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Impact of Mental Health Screening Training on Mental Health Recognition Skills among Primary School Teachers in Nigeria

Abstract

Mental health difficulties among children may affect emotional wellbeing, behaviour, learning, classroom participation, social relationships, and educational development. Primary school teachers are strategically positioned to observe children's behaviour and functioning because of their regular and sustained interaction with pupils. However, limited mental health knowledge, inadequate screening skills, misconceptions, stigma, and uncertainty about appropriate referral procedures may prevent teachers from recognizing early signs of mental health difficulties. Mental health screening training provides an opportunity to equip teachers with practical knowledge and skills for identifying behavioural, emotional, and psychological warning signs, using appropriate screening approaches, documenting observations, communicating concerns with parents and school authorities, and facilitating referral to qualified professionals. Against this background, this study investigates the impact of mental health screening training on mental health recognition skills among primary school teachers in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on Social Cognitive Theory, the Health Belief Model, and the Theory of Planned Behavior. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes the roles of knowledge, self-efficacy, observational learning, behavioural skills, and supportive environments in developing teachers' mental health recognition skills. The Health Belief Model explains how teachers' perceptions of the seriousness of childhood mental health difficulties, perceived benefits of screening training, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence their recognition of mental health concerns. The Theory of Planned Behavior explains how teachers' attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and behavioural intentions may influence their willingness to identify pupils with possible mental health difficulties and initiate appropriate referral. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how mental health screening training may influence mental health recognition skills among primary school teachers in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental research design. The study population will comprise teachers working in selected public and private primary schools across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select states, local government areas, communities, schools, classes, and eligible teachers. Mental health screening training will be measured using indicators such as exposure to structured training sessions, training frequency and duration, knowledge of childhood mental health, recognition of behavioural and emotional warning signs, use of age-appropriate screening tools, observation techniques, identification of developmental and behavioural concerns, appropriate documentation, communication with parents and school authorities, confidentiality, referral procedures, and follow-up awareness. Mental health recognition skills will be assessed using indicators such as identification of emotional and behavioural symptoms, recognition of psychological distress, identification of changes in classroom behaviour and functioning, recognition of possible anxiety and depressive symptoms, identification of attention and behavioural difficulties, recognition of social and emotional problems, identification of warning signs requiring professional assessment, appropriate interpretation of screening findings, and selection of suitable referral pathways. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, case-based scenarios, recognition skills assessments, observation checklists, and validated child mental health recognition instruments administered before and after the training intervention. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize teachers' demographic and professional characteristics, previous mental health training, and recognition skill levels. Inferential statistical techniques, including paired sample tests, independent sample tests, chi-square tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the impact of mental health screening training on mental health recognition skills. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that mental health screening training has a significant positive impact on mental health recognition skills among primary school teachers in Nigeria. Teachers exposed to structured screening training are expected to demonstrate improved ability to recognize behavioural, emotional, and psychological warning signs among pupils compared with their baseline skills or teachers without similar training. Practical approaches involving case scenarios, classroom-based examples, screening-tool demonstrations, role-play, observation exercises, and referral simulations may strengthen teachers' confidence and ability to recognize possible mental health difficulties. Improved recognition skills may facilitate earlier identification and referral of pupils requiring professional mental health assessment, thereby creating opportunities for timely intervention and educational support. However, large class sizes, heavy teaching workloads, limited access to school mental health professionals, inadequate screening resources, concerns about labelling pupils, parental resistance, stigma, and weak school referral systems may limit the effectiveness and sustainability of screening training. The study therefore expects accessible, age-appropriate, evidence-based, and regularly reinforced mental health screening training, supported by functional school referral systems, to contribute significantly to improved mental health recognition skills among primary school teachers in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on mental health screening training, mental health recognition skills, primary school teachers, child mental health, school mental health, early identification, referral, teacher training, health education, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Universal Basic Education Commission, state ministries of education and health, primary schools, school counsellors, educational psychologists, mental health professionals, teachers, parents, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for strengthening child mental health identification within schools. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating child mental health screening education into teacher training and continuing professional development, improving access to appropriate screening tools, establishing standardized school referral pathways, strengthening collaboration between schools and mental health professionals, increasing parental awareness, and developing sustainable school-based mental health recognition and referral programmes across Nigeria.

Keywords: Mental health screening training, mental health recognition skills, primary school teachers, child mental health, school mental health, early identification, mental health screening, teacher training, referral, health education, Nigeria, public health.