Assessing the Mental Health Status of Secondary School Teachers in Ebonyi State

Abstract

This study assessed the mental health status of secondary school teachers in Ebonyi State. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The study was a descriptive cross sectional survey research. The population of this study comprised 4,360 secondary school teachers within 226 public secondary schools in Ebonyi State. A sample size of 450 teachers was selected using multistage sampling technique. Data collection was done using an adapted 38-item questionnaire instrument developed by Canadian Mental Health Association (2009). The generated data were analyzed using mean scores and standard deviations to answer research questions while t-test statistic were used to test null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. A criterion mean of 2.50 was set to determine high or low mental health levels.  The study found that secondary school teachers in Ebonyi State had high level of mental health status (2.430.41). Significant differences were found on mental health status of secondary school teachers in Ebonyi State based on gender (t- 0.511 < 0.609, p < 0.05) and location of schools (t- 3.917 < 0.000, p < 0.05) of secondary school teachers. Based on the findings, it was concluded that the level of mental health status of secondary school teachers in Ebonyi State was high (2.430.41). The study recommended among others that non-governmental agencies should periodically organize mental health intervention programmes and workshops for teachers in conjunction with the Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education in Ebonyi State. It was also recommended that conducive staff room and other teaching and learning facilities should be provided by Ebonyi State Ministry of Education in all secondary schools in the Education Zones in the State to avert occasions of mental health issues that might prevent the teachers from discharging their duties effectively and efficiently.