Prevalence and Independent Predictors of Anxiety and Depression Among Elementary and High School Educators: Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

BackgroundGlobally, anxiety and depression are primary contributors to work disability and impact the mental and physical well-being of educators. ObjectiveThis study aims to determine the prevalence and independent predictors of likely generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and likely major depressive disorder (MDD) among teachers in the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta, and Nova Scotia. MethodsThe study used a cross-sectional design. Educators from the 3 Canadian provinces participated by completing a web-based survey after enrolling in the Wellness4Teachers program, a free, self-subscription, daily, supportive SMS text messaging initiative. The program was launched at the beginning of the 2022-2023 academic year, and all teachers in the 3 provinces were eligible to enroll. Likely GAD and likely MDD among subscribers were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, respectively. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS (version 28.0). ResultsOf the 1912 Wellness4Teachers subscribers, 763 (39.9%) completed the survey. The prevalence of likely MDD was 55.7% (425/763) and that of likely GAD was 46% (349/759). After controlling for all other variables in the regression model, participants who reported high stress were 7.24 times more likely to experience MDD (odds ratio [OR] 7.24, 95% CI 4.22-12.42) and 7.40 times more likely to experience GAD (OR 7.40, 95% CI 4.63-11.80) than those with mild to moderate stress. Participants with emotional exhaustion were 4.92 times more likely to experience MDD (OR 4.92, 95% CI 3.01-8.05) and 4.34 times more likely to experience GAD (OR 4.34, 95% CI 2.47-7.62) than those without. Moreover, respondents with a lack of professional accomplishment were 2.13 times as likely to have MDD symptoms (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.41-3.23) and 1.52 times more likely to experience GAD symptoms (OR 1.524, 95% CI 1.013-2.293) than those without. Similarly, respondents with low resilience were 1.82 times more likely to have likely MDD than those with normal to high resilience (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.24-2.66). In addition, respondents with low resilience were 3.01 times more likely to experience likely GAD than those with normal to high resilience (OR 3.01, 95% CI 2.03-7.62). Participants with >20 years of teaching experience were 0.28 times less likely to experience GAD symptoms than those with ≤5 years of teaching experience (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.12-0.64). Sociodemographic and work-related variables did not independently predict likely GAD and likely MDD. ConclusionsThis study underscores the need for governments and policy makers in the education sector to implement comprehensive mental health support programs. Addressing the unique stressors faced by educators, reducing emotional exhaustion, and enhancing resilience are crucial steps toward mitigating anxiety and depression, promoting educators’ well-being, and improving the quality of educational delivery. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.2196/37934.