Education for quality of life and mental health: formative intervention for teachers

Abstract

Introduction: Health Education in schools has been a goal of health policies at national level, especially from 1997. Consequently, schools and teachers expressed the need to broaden and deepen their knowledge in other areas to develop more specific and systematic interventions. Mental Health (MH) and Quality of Life (QOL) are priority health areas, so, it was elaborated a workshop aimed at teachers. Objectives: 1) Developing knowledge about MH and QOL; 2) developing promoting strategies of MH and QOL; 3) including MH and QOL in the educational project of the school and class activities plan. Methods: Take part in this workshop 12 teachers from 2nd and 3rd cycles. The workshop had 15 classroom hours and 15 hours of autonomous work, a total of 5 sessions with intervals of a month. Contents of action: concept and approaches of MH and QOL and promoting strategies associated. In early action all teachers completed the WHOQOL-Bref. This questionnaire have four domains: physical, psychological, social relationship and environment. Results: The attendance rate was 100%. All teachers performed the work proposed by presenting in the classroom. The WHOQOL-Bref show that 9 teachers presented the psychological domain with the lowest score of the four that make up the WHOQOL-Bref (score between 45.8-70.8 in 100). Conclusions: The psychological domain is the most affected area in these 12 teachers. Participation and the tasks in the sessions and the work carried out showed intense interactivity. Critical reflection performed by the teachers presents an evaluation of very good and excellent in all its parameters. The results shows that the areas of MH and QOL reveal themselves generate interest and training in this regard, we point to new experiences in otherschool contexts.