It's not just the squeaky wheels that need the oil: Examining teachers' views on the disparity between referral rates for students with internalizing versus externalizing problems

Abstract

Due to an existing disparity between service need and service use of mental health services for adolescents experiencing internalizing problems, a simultaneous mixed-methods research design was employed to investigate how to reduce this discrepancy within an educational context. A total of 152 secondary teachers from seventeen South Australian schools completed an online questionnaire, and content analysis was used to explore the qualitative data. Results of the present study highlighted a further disparity: Teachers perceived they faced an expectation to identify the symptoms of internalizing problems in their students; yet did not feel sufficiently capable to put this expectation into practice. This is particularly problematic as teacher referral is the most common pathway to treatment. Recommendations to reduce this disparity are presented, and findings hold implications for pre-service teaching programs, policy, and current government funding initiatives. © 2011 Springer Science + Business Media, LLC.