Mental health-care for kindergarten and school staff: prevention of burnout and psychiatric disorders

Semester 1 · 12562 · 5 year master degree in Primary Education - German section · 2CP · DE

This course focuses on the promotion and protection of mental health among teachers and kindergarten educators. These professional groups face considerable emotional and organizational demands, requiring particular attention to psychological well-being. The lecture series is grounded in current scientific evidence on the development of stress and its impact on mental health. Typical occupational stressors and their interactions are examined in detail, together with the development of exhaustion, burnout, and psychiatric disorders.
Both individual risk factors and structural conditions that may contribute to mental health problems are addressed. Participants will become familiar with practical approaches to self-care, mindfulness, and emotion regulation, as well as strategies for setting professional boundaries and promoting recovery within the demanding context of educational work. In addition, effective organizational measures will be presented, including supervision, team communication, and health-promoting workplace structures.
The overall aim of the course is to strengthen the personal well-being and long-term professional sustainability of educational professionals and to promote prevention at both the individual and organizational levels.

Lecturers: Gerd Schaller

Teaching Hours: 20
Lab Hours: 0
Mandatory Attendance: In accordance with the regulation

Course Topics
Health promotion, prevention, stress, burnout, resilience, self-care, mindfulness, emotion regulation, strategies for setting professional boundaries and recovery, supervision, team communication.

Teaching format
The optional course takes place remotely. Lectures, discussion of scientific articles, case discussions, experiential learning.

Educational objectives
Students: know the definitions of stress, burnout, and resilience; understand risk factors in educational settings; reflect on their own resilience and capacity to cope with stress; become familiar with prevention and intervention strategies; are able to critically discuss scientific literature. Expected learning outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding Knowledge and understanding of the concepts of stress, burnout, resilience, self-care, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and strategies for professional boundary-setting and recovery. Applying Knowledge and Understanding Application of practical approaches to self-care, mindfulness, emotion regulation, professional boundary-setting, and recovery in educational settings. Judgement Ability to identify stressful situations in the professional lives of teachers and kindergarten educators and assess their potential impact on health. Ability to recognize individual and institutional risk factors for stress, burnout, and mental health disorders. Ability to understand and evaluate the effectiveness of different prevention and intervention measures. Ability to assess personal stress limits and coping strategies and to draw conclusions for personal health promotion and well-being. Communication Respectful and mindful communication. Communication of professional boundaries. Supportive and constructive team communication. Learning Strategies Acquisition of theoretical knowledge, reflective learning, resource-oriented learning, case-based learning.

Assessment
Written examination

Evaluation criteria
Accuracy of subject knowledge, appropriate use of and reference to scientific literature, clarity and structure of the presentation, the student's ability to critically reflect on the topics discussed.

Required readings

Agyapong, B.; Obuobi-Donkor, G.; Burback, L.;Wei, Y. Stress, Burnout, Anxiety and Depression among Teachers: A

Scoping Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 10706. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710706

T. Noichl, M. Cramer, I. Wagner, G.E. Dlugosch, I. Hosenfeld

Selbstfürsorge für Lehrkräfte – Evaluation der Effekte einer Präventions- und Gesundheitsförderungsmaßnahme [Self-care for teachers - evaluation of effects of a prevention and health promoting intervention], Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung (2023), 10.1007/s11553-023-01062-3

Darius, S., Hohmann, C.B., Siegel, L. et al. Zusammenhang von Belastungsfaktoren im beruflichen Setting bei Erzieherinnen in Kindertagesstätten mit dem Burnout-Risiko. Zbl Arbeitsmed 73, 81–88 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40664-023-00493-1

Supplementary readings

Book: Matthias Burisch, Das Burnout-Syndrom,

Download as pdf

Sustainable Development Goals
This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goals.