Elementary school teachers' perceived knowledge and relevance of school mental health: Investigating the potential moderation of teacher stress

Abstract

This study examined the relationships among teacher stress, burnout, and teachers' perceived knowledge of school mental health, as well as the perceived relevance of that knowledge to their work in the classroom. A survey method was used with a sample of 185 preK-5^th grade classroom teachers, recruited from five Massachusetts public school districts. The Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) measured teacher stress. The Maslach Burnout Inventory, 3^rd Edition, Educator Survey (MBI-ES) measured three burnout-related outcomes. The School Mental Health Knowledge-Relevance Scale (SMHKRS), developed for this study, measured hypothesized moderator variables. The study sample was used to examine the psychometric properties of the SMHKRS, revealing high reliability coefficients. Hierarchical multiple regression models did not uncover significant moderation effects for perceived knowledge and relevance. However, perceived knowledge and perceived relevance of school mental health were found to be conditionally associated with one or more of the three outcome variables. Interpretations of findings, contributions to research, and implications for professional practice in child development, psychology, and education are discussed.