Levels of wellbeing, resilience, and physical activity amongst Irish pre-service teachers: a baseline study

Abstract

The current study examines the wellbeing, resilience and physical activity (PA) levels among Irish pre-service teachers. Participants were a sample of 128 higher education students (29% male; 71% female; mean age range 18-27 years old) who completed a self-report questionnaire, using a combination of established instruments for wellbeing, resilience, and PA. Descriptive data revealed that 39.1% presented with low levels of resilience, and 74%were not meeting the PA guidelines for health. One sample t-tests further revealed the sample population of higher education students had lower wellbeing (t (127) = -3.05, p = .003) and resilience (t (127) = -6.48, p = .003) levels, when compared to the population normative data.Results from the existing study suggest that a structured mental health and PA education awareness intervention for Irish pre-service teachers may be warranted, specifically to increase the lower than expected levels of resilience. The existing sample of pre-service teachers are at a critical time of transition, as they move forward into a profession where selfawareness of wellbeing is required at the beginning of their careers to sustain health both inside and outside of the classroom.

Resilience Is Associated with Less Eating Disorder Symptoms in the NutriNet-Santé Cohort Study

“…The overall resilience score observed in our study is consistent with other studies in the literature [29,50,51]. Likewise, our findings are consistent with previous data indicating higher resilience levels in men [52], older individuals [52,53], and participants with higher income [54].…”

State of Mind Ireland-Higher Education: A Mixed-Methods Longitudinal Evaluation of a Positive Mental Health Intervention

“…This study aimed to examine the outcome of an evidence-based behaviour change intervention programme designed to promote the wellbeing, resilience, and PA levels of higher education students. It has been well documented that low levels of PA participation and poor mental health are an increasing concern among the emerging adult population attending higher education [ 1 , 5 , 51 , 94 ]. The need to promote positive health through intervention in higher education settings has been recognised as a viable and effective method to address the health concerns of this age group [ 5 , 6 , 26 , 27 , 95 ].…”

“…The WEMWBS was developed to enable the monitoring of mental wellbeing across the UK’s general population [ 75 ]. The WEMWBS is a 14-item scale validated with student and adult populations and stands as a robust tool, with excellent test-retest reliability intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) at 0.83 [ 13 , 51 ]. The scale has been recommended for the use in evaluating mental health promotion initiatives and programmes at both a group and individuals level [ 75 , 76 ].…”

“…In a meta-analysis of psychological and exercise interventions, Barrantes-Brais et al, (2016) maintained that each type of intervention (positive mental health and PA) is similarly effective in impacting student wellbeing [ 27 ]. Emerging adults in Irish HEI’s (higher education institutes) who engage in regular bouts of PA participation are more likely to have higher perceived wellbeing when compared to physically inactive emerging adults [ 44 , 51 ]. Interventions designed to increase PA have significant outcomes among higher education populations when embedded within a university/college course, or designed using comprehensive models of behaviour change, such as the transtheoretical model [ 52 , 53 , 54 ].…”

“…It is against the backdrop of the concern for low levels of wellbeing, resilience and PA among higher education students that the State of Mind Ireland-Higher Education (SOMI-HE) intervention was developed [ 51 , 55 ]. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the SOMI-HE Mental Fitness intervention in increasing wellbeing, resilience, PA level and motivational readiness for PA change.…”