Teacher Support for Student Mental Health Following the 2013 Boston Marathon Attack

• In Event: 73.062 - Poster Session 17
  In Poster Session: 73.062-5 - Current Topics in Counseling and Education

Abstract

In this presentation we report findings from a study investigating teacher responses to student mental health needs following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and manhunt. Boston-area K-12 teachers (n = 188) were surveyed 2-5 months after the attack. We will describe teacher perceptions of student needs post-attack and the supports and services that they provided. In particular, we examined teachers’ provision of referrals for mental health services and informal supports (e.g., one-on-one conversations). Mental health service referrals were associated with teacher perceptions that students experienced heightened trauma exposure. Findings suggest the need for teachers to be knowledgeable of the broad range of psychiatric symptoms that might present themselves following crises, so that symptoms can inform decisions about mental health supports.

Authors

• Jennifer Greif Green, Boston University

• Ziming Xuan

• Lana Kwong

• Melissa K. Holt, Boston University

• Anna Fasman

• Jonathan Comer