hand with reduced experience of social support.Discussion: This study confirmed teacher self-efficacy as an important, reliable resource and its correlation with psychological resistance. The absence of a control group limits what causal conclusions can be drawn from the study. Nevertheless, self-efficacy seems to be a worthwhile goal of preventive interventions for teachers and should be promoted due to its wide-ranging implications. Suggestions for further studies and interventions are made.
ObjectiveTo identify changes in work-related psychological attitudes that influence mental health improvement in school teachers after participation in a psychological group program.MethodsIn an exploratory study with N = 544 matched cases we combined a screening instrument for general mental health (GHQ) with measures of work-related behavioral and experiential patterns (AVEM). We compared four GHQ change types pre and post intervention with regard to their performance on eleven sub-scales that figure as professional resources. Factors that showed significant relative changes and thus (likely) contributed to improved health status were identified by means of pairwise t-tests and corresponding effect sizes.ResultsDecreases in willingness to work to exhaustion (VB), in striving for perfection (PS), and in the tendency for resignation in the face of failure (RT), as well as an increase of distancing ability (DF) and of inner calm and balance (IR) appear to be the main factors influencing health improvement in the intervention. Simultaneously, an increase of satisfaction with life (LZ) is observed.ConclusionsThe balanced use of professional resources is a critical ingredient in maintaining teachers' health. Adjusting the balance between commitment and resistance through factors found in this analysis help teachers in maintaining and strengthening resilience. The coaching program addresses these factors by focusing on personal attitudes and good interpersonal relationships in the school environment.
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