Examining the impact of mental health literacy training on pre-service and in-service teachers’ mental health literacy

Objective This study examined the effectiveness of the Learn Mental Health (LMH) modules, delivered through Bachelor and Master of Education courses, in improving educators’ mental health literacy (MHL), reducing stigma and enhancing their ability to identify student mental health needs.Method Employing a longitudinal two-wave pre/post treatment design with active and passive control groups, the study involved Bachelor of Education and Master of Education students at Saint Francis Xavier University during the 2022–2023 academic year. Participants (N = 296) were assigned to a treatment group (LMH modules), an active control group (alternative mental health content) or a passive control group (no content). Pre- and post-intervention measures assessed MHL, stigma and the Vignette-based Student Evaluation Scale (VSES).Results ANCOVA and mixed two-way ANOVA revealed significantly greater gains in overall MHL for the LMH group compared to both control groups. Improvements were observed across most MHL domains, except knowledge of effective treatments. No significant differences emerged for stigma or VSES scores between groups.Discussion LMH modules appear effective in enhancing educators’ MHL when embedded in coursework. However, further strategies may be needed to reduce stigma and improve recognition of student mental health concerns.