Supporting Student Mental Health Needs: Teacher Perspectives and Classroom Interventions in Secondary Education

Kate Simmons
JAASEP 21(4) (2026) 110-121

In recent years, there has been an influx of questions regarding mental health in education. This study aimed to investigate the classroom challenges secondary teachers experience while supporting students with mental health needs and to identify strategies and interventions teachers perceive as effective in promoting student success. This study was designed to answer the following questions: What challenges do secondary teachers experience while supporting students with mental health needs in the classroom? What strategies and interventions are secondary teachers using to support students with mental health support needs? Secondary teachers responded to survey questions about the emotional and behavioral needs in classrooms and what instructional strategies or interventions are being used to support students with mental health concerns. Results were analyzed and themes reported, including prevalence and observed student needs related to mental health well-being in the classroom, interventions being utilized, and teacher roles and preparedness to teach mental health supports.
Keywords: mental health, secondary teachers, Alabama, professional development.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.598