Topic 1 Justification and rationale
During or after any public emergency crisis (pandemic, war, earthquake, etc.), teachers may suffer from mental health problems because they have to assimilate and adapt themselves to new situations and challenges like any other person, but also face challenges related to their profession.
For example, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, in many countries classes suddenly became virtual, giving teachers very little time to prepare for this change. If we add to this the adverse psycho-emotional effect of confinement itself, it is not surprising that teachers develop problems or difficulties related to mental health.
Studies show that teachers’ mental health has been affected during the Covid-19 pandemic (Cohen-Fraade & Maura Donahue, 2021; Nabe-Nielsen et al., 2022; Tarrant & Nagasawa, 2020). Furthermore, Beames, Christensen & Werner-Seider (2021) position teachers as the forgotten frontline of Covid-19. An affected or suffering teacher cannot practice their profession properly and of course cannot be a support for his or her students.
For these reasons,
- It is important for teachers to know what types of mental health problems they may experience in these situations and what to do to manage them.
- The promotion of mental wellbeing is considered necessary as a powerful prevention strategy.