Abstract:

Stigma associated with mental health problems, and mental disorders in particular, is an undeniable reality and constitutes a serious challenge for those who experience it. This stigma has contributed to the consolidation of broader social stigma surrounding these individuals, generating discrimination and limiting their full integration into society. The school context is no exception; therefore, the role of teachers is essential.

Reducing stigma requires the implementation of educational initiatives that raise public awareness while also dismantling misconceptions and prejudices. Schools act as transformative agents of society, and prospective teachers must be competent in this regard.

For this reason, a study framed within the quantitative research paradigm was designed, given the nature of the data collected and the analytical procedures employed. The study aims to explore pre-service teachers’ perceptions of stigma associated with mental disorders, in order to provide a basis for developing training initiatives that may contribute to reducing this stigma in Faculties of Education and, by extension, at school.

To this end, an ad hoc questionnaire composed of 12 items was administered—after undergoing a validation process—to a sample of 82 students training to become Primary Education teachers (20 men and 61 women; 1 participant did not report gender), all enrolled in the final year of their degree. The mean age of participants was 22.27 years (SD = 2.84). By this stage, all participants had completed the mental health–related content included in their degree programme.

The main findings indicate that the participants constitute a group that is both sensitive and aware of the importance of their own training and role on this topic. They show sensitivity toward social and workplace discrimination and recognize the difficulties faced by individuals with mental disorders. Stigma associated with perceived dangerousness appears to be present, although at low levels; however, men seem more likely than women to perceive individuals with mental disorders as dangerous. Aside from this, no major gender differences were observed, except that women rated the importance of adequate training in mental health slightly more positively, while simultaneously perceiving their own training in this area to be more insufficient compared to men.

These findings have educational implications for teacher training planning, as they provide a basis for designing improvements aimed at preparing competent professionals who can support individuals with mental disorders and contribute to reducing stigma from within the school environment.

Keywords:

Mental disorder, Stigma, Mental health, Initial teacher training, Education.