(PS4-B35) Systemic Factors Associated with Students’ Well-being: The Qualitative Experience of School Personnel

Background. Given the prevalence of mental health difficulties experienced by children especially post-pandemic, and the significant amount of time spent in school, teachers and other school staff can play a critical role in identifying the social-emotional needs of their students and promoting affective well-being. This qualitative study conducted focus groups with diverse categories of professionals working in schools to identify key factors associated with the mental health well-being of school-aged children. Method. We relied on an instrumental study design and a social constructivist conceptual framework to guide the analysis, which posits that reality is shaped by lived experience and can be co-constructed between research and participants. This rigorous methodology highlights the importance of collecting different perspectives to gain a broader understanding of a specific phenomenon. The informant group consisted of school staff who volunteered to join a discussion on factors associated with mental health in schools. The final group of volunteers comprised eight Grade 4 to 6 teachers, one school principal, and four resource teachers, gender stratified as two men and eleven women, who worked in three different schools within the largest French schoolboard of the Greater Montreal area. Results. Informants identified that too little and too much parental involvement was a key factor in predicting child well-being and outcomes. The group was also asked about issues relating to a lack of resources to meet teacher demands when having to address the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive needs of their students. This identified lack of resources was primarily attributed to the frequently limited availability of support staff who are equally overworked, particularly in low-income settings. Lastly, informants suggested that the definition of roles, the identification and availability of effective interventions, and cohesive teamwork were critical facilitating factors when addressing student well-being. Implications. Better addressing and promoting the psychological well-being of students in schools as well as promoting a healthy and cohesive school environment can be achieved. Our qualitative study results suggest that increasing institutional efforts to ensure that teachers and support staff perceive being supported by their institution, as well as promoting parent-teacher involvement can play a critical role in the development and promotion of social-emotional well-being for all children.