Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Teachers can help identify mental health issues in adolescents and act as gateway-providers by referring adolescents at risk to a mental health professional. Studies have so far investigated awareness concerning mental health issues among primary school teachers in the USA. The present study uses case vignettes to examine whether secondary school teachers in Germany can detect and assess the presence and severity of mental disorders in adolescents, and which factors predict referral to professional support services.
METHODS: N=136 secondary school teachers completed an online questionnaire with case vignettes depicting students with moderate or severe internalizing and externalizing disorders. We assessed the ability to recognize mental health issues and evaluate the level of severity, worry and perceived prevalence of the problem as well as the helping behaviour among teachers.
RESULTS: 66 and 75% of the teachers were able to identify mental health issues in case vignettes of externalizing and internalizing disorders, respectively. 60% and 61%, respectively, designated the mental disorder correctly as externalizing or internalizing, and the true positive rates did not differ between externalizing vs. internalizing disorders. However, moderate and externalizing disorders were identified with less precision, and recommendations to seek professional mental help were more seldom made for these disorders.
CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that teachers can validly and probably intuitively identify (at least severe cases of) mental disorders in their students. Given the uncertainty expressed and the substantial interest of teachers, further education and training on mental health conditions disorders in adolescents is recommended.
METHODS: N=136 secondary school teachers completed an online questionnaire with case vignettes depicting students with moderate or severe internalizing and externalizing disorders. We assessed the ability to recognize mental health issues and evaluate the level of severity, worry and perceived prevalence of the problem as well as the helping behaviour among teachers.
RESULTS: 66 and 75% of the teachers were able to identify mental health issues in case vignettes of externalizing and internalizing disorders, respectively. 60% and 61%, respectively, designated the mental disorder correctly as externalizing or internalizing, and the true positive rates did not differ between externalizing vs. internalizing disorders. However, moderate and externalizing disorders were identified with less precision, and recommendations to seek professional mental help were more seldom made for these disorders.
CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that teachers can validly and probably intuitively identify (at least severe cases of) mental disorders in their students. Given the uncertainty expressed and the substantial interest of teachers, further education and training on mental health conditions disorders in adolescents is recommended.
摘要：
背景：教师可以帮助识别青少年的心理健康问题，并通过将处于风险中的青少年推荐给心理健康专业人员来充当门户提供者。到目前为止，研究已经调查了美国小学教师对心理健康问题的认识。本研究使用案例插图来检查德国的中学教师是否可以检测和评估青少年精神障碍的存在和严重程度，以及哪些因素可以预测转向专业支持服务。
方法：N=136名中学教师完成了一份在线问卷，其中有案例插图，描述了患有中度或重度内化和外化障碍的学生。我们评估了识别心理健康问题和评估严重程度的能力，担心和感知问题的普遍性以及教师的帮助行为。
结果：66％和75％的教师能够在外化和内化障碍的情况下识别心理健康问题，分别。60%和61%，分别,将精神障碍正确地指定为外化或内化，真实阳性率在外部化与外部化之间没有差异内化障碍。然而,中度和外部化障碍的识别精度较低，对于这些疾病，很少有人建议寻求专业的精神帮助。
结论：结果表明，教师可以有效且可能直观地识别学生的精神障碍（至少是严重的情况）。鉴于所表达的不确定性和教师的实质性兴趣，建议对青少年的精神健康状况障碍进行进一步的教育和培训。
方法：N=136名中学教师完成了一份在线问卷，其中有案例插图，描述了患有中度或重度内化和外化障碍的学生。我们评估了识别心理健康问题和评估严重程度的能力，担心和感知问题的普遍性以及教师的帮助行为。
结果：66％和75％的教师能够在外化和内化障碍的情况下识别心理健康问题，分别。60%和61%，分别,将精神障碍正确地指定为外化或内化，真实阳性率在外部化与外部化之间没有差异内化障碍。然而,中度和外部化障碍的识别精度较低，对于这些疾病，很少有人建议寻求专业的精神帮助。
结论：结果表明，教师可以有效且可能直观地识别学生的精神障碍（至少是严重的情况）。鉴于所表达的不确定性和教师的实质性兴趣，建议对青少年的精神健康状况障碍进行进一步的教育和培训。
