Effectiveness of Teacher Empowerment for Bullying Detection and Adolescent Mental Health Promotion: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

Bullying is a major school-related problem that adversely affects adolescents' mental health, leading to anxiety, depression, social isolation, reduced academic performance, and self-harm. This study examined the effectiveness of a Teacher Empowerment Program in strengthening teachers' capacity for early bullying detection and adolescent mental health promotion in junior high schools in Padang City, Indonesia. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed, combining a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group study with qualitative Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews. Sixty teachers were assigned to intervention and control groups, while data from 70 students supported bullying and mental health indicators. The intervention included training on bullying identification, psychosocial indicators, supportive communication, and mental health promotion strategies. Quantitative data were analyzed using paired and independent t-tests, whereas qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The intervention significantly improved teachers' knowledge, attitudes, and skills (all p < 0.001). Mean knowledge scores increased from 61.4 to 84.7, attitudes from 65.3 to 86.1, and skills from 59.7 to 83.6. Qualitative findings revealed that teachers considered the program practical and relevant, although limited time, administrative workload, and the absence of school-wide bullying standard operating procedures remained key challenges. The Teacher Empowerment Program effectively strengthened teachers' capacity to prevent bullying and promote adolescent mental health in schools.