Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters)

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Browsing Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters) by Author "Abreu, Leandra Imilia"

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    The Mental Health Needs of South African Mainstream High School Learners: Teachers’ Experiences and Perceptions
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-08) Abreu, Leandra Imilia; Amod, Zaytoon
    This qualitative study set out to explore teachers’ experiences and perceptions of South African high school learner mental health. Mainly, what teachers believe to contribute towards learner mental health, what they deem to be the barriers and how they believe these barriers can be addressed. The study aimed to provide insight into facilitative factors and challenges concerning adolescent learner mental health in addition to offering support to teachers in managing the mental health of their learners, an important factor in assisting the overall development of South African learners. To better understand these views, twelve qualified and registered teachers practicing in South African high schools were interviewed using a non-probability, purposive sampling technique and following an interpretive phenomenological approach. The use of semi-structured individual interview questions was used to ascertain the perceptions and experiences of 12 teachers in South Africa. The teachers were approached via online platforms, due to social restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data was analysed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis to establish the main themes brought up by the participants. The findings uncovered numerous themes and subthemes surrounding teachers’ perceptions of aspects contributing to the mental health of their learners namely: challenging households and the role of parents, social pressures and stressors, anxiety, depression, ADHD and the influence of self-esteem. The impacts of COVID-19 were also prominent due to the interviews being conducted during the initial lockdown period in South Africa. The teachers identified a lack of resources and teacher mental health training/knowledge, stigma and poverty as three of the major barriers to learners accessing mental health support. Finally, the teachers identified multilayered responsibilities, interventions pertaining to teacher training and curriculum adaptions as possible approaches to address these barriers. These findings suggest that managing the mental health of learners is extremely burdensome for teachers who feel unsupported. Obtaining teachers’ perceptions, experiences and beliefs about learner mental health is thus important to improve school psychological services. The findings contribute to research regarding factors influencing learner mental health and adds to the limited empirical research available surrounding South African teachers’ experiences and perceptions. It is recommended that future research be carried out on several different aspects surrounding adolescent mental health in South Africa.