Teachers’ mental health: a mixed-method study on spirituality, well-being, and distress in the workplace

Year 2024, , 232 - 239, 25.09.2024

Rahmat Aziz

https://doi.org/10.35365/ctjpp.24.3.04

Abstract

The article extends previous research with a dual-model approach to assessing the relationship between teachers’ spirituality and mental health in the workplace. Mental health is defined as a high level of psychological well-being and a low level of psychological distress. The mixed methods study surveyed junior and senior high school teachers in East Java, Indonesia. Quantitative data were collected from 117 teachers, while qualitative data were collected from nine teachers. Quantitative data was collected through a spirituality and mental health scale, while qualitative data was collected through interviews. The analysis was performed using statistical analysis and thematic analysis. The results showed that spirituality affected mental health in a high mental health profile (R=.450, p=<.005), While the analysis results on other profiles were unaffected. The profile of high mental illness (R=.185, p= >.005), low mental illness (R=.215, p= >.005), low mental health (R=.098, p= >.005). The three strategies teachers to develop mental health were being grateful for all gifts, building the meaning of work as a teacher, and being patient in dealing with problems at work. The findings indicate that spirituality has a more significant influence on teachers with good mental health.

Keywords

Dual-continua model of mental health, psychological distress, ; psychological well-being, spirituality

References

• Aziz, R. and Mangestuti, R., 2023. Profiling and action plan strategies for teachers’ mental health. Cyprus Turkish Journal of Psychiatry and Psychology, 5(2), pp.121–128. https://doi.org/10.35365/ctjpp.23.2.04.
• Aziz, R., Mangestuti, R., Sholichatun, Y., Ridho, A. and Mukhibat, 2023. Reconstructing the meaning of work to promote teachers’ mental health. Health Education and Health Promotion, 11(2), pp.273–278. https://doi.org/10.58209/hehp.11.2.273.
• Aziz, R. and Zamroni, 2020. Analisis faktor konfirmatori terhadap alat ukur kesehatan mental berdasarkan teori dual model. Psikoislamika: Jurnal Psikologi dan Psikologi Islam, 16(2), pp.1–7. https://doi.org/10.18860/psi.v16i2.8199.
• Badri, S.K.Z., 2023. The perceived effects of spirituality, work-life integration and mediating role of work passion to millennial or gen Y employees’ mental health. Management Research Review, [online] 46(9), pp.1278–1295. https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-04-2021-0275.
• Berry, C., 2021. A mixed-methods investigation of mental health stigma, absenteeism and presenteeism among UK postgraduate researchers. Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, [online] 12(1), pp.145–170. https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-06-2020-0034.
• Bradbury, A., 2020. Mental health stigma: the impact of age and gender on attitudes. Community mental health journal, [online] 56(5), pp.933–938. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-020-00559-x.
• Brick, K., 2021. Training of trainers neuroscience and mental health teacher education in Liberia improves self-reported support for students. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, [online] 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2021.653069.
• Carroll, A., York, A., Fynes-Clinton, S., Sanders-O’Connor, E., Flynn, L., Bower, J.M., Forrest, K. and Ziaei, M., 2021. The downstream effects of teacher well-being programs: Improvements in teachers’ stress, cognition and well-being benefit their students. Frontiers in Psychology, [online] 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.689628.
• Chirico, F., 2020. Spirituality and Prayer on Teacher Stress and Burnout in an Italian Cohort: A Pilot, Before-After Controlled Study. Frontiers in Psychology, [online] 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02933. Drescher, A., Valido, A., Woolweaver, A.B. and Espelage, D.L., 2022. Teacher concern during COVID-19: Associations with classroom climate. School Psychology Review. [online] https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2022.2064727.
• Hayes, R., 2020. The incredible years teacher classroom management programme and its impact on teachers’ professional self-efficacy, work-related stress, and general well-being: Results from the STARS randomized controlled trial. British Journal of Educational Psychology, [online] 90(2), pp.330–348. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12284.
• Hu, B.Y., 2019. The relation between school climate and preschool teacher stress: The mediating role of teachers’ self-efficacy. Journal of Educational Administration, [online] 57(6), pp.748–767. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-08-2018-0146.
• Huang, L., 2020. Peer victimization, teacher unfairness, and adolescent life satisfaction: The mediating roles of sense of belonging to school and schoolwork-related anxiety. School Mental Health, [online] 12(3), pp.556–566. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-020-09365-y.
• Jeon, L., 2020. Work climate in early care and education and teachers’ stress: Indirect associations through emotion regulation. Early Education and Development, [online] 31(7), pp.1031–1051. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2020.1776809.
• Kehinde, L.C., Aliya, M.S. and Oralbaevich, B.N., 2023. Psychosocial-spiritual factors associated with well-being of older population in Africa. Journal of Education and Community Health, 10(2), pp.61–70. https://doi.org/10.34172/jech.2023.2289.
• Khajehnasiri, F., Khazarloo, L., Poursadeghiyan, M. and Dabiran, S., 2022. Burnout level in Iranian teachers and its related factors: A health promotion approach. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, [online] 11(1), p.38. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_444_21.
• MacDougall, E., 2020. Past or present spirituality? Predicting mental health outcomes in older adults. Journal of Religion, Spirituality and Aging, [online] 32(1), pp.70–87. https://doi.org/10.1080/15528030.2019.1663772.
• Mahipalan, M., 2019. Workplace spirituality, psychological well-being and mediating role of subjective stress: A case of secondary school teachers in India. International Journal of Ethics and Systems, [online] 35(4), pp.725–739. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-10-2018-0144.
• Mucci, N., Agyapong, B., Obuobi-Donkor, G., Burback, L. and Wei, Y., 2022. Stress, Burnout, Anxiety and Depression among Teachers: A Scoping Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, [online] 19(17), pp.1–42. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710706.
• Muldoon, M. and King, N., 1995. Spirituality, health care, and bioethics. Journal of Religion and Health, [online] 34(4), pp.329–349. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02248742.
• Mulyani, S., 2021. Emotional regulation as a remedy for teacher burnout in special schools: Evaluating school climate, teacher’s work-life balance and children behavior. Frontiers in Psychology, [online] 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.655850.
• Pandya, S.P., 2018. Spirituality for mental health and well-being of adult refugees in Europe. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 20(6), pp.1396–1403. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-018-0717-6. Pressley, T., 2021. Teacher stress and anxiety during COVID-19: An empirical study. School Psychology, [online] 36(5), pp.367–376. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000468.
• Ramakrishnan, P., 2018. Teachers’ and parents’ perspectives on a curricular subject of “religion and spirituality” for Indian schools: A pilot study toward school mental health program. Journal of Religion and Health, [online] 57(4), pp.1330–1349. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0474-1.
• Schneiders, S.M., 1986. Theology and spirituality: Strangers, rivals, or partners? Horizons, 13(2), pp.253–274. https://doi.org/10.1017/S036096690003632X.
• Shackleton, N., 2019. Teacher burnout and contextual and compositional elements of school environment. Journal of School Health, [online] 89(12), pp.977–993. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12839.
• Sharma, P.K., 2020. Relationship between workplace spirituality, organizational justice and mental health: mediation role of employee engagement. Journal of Advances in Management Research, [online] 17(5), pp.627–650. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAMR-01-2020-0007.
• Shaver, N., Michaelson, V., Whitehead, R., Pickett, W., Brooks, F. and Inchley, J., 2020. Structural validity of a brief scale adapted to measure adolescent spiritual health. SSM - Population Health, 12(25). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100670.
• Smith, E.I., 2021. Relationships between psychometrically distinct Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS) factors and mental health among U.S. college students. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, [online] 24(2), pp.211–225. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2021.1871596.
• Söderberg, M., 2020. Study demands, social support and mental health in teacher education students: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Educational and Social Research, [online] 10(3), pp.1–12. https://doi.org/10.36941/JESR-2020-0040.
• Troesch, L., 2017. Second career teachers: Job satisfaction, job stress, and the role of self-efficacy. Teaching and Teacher Education, [online] 67, pp.389–398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.07.006.
• Turner, N., Hastings, J.F. and Neighbors, H.W., 2019. Mental health care treatment seeking among African Americans and Caribbean Blacks: what is the role of religiosity/spirituality? Aging & Mental Health, [online] 23(7), pp.905–911. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2018.1453484.
• Vertanen-Greis, H., 2020. Work ability of teachers associated with voice disorders, stress, and the indoor environment: A questionnaire study in Finland. Journal of Voice, [online] 36(6). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2020.09.022.
• Walt, F. Van Der, 2018. Workplace spirituality, work engagement and thriving at work. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 44, pp.1–11. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v44i0.1457.
• Zhang, D., 2022. Do teacher autonomy support and teacher–student relationships influence Students’ depression? A 3-year longitudinal study. School Mental Health, [online] 14(1), pp.110–124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-021-09456-4.
• Zhou, J., Jiang, S., Zhu, X., Huebner, E.S. and Tian, L., 2020. Profiles and transitions of dual-factor mental health among Chinese early adolescents: The predictive roles of perceived psychological need satisfaction and stress in school. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 49(10), pp.333–353. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-020-01253-7.