PROMOTION PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AND PREVENTING MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL: PERSPECTIVES AND NEEDS OF STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

Abstract

               Objective: This qualitative study was to describe perspectives and needs of students, teachers, and administrators on promoting psychological well-being and preventing mental health problems in primary school.

               Methods: Participants included 42 participants; 30 students, 9 teachers, and 3 administrators from an elementary school in Nakhon Pathom Province. Data were collected in March 2019 with in-depth interview and focus group using semi-structured interviews along with audio recording and field note recording. Content analysis method was used to analyze data.

               Results: The results showed that perspectives and needs on promoting psychological well-being and preventing mental health problems among students, teachers, and administrators are in a consistent direction as follows 1) characteristics of people with good and poor mental health can be assessed from the expression of thought, emotion, and behavior. People with good mental health have characteristics of those who are happy. People with poor mental health have characteristics of those who are suffering. 2) Risk factors and protective factors for psychological well-being include relationships with others, studying, doing favorite activities, being punished, bullying, using technology, etc. 3) Students used both emotion-focused coping and problem-focused coping method. Teachers and administrators helped students by building trust relationship with them, using teaching, and giving examples. There is a need for both primary and secondary prevention to promote psychological well-being and prevent mental health problems in school.

               Conclusion: A need of promoting psychological well-being and preventing mental health problems in primary school is important for mental health professionals to concern. Providing activities for primary school students should include activities which promoting primary and secondary prevention and changing factors affecting psychological well-being of students.