Investigating the Factors Affecting Mental Health of Public School Teachers in Afghanistan: A Case Study of Andkhoy District

Faridoon Qayobi

doi:10.55681/armada.v4i3.1911

Authors

Faridoon Qayobi Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, Badakhshan University, Badakhshan, Afghanistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55681/armada.v4i3.1911

Keywords:

Mental health, Teachers, Psychological indicators, GHQ-28 questionnaire

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the mental health status of public school teachers in Andkhoy District, Faryab Province, Afghanistan, and to identify the factors influencing their psychological well-being. Using a quantitative survey design, data were collected from 210 teachers selected through stratified proportional random sampling. The GHQ-28 questionnaire was employed to measure four dimensions of mental health: physical symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction, and depression. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistics with SPSS version 26. The findings reveal that teachers’ overall mental health is at a moderate or borderline level, indicating the presence of considerable psychological stress. Among the dimensions, depression shows the highest mean score, suggesting a greater vulnerability to emotional distress. However, inferential analysis indicates that demographic variables such as gender, marital status, and teaching experience do not have a significant effect on mental health. This suggests that environmental and occupational factors, including workload, limited resources, and lack of institutional support, play a more dominant role in shaping teachers’ psychological conditions. The study highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions, such as counseling services, stress management programs, and improved organizational support. Enhancing teachers’ mental health is essential not only for their well-being but also for improving teaching quality and educational outcomes.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Agyapong, B., Shalaby, R., Eboreime, E., Surood, S., Greenshaw, A. J., Silverstone, P. H., & Agyapong, V. I. O. (2022). Stress, burnout, anxiety, and depression among teachers: A scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(17), 10706. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710706

Alves, R., Lopes, T., & Precioso, J. (2023). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of teachers and its possible risk factors: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 1747. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031747

Carroll, A., Forrest, K., Sanders-O'Connor, E., Flynn, L., Bower, J. M., Fynes-Clinton, S., York, A., & Hattie, J. (2022). Teacher stress and burnout in Australia: Examining the role of intrapersonal and environmental factors. Social Psychology of Education, 25, 441–469. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-021-09679-4

Corbett, L., Bauman, A., Peralta, L. R., Okely, A. D., & Phongsavan, P. (2023). Lifestyle and work-related correlates of psychosocial health among Australian teachers: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Public Health, 32, 999–1009. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-023-01874-9

Corpuz, J. C. G. (2023). Workplace mental health in schools. Workplace Health & Safety, 71(3), 142–143. https://doi.org/10.1177/21650799221147171

Emeto, T. I., Malau-Aduli, A. E. O., & Malau-Aduli, B. S. (2023). A systematic review of the factors that influence teachers' occupational wellbeing. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(12), 6070. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20126070

Fan, Y., & Lau, H. (2022). An integrative review on job burnout among teachers in China: Implications for human resource management. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 34(3), 529–561. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2022.2078991

Harding, S., Morris, R., Gunnell, D., Ford, T., Hollingworth, W., Tilling, K., Evans, R., Bell, S., Grey, J., Brockman, R., Campbell, R., Araya, R., Murphy, S., & Kidger, J. (2019). Is teachers' mental health and wellbeing associated with students' mental health and wellbeing? Journal of Affective Disorders, 253, 460–466. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.046

Hascher, T., & Waber, J. (2021). Teacher well-being: A systematic review of the research literature from the years 2000–2019. Educational Research Review, 34, 100411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2021.100411

Herrmann-Langner, M., Keller, A. C., & Stoll, S. (2024). Teachers' burnout: The role of social support, gratitude, hope, entitlement and loneliness. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 9, 303–327. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-024-00154-5

Jerrim, J., & Sims, S. (2021). Has the mental health and wellbeing of teachers in England changed over time? New evidence from three datasets. Oxford Review of Education, 47(6), 805–825. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2021.1902795

Kim, L. E., Oxley, L., & Asbury, K. (2022). "My brain feels like a browser with 100 tabs open": A longitudinal study of teachers' mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 92(1), 299–318. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12450

Madigan, D. J., & Kim, L. E. (2023). Teacher burnout and physical health: A systematic review. International Journal of Educational Research, 119, 102175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2023.102175

McLean, L., Abry, T., Taylor, M., & Connor, C. (2019). Real-world challenges and stress among teachers in developing countries. Teaching and Teacher Education, 81, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2019.02.013

McLean, L., Bryce, C., & Johnson, B. (2023). Describing teachers' well-being prior to and 18 months after COVID-19 school closures, with a focus on early-career teachers and teachers of color. SAGE Open, 13(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231217872

Reinke, W. M., Stormont, M., Herman, K. C., Puri, R., & Goel, N. (2022). Teachers' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational Researcher, 51(9), 593–597. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X221134281

Skaalvik, E. M., & Skaalvik, S. (2021). Teacher burnout: Relations between dimensions of burnout, perceived school context, job satisfaction and motivation for teaching A longitudinal study. Professional Development in Education, 47(4), 602–616. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2021.1913404

State, T. M., Kern, L., Starosta, K. M., & Kemple, L. (2024). Healthy educators need healthy schools: Supporting educator work-related well-being through multitiered systems of support. School Psychology, 39(3), 243–255. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000567

Steiner, E. D., & Woo, A. (2023). Findings from the 2023 State of the American Teacher Survey (Research Report RRA1108-8). RAND Corporation. https://doi.org/10.7249/RRA1108-8

von der Embse, N., Sandilos, L. E., Pendergast, L., & Mankin, A. (2022). Teacher stress, teaching-efficacy, and job satisfaction in response to pandemic-related school closures and reopenings. School Psychology, 37(4), 297–307. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000495

Zhao, X., Liao, J., Li, H., Jiang, K., & Ding, Y. (2022). The relationship between teacher job stress and burnout: A moderated mediation model. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 784243. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.784243