The Role of City of Darab Elementry School Teachers' Assessment of School Environment Health in Predicting Their Mental Health and Happiness

This study investigated the role of teachers' assessment of school environment health in predicting their mental health and happiness.         

This was a descriptive-correlational study. The statistical population was a group of 254 primary school teachers in the city of Darab, Iran, from whom a sample of 160 was selected by stratified sampling. Happiness and mental health were measured using the Oxford and Gildberg questionnaires, respectively, and teacher’s assessment of environmental health was determined using a researcher-made questionnaire, all the questionnaires being valid and reliable. 

On the whole, 57.23 %, 37.73% and 5.00% of the teachers judged the school environment health to be desirable, moderate and undesirable, respectively. As regards the teachers’ assessment of the school environmental heath, there were statistically significant differences between male and female teachers, local and nonlocal teachers, their field of study (primary education and other fields), schools for boys and for girls, their previous knowledge of health, type of employment (life tenure versus others), and whether they were teaching in health promoting or ordinary schools (p<0.05). The teachers assessment of school environmental health was significantly correlated with happiness and mental health (p<0.0001); their assessment of environmental health could predict 19.8% of happiness changes and 10.2% of mental health changes.        

Judgment of the school environment health by teachers as unfavorable would affect their happiness and mental health.